UNITEDISTATBS DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

JLyman Wilbur, Secretory >

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

George Otis Smith, Director

Water-Supply Paper 578

THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION 

CALIFORNIA

A GEOGRAPHIC, GEOLOGIC, AND HYDROLOGIC

RECONNAISSANCE

BY

DAVID G. THOMPSON

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

WASHINGTON: 1929

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C. - - - $2.00 (paper cover)

CONTENTS

Pace

Preface, by O. E. Meinzer. _ _ _ _ ix

PART I. General features._. .__ __' 1

Introduction. ____ _ . -.- ___ ... 1

Purpose and scope of report... ________ ____________ 1

Acknowledgments ______________________ _______________ 4

Geography 4

Location and extent of area.-___________________________ 4

Name of the region-...______________ ___________ ___ 5

Relief maps.-_-.. _________ _____ ______ 7

Historical sketch_-_--__-__---------_____-_-__-___--____--_-___ 9

Journeys of Garc^s, 1776 _______________________________ 9>

Early American explorers, 1826-1848________________ 11

The Death Valley party, 1849.____________________ IS

Explorations and settlement since 1850______________________ 16

Settlements and population_______.____________________ _ 23

Transportation. _____ ___ _____________________________ 25

Mineral resources._____ _____________________________________ 26

Statistics of production_____________________________ 26

Metals______________-_-.-_-____________ 29

Silver____ ______________________________ 29

Gold_________________________________ 30

Copper.____-__-----_--_-_____-__-____-_-_----_-_--__ 31

Lead and zinc___ __________________________________ 31

Tungsten-___--------____.________________ 31

Othet metals__--- ____-_____________-_--_---____--- 32

Nonmetals_ ___________ _________________________________ 33

Borax. ________________________________ 33

Potash. _____--_---________________________________ 33

Salt_-_--_-----~ _--____-_-_--_-_____------__-__- 34

Gypsum. _.__. ________________________________ 34

Calcium chloride _ ___________ _________ 35

Cement-__--_---_- _ _____________________ . 35

Lime and limestone________-___________-____--___-__ 35

Granite and other stone____________-----__-_-____-___- 35

Gems_ _ _____________________________________________ 35

Petroleum ___________________________________________ 36

Nitrates.. ______________________________ 38

Other nonmetals ______ _________ 39

Agriculture and stock raising-.--____--__-_-_______-________ 39

Flora__._____._______.______________________ 41

General features of desert vegetation._______________________ 41

Vegetation of the high mountains.__________________________ 45

Vegetation of the lower mountains and alluvial slopes._______.. 46

Vegetation where water table is near surface ________ _ ______ 51

Species of plants collected in the Mohave Desert region-------- 64

Fauna._I________________________________<'> 57

in
IV COUTEJTTB

PAET I Continued. *>»s»

Soils.. . - 60

General characteristics of desert soils 60

Alkali in soils... 61

Distribution of soils. 63

Soils of the alluvial slopes 63

Soils of pla,yas and adjoining lands : 64

Soils along the principal rivers 68

Climate_____________.____.___._....._________... 68

Climatic records_._ _... . -- 68

General conditions._____.__._ * 69

Temperature 70

Humidity_ ..._ 73

Winds________.._._ - 75

Evaporation_... _ 75

Precipitation _____......__.._ 77

Influence of climate on human activities , 95

Drainage__... . 97

Geology___ ... « 98

Previous literature.. 98

Present contribution 100

Stratigraphy_... _ 102

General features 102

Sedimentary rocks... * 103

Pre-Tertiary sedimentary rocks 103

Cambrian rocks. 103

Ordovician rocks 104

Silurian rocks_____ _____ _._ 104

Devonian rocks...... ... 104

Carboniferous rocks. _ 104

Mesozoic rocks..._ - _ _ ___ 105

Tertiary sedimentary rocks________________. 105

Quaternary deposits_______ _____________ 108

General features.._ _ ________ 108

Alluvium of streams, valleys, and slopes...____ 108

Playa and lake deposits.... _._______ 109

Owens, Searles, and Panamint Lakes system.. 110

Manix lake beds...... ..._______. Ill

Other lake and playa deposits_._____.___. 112

Dune sand. _ ...... 113

Igneous and metamorphio rocks_ __________ 114

Pre-Tertiary igneous and metamorphic rocks. __ 114

Tertiary igneous rocks ....._______ 115

Quaternary igneous rocks.. ____._______ 116

Structure. _______________________________ 116

Folding______________________________ 116

Faults.______________________________ 117

San Andreas rift______________________ 117

Garlock fault_______________________ 118

Sierra Nevada faults___________________ 119

Other faults________________________ 119

Geologic history ... __________________ _ ______ 121

 Ground water. __________________________*_____ 124

Occurrence_______________________________ 124

Source. ...____________________________ 124
OOITTEK'TS

I Continued. 

Ground water Continued.

Discharge_______ 124

Artesian conditions 126

Quantity________________ __ .... 126

Utilization.______________________________ 127

Quality..._____________._ __. 127

Temperature. __ 128

Suggestions for desert travel_____________ 132

General counsel__ _ 132

Equipment___ 133

Road difficulties. _ _ 134

Roads to watering places 136

Types of watering places_____________ 137

Finding watering places____ _ _ _ _> 138

Quality of desert waters.-.. _ 139

Emergencies______ 140

Main routes of the desert.. 141

Midland Trail. ____________________________ 141

National Old Trails road_______________________ 142

Ocean to Ocean Highway 142

Arrowhead Trail________________.___ _,._ 145

PART II. Descriptions of valleys_.____ _____ 144

Indian Wells, Coso, and Rose Valleys.... 144

Searles and Salt Wells Valleys_________ . 170-

Panamint Basin, including Pilot Knob Valley. _ 182

Leach Valley..._____________________... . .... 192

Avawatz Valley.. 199

Granite Valley______________________ . 200

Fremont Valley _____________ _ _ ~ 201

Golden Valley..___________________..... ..._. 223

Superior Valley_________________..... 237

Goldstone Valley_ . 255

Bicycle Valley_______ . ..__..... 257

Langford VaUey__ 259

Red Pass Valley___._._____....___T - 264

Harper Valley___ ..... 1 266

Coyote Valley_ 279

Antelope Valley.._ 289

Mohave River Basin.__ 371

Transportation and settlements_____ . . . 372

Industries_ _. 373

Physical features... . 374

Precipitation 376

Surface water..... ___ _ _ 378

Irrigation projects... ___ . 381

Local details..... 385

Headwater region 385

Upper Mohave Valley 387

Middle Mohave Valley ____________________ 428

Lower Mohave Valley _ _ 437

Cave Canyon... . 609

Crucero Valley.. .... . 612

Cronise Valley______________________... 536
VI OOVTBBTB

PABT II Continued.

Kelso Valley_____________________.__________ 548

Soda Lake and Silver Lake Valleys..__._ _ . _ 554

Amargosa drainage Basin..___. _ 572

General features....______________._______ 572

Middle Amargosa Basin.___________________.._ 573

Lower Amargosa Basin (including South Death Valley)________ 576

Wingate Valley _____. ______________________ 591

Biggs Valley ______________________________ 594

Upper Kingston Valley..__________ _ 598

Lower Kingston VaUey__--_____ 604

Pahrump, Mesquite, Ivanpah, and Roach Valleys_______ ___ 606

Las Vegas and Sutor Valleys...____________________ 610

Lucerne Valley____.____________________________ 610

Fry Valley..........______________.....______... 624

Johnson Valley _______________________________ ' 625

Bessemer Valley....____________________________ 631

Means Valley ________________________________ 632

Ames Valley ______________________________ __ 633

Surprise Valley _ _ ____________________________ 633 

Morongo, Warren, Copper Mountain, Twenty-nine Palms, and Dale

Valleys, by John S. Brown_______________________ 638

General features... ___... _ 638

Country between Whitewater River and Morongo Canyon 638

Morongo Canyon..._..._______________________ 640

Morongo Valley___.___.__________ _ ... 641

Warren Valley.____________________________ 642

Copper Mountain Valley.._ 645

Twenty-nine Palms Valley...____________________ 646

Twenty-nine Pahns to Dale_____________________ 648

Old Virginia Dale___________________________ 649

New Dale___ ____________________________ 649

Dale pumping plant_______________________ 650

Road to Amboy_____________________________ 650

Dale VaUey....._...._.__._.________________ 650

Layic Valley.___.__r__________________________ 651

Broadwell Valley___..___.____..._....________..... 656

Bristol-Lanfair Basin..._________________________________ 660

General features.._______________._..___.___ 660

Lanfair VaUey___________________._________ 662

Fenner Valley______________________________ 676

Bristol and Cadiz Valleys._____________________ 689

Ward VaHey ____. ___________________________ 704

Rice VaUey.__________________._..._...___.__. 711

Colorado River Basin. __________ 716

General features..________________________ 716

Piute VaHey______________________________ 716

Colorado River Valley between Mohave City and Topock...... 728

Chemehuevis Valley________________.... .__._.. 736

Vidal and Calzona Valleys_________ _ _ 741

Index. __ .....__________._ 749
ILLUSTRATIONS

PLATE 1. Map of the arid region of the United States showing areas 

covered by guides to watering places and other water-supply 

papers of the United States Geological Survey .___-_-__ 4

2. Index map of the Mohave Desert region___ _ ____ ____ 4

3. A, View looking north up Wall Street Canyon in Oalico Mountains; B, Mesquite bush on sand dune along Mohave River. 44

4. A, Typical view in Mohave Desert; B, Joshua trees or giant

yuccas near Cima __ __ ___ _______ ____ ________ 44

5. A, Roots of a creosote bush exposed by flood wash; B, C,

Roots of a giant yucca ( Yucca arborescens) ____ 44

6. Annual precipitation at nine control stations in or near the

Mohave Desert region. __. _ . _ ___ _ _ _______________ 92

7. Map of the Mohave Desert region showing boundaries of

drainage basins and character of playas _ _ __ ________ In pocket.

8. Reconnaissance geologic map of the Mohave Desert region. In pocket.

9. Map of part of Mohave Desert region showing desert watering

places (Sheet !)__________ _ In pocket.

10. Map of part of Mohave Desert region showing desert watering

places (Sheet II) _ __ In pocket.

11. Map of part of Mohave Desert region showing desert watering

places (Sheet III) ______________ ___ ___ _ _ In pocket.

12. Map of part of Mohave Desert region showing desert watering

places (Sheet IV) _ _ ___________ In pocket.

13. Map ef part of Mohave Desert region showing desert watering

places (Sheet V) __ __ ______ __ ___ _____ ._ In pocket.

14. A, Alluvium exposed in cut along Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway 2J^ miles east of Daggett; B, Pilot Knob, in 

. . T. 29 S., R. 44 E. Mount Diablo meridian __________ 108

15. A, Leach Spring and part of Granite Mountains; B, Indian

Spring, in Superior Valley______ __ ___ __ _ __________ 108

16. Map of Fremont Valley ____________________ . _ 212

17. Map of Harper Valley and Middle Mohave Valley ____ ____ 268

18. A, Surface of Harper Dry Lake showing ridge of alkali-covered 

"self-rising ground" and less alkaline smooth ground; B, 

Waste from uncapped well in the SE. 34 sec. 16, T. 7 N., R. 

12 W. San Bernardino meridian, Antelope Valley ____ __ 268

19. Map of Antelope Valley ______________________ "292

20. A, Mohave River 1,000 feet above Barstow wagon bridge, 

November 30, 1919; B, Mohave River looking upstream 

from Barstow wagon bridge, January 23, 1920 ______ ___ 372

21. A, Mohave Raver about half a mile below Camp Cady, November 21, 1919; B, Lower end of Mohave River about half a 

mile belowpoint shown in A_ _______ ____________ 372

22. Map of Upper Mohave Valley ________ , _________ 388

23. A, View looking east and southeast across Mohave River Valley at Victorville; B, Alluvial slope rising to the Granite 

Mountains, on the north side of Bicycle Valley _ 388

vn
ILLTJSTEATIOlirS

Paw 

PLATE 24. Map of Lower Mohave Valley__________1 ______ 436

25. A, B, Stratified alluvium along Mohave River south of Yermo. 444

26. A, View looking east and north across Mohave River about 

2 miles east of Old Camp Cady; B, Sand-dune belt in southcentral part of Lower Mohave Valley.. 444

27. A, Near view of Manix lake beds; B, Terraces cut in Manix 

lake beds along Mohave River 3 or 4 miles east of Gamp 

Cady........_______________________________________ 444

28. Map of parts of Cronise, Crucero, Soda Lake, and Silver Lake

Valleys....___.________._________.___. 516

29. A, B, Panoramic views of Crucero Valley. . 516

30. A, Wave-cut cliff and strand lines in SW. K sec. 20, T. 12 N., 

R. 7 E. San Bernardino meridian, East Cronise Valley; B, The 

mystic maze, an ancient Indian ceremonial ground 14 miles 

southeast of Needles . 516

31. A, Soda Lake; B, Silver Lake__________________ 556

32. A, B, Mount Pisgah cinder cone and lava flow 652

33. Map of Lanfair Valley______________________ 660

34. A, "Self-rising ground" on surface of Cadiz Dry Lake; B, 

View looking south across Danby Dry Lake; C, Large erosion 

channel cutting surface of Danby Dry Lake... _ __.___ . 660 

FIQUBB 1. Mean monthly precipitation at stations in or near the Mohave

Desert region......_____________.___...___ 88

2. Percentage of precipitation in each month at stations in or near

the Mohave Desert region-------------- 89

3. Relation of mean annual precipitation to altitude between San

Bernardino and Barstow_____ __________ ____ 94

4. Map of Indian Wells Valley.___________________ 149 

. 5. Profiles of the surface and of the water table between Rogers

Dry Lake and Kane Dry Lake.... 217

6. Map of Golden VaUey... ...... .................... 224

7. Map of Superior and Goldstone Valleys______-_____ 238

8. Section along a north-south line through Superior Valley ___ 249 

0. Map of Coyote and Langford Valleys_____________ 260

10. Sketch map of the vicinity of Paradise Springs 286

11. Diagrammatic cross section of Antelope Valley 318

12. Fluctuations of water table in wells near Little Rock Creek,

Antelope Valley ________________________ 328

13. Sections showing effect of discharge from Little Rock Creek,

Antelope Valley, in building up the water table 338

14. Generalized section of Lower Mohave Valley along an approximate east-west line through Daggett.._ 473

15. Profiles of the surface and of the water table in different parts

of Lower Mohave Valley... 475

16. Profile of surface and of the water table from north to south

across Soda Lake and Silver Lake play as. 562

17. Map of Lucerne Valley J __________ 616

18. Hypothetical section between La vie and Troy Dry Lakes 655

19. Profiles of the surface and the water table along main line of 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway between Cadiz and 

Colorado River_______________.. 684

20 Sketch map of Piute Valley______... 721
PREFACE

By[O. E. MEINZEE

Among the duties of the United States Geological Survey are those 

of "determining the water supply of the United States, the investigation of underground currents and artesian wells, and the preparation 

of reports upon the best methods of utilizing the water resources." 

In the performance of this duty, the Geological Survey has investigated the water resources of 30 to 40 areas in the arid portion of the 

country. (See pi. 1.)

In addition to the usual appropriation for the investigation of 

water resources, on August 21,1916, Congress passed an act authorizing the survey, marking, and protection of desert watering places, lor 

which p'urpose the sum of $10,000 became available on July 1, 1917* 

With this money, supplemented by an allotment from the usual 

appropriation, four field parties were organized, and a survey was 

made during the year from July 1, 1917, to June 30, 1918, of about 

60,000 square miles of the desert region in southeastern California 

and southwestern Arizona. Signs directing travelers to water were 

erected at 305 localities, 167 of them in California and 138 in Arizona. 

Maps were made hi the field showing the location of the principal 

roads and watering places, and many samples of water were collected 

and analyzed in the water-resources laboratory of the Geological? 

Survey. The maps, together with logs of the roads and brief notes 

on the watering places have been published as Water-Supply Papera 

490-A to 490-D, Routes to desert watering places in California and 

Arizona.1

In connection with the survey of desert watering places a large 

amount of information was obtained in regard to the geography, 

geology, and hydrology of the region covered. This information,; 

supplemented by data from other sources, has been used in the preparation of a series of four reconnaissance reports, each covering the 

part of the region studied by one of the survey parties. The large

, i Brown, T. 8., Routes to desert watering places in the Saltern So* reften, CMit; U. 8. GNsL Survey 

Water-supply Paper 490-A, pp. i-v, 1-86, pis. 1-7, 1920. Thompson, D. G., Raufe* ta dewrt watwtaf 

places in the Mohava Dwert region, Calif.: U. 8. Gaol. Survey WatK-Beppty Fftptt ttfr-9*.p&. fr-ff^ 

1-4,87-269, pis. 1-4, 8-J8, mi. Boas, 0. P., Bootes to desert watftfng plates lea ttw torn*QJte often, 

Acfe.: V. S. Gcfti. Survey Water-Supply Paper 490-C, pp. i~iv, 1*4,371-815, jjs. 1-a, tiMO, H82. 

Kirk, Bootes to desert watering places in the Papago country, Atfe.: U. 8, QtflJ. 8ocv*r W«t«r 

Rlp» 4«HD, pp. i-vi, iHl, 317-429, pla. 1-3,18,2&-2S, 1922. »
X PREFACE

size of the areas surveyed by each party and the requireirients of the 

work of erecting signposts and collecting data for the guidebooks 

prevented the study of the regions in as detailed a manner as might 

be desired, but the reports contain a large amount of new and useful 

information on this little-known portion of the United States.

The present report on the Mohave Desert region, by David G. 

Thompson, is the last of these reports to be published.2 It is based 

not only on the survey that was made in 1917 and 1918 but also on 

field work done in the region in 1919, 1920, and 1921. The report 

was completed by the author in May, 1924, but was not sent to the 

printer until 1928. The relief maps (pis. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) were 

printed in Water-Supply Paper 490-B in 1921, and have not been 

revised. Some information in regard to precipitation, stream discharge, water levels in wells, changes in roads, etc., in the period since 

the report was completed, has been added, but it has not been practicable to add information in regard to all recent developments in the 

region.

The Mohave Desert region has an area equal to the combined area' 

of Massachusetts, Khode Island, Connecticut, and New Jersey, but 

it would be difficult to conceive of two regions more strikingly different one densely populated and teeming with industry, the other 

in large part virtually uninhabited. Almost equally striking, however, and in some respects of more practical importance is the contrast between this almost undeveloped desert region and the regionjtlst across the mountains to the west and southwest, including the 

valley of southern California and other valleys nearer the coast, with 

their exceedingly productive and valuable irrigated lands. AS these 

better-watered valleys nearer Los Angeles have approached the limits 

of possible development, their enterprising inhabitants have looked 

more and more earnestly toward the Mohave Desert region and asked 

the question whether in its vast expanse, with its 50 desert valleys, 

each occupying a closed drainage basin of its own, there are not 

opportunities for making irrigation developments similar to those 

that have been so successful in the coastal region. Many attempts 

have already been made to develop irrigation districts in different 

parts of the region, in a few places with considerable success, as in 

Antelope Valley, but more commonly with complete failure. The 

interest in the possibilities of irrigation in this region is, however, 

unabated, and the United States Geological Survey is constantly

fc.» The three reports previously published are Brown, J. S., The Salton Sea region, Call!., a geographic, 

geotogie, and hydrologie reconnaissance, with a guide to desert watering places: U. 8. Oeol. Survey Water* 

Supply Paper 497, xv, 292 pp., 19 pis., 1923; Boss, 0. P., The lower QjQa region, Ariz., a geogrophio, geologic,. 

and hydrologie reconnaissance, with a guide to desert watering plates: U. 8. Qeol. ^Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 498, xiv, 237 pp., 23 pis., 1923; Bryan, Kirk, The Papago country, Ariz., a geographic, geologic, 

and hydrologie reconnaissance, with a guide to desert watering places: U. &. Oeol. Survey Water-supply 

Paper 499, xviii, 432 pp., 27 pis., 1925.
FBHFACE XI

receiving inquiries in regard to the ground-water conditions of one 

locality or another in the region.

In spite of this interest in the Mohave Desert region only veryinadequate information has been available in regard to its water 

supplies. Its vast extent and scarcity of inhabitants and watering 

places has made any comprehensive and thorough survey of its water 

resources a formidable undertaking. Though necessarily based on 

deficient information in many respects, the present report is a more 

comprehensive and accurate description of the region and contains a 

more critical and reliable discussion of its water resources than has 

hitherto been published.

THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

By DAVID G. THOMPSON

PAET I. GENEKAL FEATURES

INTBODUCTION 

PURPOSE AND SCOPE OF REPORT

The Mohave Desert region, in southeastern California, is & part of 

the so-called " Great American Desert," a vast region that covers 

nearly one-sixth of the area of the United States. (See pi. 1.)

To most persons, until recent years, the word "desert" signified 

wide expanses of sand dunes, bare of vegetation or other living things. 

During the early history of the United States the Great American 

Desert was an unknown region that barred overland travel to the 

Pacific coast, which was reached at first only by circuitous voyages 

around South America. Although California was discovered near 

the middle of the sixteenth century, it was not until the first part of 

the nineteenth century that trappers penetrated the desert from the 

east, and it was not until the gold rush of 1848-49 that there was any 

extensive travel across the desert. At that time, spurred on by the 

lust for gold, about 40,000 persons braved the desert with its littleknown perils to reach the western coast. Without sufficient equipment, unfamiliar with the geography of the region, and unaccustomed 

to the hardships encountered, scores of travelers perished from thirst 

and hunger. During that period the desert gained a reputation as a 

land of danger and of little value to man.

The completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 186$ was 

a notable step forward in the conquest of the desert. During the i«st 

half century untold mineral wealth has been removed from the mountains, and thousands of aeres in the valleys have been made to produce 

valuable crops by irrigation or dry fanning. With the advent el 

the automobile travel across the desert has lost many of its dangers, 

and an increasing multitude is discovering that the "desert" is not 

merely a vast waste of sand.

The reclamation of largo areas of arid land by irrigation has proved 

a most interesting and noteworthy phase of the development of the 

western United States during the last few decades. The movemaait 

WAS given special impetus at the end of the World War by the pro-

 t ' l
2 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

posal to settle the returning soldiers upon these desert lands. Colorful word pictures of the successful reclamation of some parts of the 

arid region have led many persons to believe that it is only a matter 

of time until the whole of the desert will be productive. Encouraged, 

perhaps by the belief that, because the Federal Government would 

give land at a small cost to anyone who complied with certain conditions, the land must therefore be valuable, some of them have applied 

for homesteads in the desert. Encouraged by visions of the valleys 

already successfully reclaimed, they have endured hardships and 

discomfort, but numerous deserted shacks and plots of cleared land 

showing a second growth of desert vegetation bear evidence that in 

many places only failure has resulted. In this arid region the one 

thing that is necessary above all for success is water.

At, some of the abandoned places wells, many of them equipped 

with expensive pumps, show that water has been obtained, but the 

supply has proved too poor in quality or too small in quantity or too 

far below the surface to be profitably utilized. At other deserted 

shacks there are no wells. Many of the owners have laboriously 

hauled water several miles during the months they have waited for a 

crop raised by dry-farming methods or to see if a well being drilled 

by a neighbor proved successful. To a careful observer it becomes 

increasingly evident that, although thousands of acres can still be 

reclaimed, the quantity of water available from all sources is not sufficient to irrigate more than a small part of the desert. As the area 

that can be irrigated is restricted, it is only good economic policy 

to determine the regions that are most promising. If the favorable 

areas could have bee'n separated from the unfavorable areas years 

ago, millions of dollars would have been saved to homesteaders.

The survey of the desert watering places in the Mohave Desert 

region was accomplished between September 1, 1917, and March 1, 

1918. The party consisted of the writer and a nontechnical assistant 

and was equipped with a Ford automobile and camping outfit. 

During the work the party traveled all the main roads in the region, 

and some of them were covered twice. On the first trip detailed logs 

of the roads were compiled, maps were made showing the location of 

the roads and watering places, samples of water from wells and springs 

were collected and shipped to the laboratory of the Geological Survey 

for analysis, and many data were collected in regard to the watering 

places visited. The second trip was a rapid one, devoted principally 

to setting the signposts.

As the primary object of the work was to collect and prepare information that would aid travelers on the desert, the time that could be 

spent in scientific observations was not great. The study of geologic 

and bydrologic problems was necessarily secondary to the other work. 

However, as a natural result of the study of the watering places on
GENERAL 1 FEATtJKES " f v O

the route of travel, the data obtained on the water resources are more 

complete than those in regard to the geology. , , .

Subsequently the writer spent another season in the.field,, 

October 20, 1919, to February 1, 1920. The work %t that time 

essentially confined to studies of the occurrence of ground w,atey in 

.several localities where there has been more or less development*^ 

the gound-water resources for irrigation. The parts of the regions 

thus studied were Mohave River valley from Hinkley eastward 

to Harvard on the north and Newberry Spring on the south j Crucero 

Valley, near the junction of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Raiiroa4 * 

and the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, and Cronise Valley nortib,- 

west of that place; Indian Wells Valley; and Antelope Valley, Several 

days were also spent in Antelope Valley in April and May,, 1921, 

when additional data were collected.

In August, 1916, G. A. Waring, of the United States GeologimI 

Survey, made a brief study of the occurrence of ground water in the 

vicinity of Victorville, in Mohave River valley from Victorville to 

.Daggett, in Superior Valley; and in Pahrump, Mesquite, and Ivanpah 

Valleys. A report was published which describes conditions in ,$& 

three last-named valleys.2 The data collected by Waring in the 

other valleys have been used in the preparation of this paper. In 

connection with an investigation on the utilization of ,Mohave 

River for irrigation near Victorville, the late C. E. Tait, of the Office 

of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, United States Department 

of Agriculture, collected data in regard to wells in that regkwa.* 

With a fine spirit of cooperation Mr. Tait made these data available 

for the present report. A small part of the region shown on the south 

end of Plates 11 and 12 was surveyed by John S. Brown, of the 

Geological Survey, and the description of that area was prepared by 

him.

. To present the wealth of information collected in this investigation 

without wearying one reader or another is a difficult task. To the 

average reader some parts may seem too technical; to the geologist or 

other scientific worker many pages may seem unnecessary. In preparing the report the writer has tried to bear in mind the interests of 

the different classes of readers who may use it the prospector, the 

homesteader, the technical investigator, or the casual traveler who 

desires to learn more about his native land. The most attention, 

however, is .devoted to the occurrence of ground water in the region.

i Since this report was written the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad has become a part of ttto tTnttib 

:Pacific System, and it is now generally known by that name. ., ' . .;;. > '

* Waring, Q. A., Ground water in Pahrump, Mesquite, and Ivanpah VaBexs, Nev. and Caljt; U* §. 

.Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 4SO, pp. 51-81, pis. 7-11,1920. , ' ; * ; ' ' " 

' * McClure, W. F., Sourwine, O. A., and Tait, C. E,, Report on the utilization of Mojave Kfcret t« i»fr 

gation in Victor Valley, Calif,: California Dept, Eng. Bull. 5, 1918. Also published as apj)endlj,Cjja 

California Pep*. Eng. Sixth Biaan. Rept., 1918. " '"
4 THE MOHAVE DESERT BJ5CHON, CALIFOENIA 

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The data in this report have been gathered from many sources, and 

it is obviously impossible to mention individually everyone who had 

given information. The writer desires to express his obligations to 

tl*e many postmasters, merchants, mine officials, ranchers, and 

prospectors who have given data of one sort or another. He is especially indebted to Mrs. A. Gilham, postmistress at Barstow during the 

period of his field work, and to the late Mr. E. T. JffiUis, of the same 

town, and their associates for many favors and aid in various ways* 

Credit for special information is given in many places where such 

data are used.

The officials of the railroads that pass through the area the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Southern Pacific, the Los Angeles 

& Salt Lake, and the Tonopah & Tidewater gave valuable information about sources of water supply along their lines and data in regard 

to alinements and altitudes at many points. The county'surveyors 

of San Bernardino and Los Angeles Counties furnished data used in 

compiling the maps. The writer is under obligations to the officials of 

the Automobile dub of Southern California for cooperation in many 

ways, particularly for permission to use data from their copyrighted 

maps.

The work was done under the direction of O. E. Meinzer, of the 

United States Geological Survey, whose unfailing interest and helpful 

criticism of this report are greatly appreciated. The analyses of 

water samples were mostly made under the direction of W. D.'Colling, 

chemist in charge of the division of quality of water of the Geological 

Survey, and the statements in regard to quality of water have been 

reviewed by him. The writer is also under special obligation to John 

S. Brown, Kirk Bryan, and Clyde P. Ross for suggestions and criticisms resulting from their work in the adjoining regions. A number 

of other members of the Geological Survey, who have done geologic 

work in one part or another of the region, especially L. F. Noble, 

G. K. Mansfield, and F. L. Hess, have furnished valuable data.

GEOGRAPHY

LOCATION AND EXTENT OF ABBA

The area considered in this report lies in southeastern Cafifotaia 

a»d includes all of the desert portion of San Bernardino, Lds Angeles, 

and Kern Counties, a narrow strip across the north side of Riverside 

County, and a somewhat wider strip of the southern part of Inyo 

County. (See index map, pi. 2.) A part of Clark County, Nev,, 

is shown on the maps, but very little information is included about* 

that region. In addition, nearly all of the better-watered part of
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 1

MAP OF THE ARID REGION OF THE UNITED STATES

Showing1 area covered *by g'uides to watering- places and other 

water-supply papers of the U. S. Geological Survey

Compiled by O. E. Meinzer

Scale OOO.OOO 

ZOO

EXPLANATION

Boundary of arid region requiring

guides to watering places

Areas covered by guides to desert 

watering places

Published as Water- Supply Papers 

490-A, 490-B, 490-C, and 490-D

Area covered by water supply 

paper

(The number is the serial number of the 

paper. Only principal water-supply 

papers are shown. A complete list of 

publications relating to water resources 

and information as to areas covered by 

topographic maps can be obtained by 

writing to the U. S. Geological Survey, 

Washington, D. C.)

Other important roads

19-20
WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 2

U. S, GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Water, provisions. important tuwi ; , 

 

and automobile hotel accomodations -iTroiia

PLATE DC 9

(Sheet I)

'ucJchornSprinffst 2

C^/ONAL (St&gPO) ^> Kingman, Ash fbrfand east

r

\LitfJeroCk

' Lla.rtn

INDEX MAP OF THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

SHOWING AREAS COVERED BY PLATES IX JUli 9-13

GEOGRAPHY 6

Son Bernardino County and small portions of Riverside and Los 

Angeles Counties south of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel 

, Mountains are shown on the large relief map. This region south, of 

the mountains forms part of the famous citrus belt of southern 

California, and no data are given concerning it. The hydrology of 

this region has been described by Mendenhall.4 Only main roads in 

this region are shown on Plate 10.

The total area shown on the maps is nearly 30,000 square miles, of 

which more than 25,000 square miles may be considered atrtfctiy 

desert country. It is worthy of note that San Bernardino County is 

the largest county in the United States. Its area is 20,157 square 

miles, of which about 18,500 square miles is desert. The next 

largest county is Coconino County, Ariz., which has an area of 

18,623 square miles. This county also is mostly desert, although 

perhaps not as arid as most of San Bernardino County.

NAME OF THE REGION

The region that is described in this report is generally called the 

Mohave Desert. The exact origin of the name as a geographic term 

is obscure, but it doubtless was first applied to the region along 

Mohave River, first called "Mohave River" by Fre"mont in 1844. 

(See p. 12.) At that time most of the Mohave Indians lived along 

.Colorado River near Needles, and it was for a long time supposed 

that the Mohave entered the Colorado near that place. In this way, 

probably, the name was eventually applied to a larger area. Apparently, however, the Mohave Indians never made their' homes along 

Mohave River but lived near the Colorado.

At present some confusion exists as to just what is included by the 

Mohave Desert. Loew,5 one of the earliest scientific workers in the 

region, referred to the Mohave Desert as "comprising southeastern 

California and the southwestern corner of Nevada." He also stated 

that "Lower California, although a portion of Mexico, belongs 

geographically to the Mohave Desert." He also included in the 

Mohave Desert certain areas that are not now commonly assigned 

to that region, as the Coahuila or Coachella Valley hi the Salton Sea 

region, which is frequently known as the Colorado Desert/ and 

Death Valley and Salinas Valley (probably referring to Saline VaDey

* MemteHhall, W. O., The hydrology of Saa Bernardlaa Valley, Calif.: U. 8. Oeol. 

Paper 14%, 13* pp* 12 pis., 1905; Ground waters and irrigation enterprises in the foothill bait, southern 

California: U. 8. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 219, 180 pp., 9 pis., 1908..

< Loew, Osoar, Report on the physical and agricultural featut es of southern California and especially of 

the Mohave Desert: U. 8. Qeol. Surveys W. 100th Her. Ann. Rept. for 1876, Appendix H 6, pp. 219-218, 

1876.

* Brown, J. &., The Salton Sea region, Calif" a geographic, geologic, and hydrologic reconnaissance, wttn 

ft guide to desert watering places: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 497, 1923.

5631 29 2
6 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

shown on the Ballarat topographic map) on the north. Abrams 7 

has defined the Mohave Desert a little more definitely as follows:

The Mohave Desert extends from the eastern base of the Sierra Nevada eastward through the Death Valley region to the Virgin River valley, in the. extreme 

southwestern part of Utah and the northwest corner of Arizona. To the southward it spreads out over the great barren wastes of the desert slopes of the San 

Bernardino Mountains and their eastern spur, the Chuckawalla Mountains. -

Some authors have applied the term to a much more restricted 

area that is bounded approximately on the east by Mohave River 

between Barstow and Cajon Pass, on the north by mountains that 

lie north of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway between 

Barstow and Mojave,8 and on the south and west by the San Gabriel 

and Tehachapi Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. The strictest 

definition is probably that of Baker,9 as follows:

The Mohave Desert region comprises the extreme southwestern portion of 

the Great Basin. It lies entirety within the State of California and includes 

within its limits portions of the four counties of San Bernardino, Inyo, Kern, 

and Los Angeles. Its boundaries on the northwest are the southern end of the 

Sierra Nevada Mountains and the Tehachapi Range; on the southwest are 

Sawmill Mountain, Liebre Mountain, the Sierra Pelon, with their southeastern 

continuation to the head of the Santa Clara River, and the San Gabriel Range; 

on the south are the San Bernardino Range and the Colorado Desert; on the 

southeast the natural boundary is the divide between the drainage tributary to 

the Gulf of California and the interior drainage of the Great Basin. The eastern 

and northern boundaries are difficult to fix, for there the Mohave Desert merge^ 

into the Great Basin proper with no marked drainage divides or high bounding 

ranges. The northwestwardly directed Piute Range, just inside the California 

border, may perhaps best be chosen as the eastern boundary, north of the divide 

of the Colorado River drainage. The northern limits of the Mohave Desert 

will be given as an east-west line connecting Castle, High, and Clarks Peaks, 

near the Nevada line, and running through Leach's Point and Burnt Rock 

Mountains to El Paso Peak, north of the mining camps of Randsburg and 

Johannesburg. That the eastern and northern boundaries as thus outlined are 

given not without a measure of reason is shown by the fact that they define the 

limits between the northern Great Basin region of markedly parallel mountain 

ranges and the southern Mohave Desert region of lower ranges without notable 

parallel arrangement.

Baker uses the term essentially to designate a physiographic province, and other authors use it more or less vaguely in the same way. 

To one not a physiographer, the boundaries of the region are not 

obvious, for the desert features which are most manifest within the 

region and which to the nontechnical observer apparently characterize 

it extend far to the north, east, and south, beyond the boundaries of

' Abrams, Leroy, The desert and desert floras of the west: Nature and Science on the Pacific Coast, 

published under auspices of Pacific Coast Committee of the American Association for the Advancement 

of Science, p. 172,1915. .

1 By a decision of the United States Geographic Board, the Indian name applied to the desert and river 

in San Bernardino County is spelled Mohave. The name of the post office in Kern County is spelled 

Mojave. ' -

* Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, p. 335-336,1911.
GEOGKAPSY ! 7

the physiographic province. The significance of the term has accordingly suffered by variation in popular usage, and it k doubtful whether 

this term should any longer be used to designate a physiographic 

province. It is desirable, however, to have a term by which the entire 

region described in this report can be designated. For convenience, 

therefore, the term "Mohave Desert region" is used as applying to 

the entire region shown on the large maps (pis. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 18) 

except the settled region south of the San Gabriel and San Bemardino 

Mountains. The term is used only in a general locational sense Ufce 

such names as "southern California" and "the Southwest." Certain 

areas are thus included that have not previously been considered as 

being strictly part of the Mohave Desert for instance, the southern 

part of Death Valley and the part of California that is drained by 

Colorado River. . '.

The name "Mohave Desert" is occasionally applied to the northwestern part of Arizona. Doubtless this usage has come about; because the region is a part of Mohave County. Although there is 

good reason for considering this the more correct use of the name, it 

has not been generally adopted.

In physiographic terms, according to present usage of the United 

States Geological Survey, the area here described lies mostly in the 

Sonoran Desert section of the Basin and Range province. That part 

morth of latitude 35° 30' is in the Nevada Basin section of this province.

BELIEF MAPS

The region considered in this report is shown on five relief maps. 

(See pis. 9,10,11,12, and 13, hi pocket.) The relative position of the 

-areas shown on the different maps is indicated on Plate 2.

The relief maps were compiled from many sources. Topographic 

maps published by the United States Geological Survey were used so 

far as they were available, but necessary changes and additions in 

roads were made.10 In areas for which such maps did not exist the 

principal roads were mapped in the field. A plane table was used, 

and locations were made either by triangulation or by a compass 

traverse. The mountain borders were also shown on these field inaps.

For parts of the region that were not visited several sources of infor- 

: niation were used in the compilation of the base map, such as maps 

prepared by the Automobile Club of Southern California, the county, 

surveyor of San Bernardino County, the California Highway Commission, and the California State Mining Bureau. Use has been made of 

maps that accompany published and unpublished reports of! 'tne 

United States Geological Survey.

_ to .An index map of California and Nevada, showing parts of the area considered in this report for which 

^typographic maps have been published, may be obtained free from the Director, TJ-. 8. GeoL Surveys Washington, D. 0. . , ...'..'
8 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFOENIA

The relief shading of the maps was done by John H. Renshawe, of 

the Geological Survey. Different degrees of shading have been us$d 

to indicate the relative altitude of different parts of the valley. In 

title flatter areas the darkest color represents the lowest elevation and 

lighter colors the higher elevations. The mountains are shows, by 

shading as if seen under a strong light coming at a low angle from the 

northwest.

The details of topography and the accuracy of the relief shading 

necessarily differ from one part of the map to another, according to 

the information available. In regions that are covered by topographic maps the topography is shown in sufficient detail to permit 

tfas identification of many comparatively insignificant features. The 

mapping of the northeastern part of the area shown on Plate 11, 

including about half a degree of latitude and longitude, and of the 

part of the area shown on Plate 10 east of Victorville and near Barstow 

is based on incomplete topographic field sheets and is comparable in 

accuracy to mapping of parts of the area covered by published topographic maps. The topography for several miles on each side of the 

main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway is based on 

topographic maps published in a bulletin of the Geological Survey.11

In parts of the area that were mapped by the writer it was not 

possible to show the relief and other features hi as great detail or as 

accurately as they would be shown on the topographic maps. However, the most prominent indentations in the border of the mountains, 

the location of the divides, the mountain passes where they are crossed 

by roads, and other features that should aid the traveler in locating 

himself were shown as accurately as possible. For some parts of the 

region, where topographic maps were lacking, the data were obtained 

from maps of the United States Geographical Surveys West of the 

One-Hundredth Meridian, published between 1875 and 1880. For 

other parts recent township plats of the General Land Office give a 

fair idea of the relief, but for still other parts only the old township 

plats were available, and these indicated only the mountain boundaries, and some of them not even that much. Altitudes have been 

obtained from railroad profiles and from barometric readings from a 

number of sources. The altitudes given on the maps at railroad 

stations in parts of the region not covered by topographic maps were 

taken from railroad profiles. A primary level line has been run by the 

Coast and Geodetic Survey along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway from San Bernardino to Barstow, thence eastward to Goffs, 

northward along the Searchlight branch to Ivanpah, and northeastward along the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. The altitudes*at 

stations on this stretch of the Santa Fe as given on the map generally

11 Dartoa, N. H., and others, Guidebook of tb* western United States, Part G, The Santa F« Route: 

U. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 613,1916.
HISTORICAL SKETCH V

differ by a few feet from the altitudes of bench marks established by 

the Coast and Geodetic Survey.

Previously published maps of the region have been very mueh 

more generalized, both as to the course of the roads and as to the 

character of the physical features. Many of the recent maps of the 

area that have been published by private companies or official 

organizations have been compiled, in part at least, from older maps, 

and certain errors existing on the older maps have persisted in the 

newer ones. A number of these inaccuracies have been corrected ia 

the maps that accompany this paper.

' Township lines are shown upon the maps, but they may not be 

located correctly with respect to springs, railroad stations, and other 

definite geographic points, because very few land corners were found 

that would permit the land net to be properly tied to points shown 

on the base map. Most of the townships were surveyed more than 

6d years ago. Recent resurveys by the General Land Office in certain 

parts of the area show that in places great differences exist between 

the supposed location and the true location of township lines. Fear 

example, north of Goffs (pis. 12 and 13), original township corners 

have been found almost 3 miles from the points where they w«et 

supposed to be.ila There is reason to believe that great errors in the 

original land surveys exist in other parts of the area.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

JOURNEYS OF GAUGES, 1776

The history of the Mohave Desert region is to be gathered piecemeal from the reports of early explorations and tales by travelers 

and others who have recorded events of their times. The region 

apparently was situated between the main routes of travel from east 

to west, for the pioneer records do not seem to be as abundant for 

this region as for those to the north and south.

The first white man to enter the Mohave Desert region of whom 

we have any record was a Spanish priest, Padre Fray Francisco 

Garces, who came to America from Spain in 1768 and spent the rest 

of his life among the Indians of the Southwest.12 After having been 

some time among the Indians on the lower Colorado and Gila Bivere* 

on February 14, 17t6, he started north from Yuma to visit the 

"Jamajabs," or the Mohave Indians, as they are now known.18 He

u», On Plate 12 the northern of the two rows of range numbers just south of latitude 35* should be Rs. 16 to 

18 E., and on Plato 13 the corresponding row should be Rs. 19 to 22 E. . 

0 Bancroft, H. H., History of California, vol. 1, p. 275, San Francisco, A. L. Bancroft & Go* ISM, 

» Garces's diary of his journey across the Mohave Desert is given by Elliott Coues, On the trail of a 

Spanish pioneer, the diary and itinerary of Francisco Qarees, vol. 1, pp. 213-247,304*306, New York, 

P. Harper, 1900.
10 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

went alone except for two interpreters. From Yuma he went up 

the California side of Colorado River. He passed through the territory occupied by the Chemebets Indians, now known as the Chemehuevis, and arrived in the territory of the Mohaves in the vicinity 

of the present town of Needles on February 28. Garce*s was not 

the first white man to travel up Colorado River, for it had been 

discovered by Hernando de Alarc6n in 1540, more than 200 years 

previously, and Alarc6n is supposed to have ascended it for 85 leagues 

from its mouth. There is doubt, however, that he went as far north 

as the Mohave territory, and Garce"s was probably the first Spaniard 

to visit this territory. He was received with great v acclaim, for 

although the Mohaves doubtless had met Spaniards outside of their 

own territory, no white man had previously entered it.

On March 1, 1776, accompanied by several Mohaves and one of 

his interpreters, Garce"s set out from the Mohave villages westward 

across the desert to go to the San .Gabriel Mission, near the present 

city of Los Angeles. By following the landmarks mentioned in his 

diary, it seems probable that he went by way of Piute Spring to a 

pass in the New York-Providence Range and crossed that range 

near Cedar Canyon. He continued westward, probably across the 

south end of Soda Lake, until he reached "an arroyo of saltish water" 

which he called "Arroyo de los Martires." This was the lower end 

of Mohave River, which was then seen for the first time by a white 

man. He continued up the river nearly to its head and crossed the 

San Bernardino Mountains on March 22. He found several "rancherias " of Indians along the river. At one place, probably between 

the present towns of Victorville and Barstow, he met several Mohave 

Indians who were returning from trading at the San Gabriel Mission. 

He arrived safely at San Gabriel Mission and spent some days there.

On leaving San Gabriel Mission Garce"s traveled northward into 

San Joaquin Valley, where he visited other Indian tribes until early 

in May. On May 11 he ascended the Sierra Nevada or Tehachapi 

Mountains, probably near Tehachapi Pass, and proceeded eastward 

across the desert. He followed his former course along Mohave 

River, but east of Soda Lake probably went a little north of the path 

of his first journey. He arrived safely again at the Mohave villages 

on May 30. On his going and returning trip across the Mohave 

Desert he had traveled in 41 days a total of nearly 500 miles, a 

distance that now can be covered in about half as many hours. 

GarceVs journey was remarkable not only because he was the first 

white man to penetrate the unknown desert but also because he made 

it with no equipment such as the later explorers had, for he depended 

entirely upon the hospitality of the Indians.
HISTORICAL SKETCH 11 

EARLY AMERICAN EXPLORERS, 1826-1848

The next white man of whom we have any record as crossing the 

Mohave Desert region is Jedediah S. Smith, a famous American 

trapper, who was born in New York State. Smith, with a party of 

15 men, left Great Salt Lake on August 22, 1826, to explore the 

country southwest of that place, probably to determine the feasibility of extending the fur trade of his company into that region.14 

He traveled almost due south but a little to the west, until he reached 

Virgin River, which he followed to Colorado River. He pro«eeded 

down the Colorado to the villages of the Mohave Indians, who, he 

states, called themselves "Ammuchabas." After obtaining supplies 

and the services of Indian guides he traveled for 15 days across the 

desert to the coast. He probably followed the same route tha& 

Garces had taken to the San Gabriel Mission. On leaving southern 

California he traveled northward through San Joaquin Valley until 

he was due east of San Francisco Bay and then went eastward aertoss: 

the Sierra Nevada and the desert to Great Salt Lake, which he 

reached in July, 1827. Smith was probably the first American to 

cross the continent by the southern and the central routes. Lewis 

and Clark had reached the coast by a northern route 20 years earlier.

Almost immediately after his return to Great Salt Lake Smlt& 

started on another trip to join some of his party whom he had left in 

San Joaquin Valley. He followed the route he had taken on his 

first journey and arrived at the Mohave villages in August.16 The 

Mohaves seemed as friendly as usual, but as his party of 19 men 

was ferrying across Colorado River on a raft the Indians attacked 

them and killed 10. He was then obliged to hasten across the desert 

to the Spanish settlements near San Gabriel. He made the journey 

this time in nine and one-half days.

In 1829 another party of trappers, headed by Capt. Erving Young 

and including Kit Carson, who later crossed the desert with Fre'mont, 

traveled from Santa Fe, N. Mex., to Colorado River near the Mohave 

villages'and thence to San Gabriel Mission, probably by way of 

Mohave River.16 A few months later, on the return trip to New 

Mexico, hastening to escape imprisonment by the Mexicans; the 

party traveled from Los Angeles to the Mohave villages in nine 

days.17

There is almost no record of other travelers passing through the 

Mohave Desert region until J. C. Fre"mont crossed it on his second 

expedition in the spring of 1844. Fr&naont's party had spent a year 

in exploration in Oregon and northern California and on their home-,

" Dale, H. C., The Ashley-Smith explorations and the discovery of a central route to the Pacific, 1822- 

1829, pp. 186-190, Cleveland, Aithar H. Clark Co., 1918. * 

« Dale, H. C., op. clt., pp. 229-231.

" Sabin, E. L., Kit Carson days, p. 52, A. C. MoClurg & Co., 1914, 

» Idem, pp.
12 THE MOHAVE DESBET EEGION, CALIFOBNIA

ward journey had traveled from the vicinity of the present city of 

Sacramento southward in San Joaquin Valley. On April 14, 1844, 

the party crossed the mountains into the desert,18 probably at 

Tehachapi Pass or through Cottonwood Canyon. They moved 

southward along the foot of the Tehachapi Range and then eastward 

along the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains until they struck a road 

a few miles north of Cajon Pass, which was known as the Spanish 

Trail.

This trail apparently had been used for some years prior to 

Fre'inont's journey, but there is practically no record of the travelers. 

Farnham w records a journey by a Doctor Lyman hi 1841 from Santa 

Fe, N. Mex., to California by way of Colorado River, Las Vegas, 

and Mohave River. He writes:

By striking off in a westerly direction from a point about one day's march 

from its [Colorado Eiver] deboucher into the California Gulf, he [Doctor Lyman] 

arrived at a river of excellent water called the Amajaves. The source of thia 

stream is in the marine range of the California Mountains immediately east of 

the Pueblo de los Angeles, at a place called the Cajon.

In regard to the Spanish Trail, Fre'mont * states:

We had struck the great object of our search the Spanish Trail. * * * 

Although in California we had met with people who had passed over this trail, we 

had been able to obtain no correct information about it. * * * We were 

now careful to take the old camping places of the annual Santa Fe caravans, 

which, luckily for us, had not yet made their yearly passage. A drove oi several 

thousand horses and mules would entirely have swept away the scanty grass at 

the watering places.

The Spanish. Trail led in a general northeasterly direction across 

the present San Bernardino County, Calif., to what is now Las 

Vegas, Nev.; thence, according to an old map of Utah,21 nor iheastward and eastward across the south end of Utah, and crossed Cc lorado 

River about halfway between the junctions of Green and Sail Juan 

Rivers with that stream.

The Spanish Trail led for many miles along Mohave River, which 

was first given that name by Fre'mont, who, however, spelled it 

"Mohahve." 22 The reason why he gave it this name is not entirely 

clear, for according to the tales of early explorers the Indians who 

lived along the river were not Mohaves but tribes unfriendly to 

them. Possibly it was because he met some Mohaves who told him 

that members of their tribe once lived along the river. Fre'mont 

states that the river was also called Rio de las Animas.29

11 Fr&nont, J. G., Report of the exploring expedition to the Rooky Mountains and to Oregon and California, 1st ed., pp. 257-265, Washington, 1846.

» Farnham, T. J., Lite and adventures in California, pp. 312-318, New York, W. H. Graham, 1846.

» Q-toont, J. C., op. (At., p. 269.

" Froiseth's new sectional and mineral map of Salt Lake City, Utah, 1871.

»It will be noted above that Farnham, in describing the journey of Doctor Lyman, refers to "Amajaves 

Biver," which is evidently a name equivalent to Mohave.

» Fr&moat, J. C., op. eit., p. 260.
HISTORICAL SKETCH 13

one of the camps on the river two Mexicans arrived with a 

harrowing tale of the murder of their companions by Indians. One 

of the Mexicans, with two of Fr&nont's party, including the famous 

Kit Carson, pursued the Indians for many miles and avenged the 

murder of the white men by killing two of the Indians. The expedition turned northeast, away from the river, probably a few miles 

east of the present town of Yermo, and continued northeastward to 

a spring called Agua de Tomaso. This spring is shown on several 

maps, but no watering place in the region is now known by this 

name. It is probably the spring now called Bitter Spring. (See p. 

546.) The party stopped at springs along Amargosa River, probably 

those now called Salt Springs. At that early date the Amargosa 

(Spanish for bitter) was known by its present name. From Salt 

Springs the party proceeded to Resting Springs.24 The murder of 

the Mexicans had occurred at these springs, and Fre"mont named the 

place Agua de Hernandez after one of the victims. The party 

proceeded thence to the place now called Stump Spring in Pahrump 

Valley and on to Las Vegas and thence to Great Salt Lake.

Fre'mont's expedition was notable not only because he added considerable to the geographic knowledge of the region but also because 

he collected numerous botanic and geologic specimens. The botanic 

specimens, which were studied by Dr. John Torrey, contained a number of new species.

Fr&nont carried back to the Eastern States much information about 

the Pacific region, and after his expedition through the Mohava 

Desert travel in that region increased. In 1846 a troop of Mormons 

who had enlisted to aid the United States against Mexico, forming: 

what was known as the Mormon battalion, marched from Santa Fa 

to California by way of Yuma. When this battalion was disbanded 

in 1847, about 25 members of it proceeded from southern California 

to Salt Lake City across the Mohave Desert. It is said that these 

men took with them the first wagon that ever went over the Salt 

Lake Trail.26

THE DEATH VALLEY PARTY, 1849

Gold was discovered in northern California in January, 1848, but 

official word of the discovery did not reach the Atlantic States until 

the fall of that year. By the spring of 1849 the rush to the gold fields 

was well along. The fields could be reached from the East by several 

routes. These routes were by boat, either around Cape Horn, or with 

a short land journey across the Isthmus of Panama; by land to Salt 

Lake City, thence westward to Sacramento and San Francisco; by 

the same route to Salt Lake City and thence eouthwestward to Los 

Angeles and northward to San Francisco by land or boat; and by a

* * Dellenbaagb, F. 8., Frgmont and '49, p. 252, New York, a. P. Putnam's Sons. 1914. 

» Roberts, B. H., The Mormon battalion, p, 73, Dfiearet News, 1919.
14 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

southern route by way of Santa Fe and thence to southern California 

by two or three different routes, the most traveled of which was by 

way of Yuma. Tke northern route was probably most used because 

it was the most direct route from the East. The southern route was 

used mostly by persons going from Mexico and the Southern States. 

The route from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles was not advantageous 

to the gold seekers, for it took them out of their way and made a hard 

journey over the desert. It did, however, have one advantage in that 

it was open throughout the winter, when the northern route was closed 

by deep snow in the Sierra Nevada.

Many of the gold seekers arrived at Great Salt Lake too late in the 

summer of 1849 to make the passage over the Sierra Nevada on the 

northern route, and they feared that the provisions at hand were not 

sufficient to carry them through the winter. They decided to take the 

route across the desert to southern California and thence to go north 

to the gold fields. Capt. Jefferson Hunt, who had made the journey 

before, was engaged to guide them along the old Spanish Trail, which 

never before had been traveled by wagons, except by the Mormon 

battalion in 1846. The harrowing experiences that befell some of the 

members of this party are told by W. L. Manley, one of the travelers, 

on whose story 2a the following account is based.

Some distance from Great Salt Lake the train under Captain 

Hunt was joined by another train. The members of this party had a 

map on which was shown a short-cut route across the desert and the 

Sierra Nevada. Although Captain Hunt was certain no such route 

existed, many of the party were in favor of taking it. After much 

discussion all but 7 of the 107 wagons started westward. Captain 

Hunt proceeded with the smaller group along the regular trail.

Several days' journey from the point of separation the party on 

the supposed short cut came to a canyon impassable for the wagons. 

After several days' search for a feasible pass most of the party turned 

back to the trail followed by Captain Hunt. But before all had started 

back a pass was found, and 27 wagons continued westward. The 

travel became more difficult, and forage for the oxen and horses and 

water for all became scarcer. Eventually the party broke into smaller 

groups, each shifting for themselves. Some of the unmarried men, 

known as the Jayhawkers, started on ahead, leaving the men with 

families to get along as best they could. Manley traveled with two 

families by the names of Bennett and Arcane. After days of hardship, 

which were mild, however, compared to those that followed, the 

party descended into a long, narrow valley, bordered on the west by 

a mountain range so high and so steep that, in Manley's words, 

"nothing could climb it on its eastern side except a bird." The lower 

part of the valley was covered with immense blocks of rock salt, clear

x Manley, W. L., Death Valley in '49, San Jose, Pacific Tree & Vine Co., 1894.
HISTORICAL SKETCH 15

as ice, between which was water that was a strong brine. One of the 

Jayhawkers described the valley as "the Creator's dumping place 

where He had left the worthless dregs after making a world, and the 

devil had scraped these together a little." v This was the now famous 

Valley of Death, as it was named by these emigrants after their 

harrowing experiences. The valley w*as probably visited by white 

people for the first time when the Jayhawkers entered in December, 

1849. Evidences of Indian camps on the border of the valley showed 

that the valley had not been unknown to the Indians.

The several parties had by this time separated, each looking after 

its own interests, but all of them probably entered the valley by way 

of Furnace Creek Wash. The Jayhawkers turned northward from 

that place, seeking a pass which they had seen from a distance. It is 

likely that they left the valley through Emigrant Pass. Apparently, 

according to Manley's description, they crossed Panamint Dry Lake 

and went along the west side of Searles Lake.

The party that included Manley and the Bennett and Arcane 

families turned southward from Furnace Creek and finally found a 

good watering place, which is quite likely that now known as Bennetts 

Wells. It was decided that the party should remain there while 

Manley and another man should go ahead to locate watering places 

and try to obtain help at Los Angeles.

The two men apparently crossed the Panamint Range westward 

through one of the canyons that led across the higher part of the 

mountains some distance north of Wingate Pass. They seem not 

to have found that pass but to have gone near the south end of Panamint Dry Lake, climbed over the Slate Range, and then traveled 

along the north side of Searles Lake and thence across the Argus 

Range. They continued southwestward across what is now called 

Indian Wells Valley to Freeman Canyon, the entrance to Walker Pass, 

and thence to Red Rock Canyon and down it to springs at the south 

end of Fremont Dry Lake (probably Cane Springs). On this part 

of the route they caught up with the Jayhawkers, who, like themselves,, had suffered greatly on their journey across the dry stretch of 

Indian Wells Valley. Two of them had died from thirst since leaving 

Death Valley. From the springs in Fremont Valley Manley and 

his companion continued on another almost unendurable dry stretch 

southward to Antelope Valley and to Soledad Pass, where they 

traveled down the valley now followed by the Southern Pacific Rail-- 

road until they came to a Mexican ranch house. There they obtained 

a supply of food, two horses, and a mule and turned back to bring 

help to the party that was left in Death Valley, which they found 

without mishap. The horses had to be abandoned before the camp 

in Death Valley was reached, so that for the hazardous journey there

8 Manley, W. L., op. cit., p. Ml.
16 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

were left for burden bearers only the mule and the oxen brought from 

the East. The Arcane and Bennett children were placed on the 

oxen, or the smaller ones at times carried in their fathers' arms. The 

women walked. Unaccustomed to such toil, with the added agony 

of thirst, they suffered untold hardships. At times it seemed as if 

they must die, but finally they reached the well-watered lands south 

of the San Gabriel Mountains. Most of the Jayhawkers had arrived 

previously, but several of them died before they reached the edge 

of the desert.

As a matter of fact, the travelers, at least Manley's party, seem not 

to have suffered as much in Death Valley as they did after leaving 

the valley, particularly on the dry stretches in Indian Wells Valley 

and from the springs in Fremont Valley southward across Antelope 

Valley. As one looks at the present-day map of the Mohave Desert 

region, which shows numerous springs, he may wonder why the 

travelers did not seek and follow an easier route on which they would 

have encountered less difficulties. Had they but known it, when they 

began the descent of Furnace Creek Wash to Death Valley the 

travelers were not more than 50 miles from the Spanish Trail at Resting Springs, or the Archillete, as it was called by Fre'mont. They 

doubtless could have followed this route with little difficulty. It 

would seem that even from Death Valley they might have found an 

easier route than they did, but it must be remembered that at the 

time of their journey the country they traveled was entirely UH" 

mapped. They left one watering place not knowing where they would 

next find water. Many of the springs now shown on maps, to say 

nothing of the welk, have been found or developed only after the 

territory had been carefully explored by prospectors. Some of the 

wells have been dug where only a bit of salt grass or other evidence 

known only to the experienced prospector has shown the presence 

of water. To-day, even if the breakdown of his automobile forces 

the traveler to walk for a long distance, with the location of the 

water holes known, it is difficult to realize how truly remarkable was 

the journey of the emigrants across Death Valley and the adjoining 

desert in 1849.

In contrast to the story of the Death Valley party, and equally 

fascinating, is that of two modern travelers.28 One need only read 

this story of a journey of two women through Death Valley and other 

parts of the Mohave Desert region to realize that desert travel still 

involves some danger, but the compensation therefor is ample.

EXPLORATIONS AND SETTLEMENT SINCE 1850

In 1851 a party of Mormons traveled from Salt Lake City across 

the Mohave Desert region and founded a colony at San Bernardino.

» Perkins, E. B., The white heart of Mojave, 229 pp., 1 sketch map, illustrations, Bool & Liverigbt, 1922.
HISTOEICAL SKETCH 17

Thereafter travel along the Salt Lake trail became more frequent, and 

mail was carried between Salt Lake City and southern California at 

regular intervals. Tales of journeys along this route by Remy 38 

and Chandless 80 throw some light OB the travel across the desert at 

this time.

In the fall of 1852 Capt. L. Sitgreaves,81 of the Corps of Topographical Engineers of the United States Army, conducted an exploring 

expedition from the pueblo of 'Zufii, in New Mexico, to Colorado 

River near Needles and thence d,own the river to Yuma, Ariz. This 

expedition traveled only along the eastern edge of the Mohave 

Desert region, and except for descriptions of some plants and animals, 

the report of it yields little of interest in regard to t ie region.

In the fall of 1853 a party under Lieut. R. S. Wi iamson,82 under 

orders of the War Department to seek a southern railroad route between Mississippi River and the Pacific Ocean, explor

between San Joaquin Valley and the desert and len skirted the

north slope of the San Gabriel Range to Mohave I 

part of the expedition proceeded down the river to 

northward to the Salt Lake road about 5 miles nort!

In the spring of the following year another par;y in charge of

Lieut. A. W. Whipple 83. passed through the region 

River near Needles to San Bernardino. This exp 

sent out by the War Department to locate a route fo 

Mississippi River to the Pacific Ocean. The rou 

practically that of Garce"s in 1776, which crossed the

York Range in the vicinity of the Mid Hills, then 

Soda Lake, and followed Mohave River to Cajon P

was followed probably because Whipple had Mohave Indians for

guides, as did Garce*s. It is shorter than the route

the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and the National Old

Trails Road, and at that time, when the water su

id several passes

ver. Thence a 

Soda Lake and 

of Silver Lake.

from Colorado

dition also was

a railroad from

e followed was

Providence-New 

,e descended to 

,ss. This route

ow followed by

 plies were still

a Remy, Jul3S, A Journey to Great Salt Lake City, London, W. Jeffs, 1861. 

description of the Journey from Las Vegas, Nov., to San Bernardino, Calif., in 18!

a Chandless, William, A visit to Salt Lake, London, 1857.

" Sitgreaves, L., Report of an expedition down the Zufii and Colorado Riveis, S 

2d sees., 1853.

H Williamson, R. S., and others, Report of explorations in California for railrot 

tbe route near the thirty-fifth and thirty-second parallels of north latitude: D

n pp. 410-454 Is given a

Ex. Doc. 593, 32d Cong.,

routes to connect with 

S. Pacific R. E. Expl,,.

vol. B, 1866.

» Whipple, A. W., Report of explorations for a railway route near the thirty-fifth parallel of north latitude: U. S. Pacific R. R. Expl., vols. 3 and 4,1856. (The following pages deal with the Mohave Desert 

region: Part I (vol. 3), Itinerary, pp. 105-136. Part II (vol. 3), Report on the topographical features and 

character of the country, pp. 39-45. Part III (vol. 3), Report upon the Indian tribes, by Lieut. A. W., 

Whipple, Thomas Eubank, and W. W. Turner. Numerous scattered references. Part IV (vol. 3), (1), 

General report upon the geological collections by W. P. Blake, pp. 51-56 and other pages; (2), Resuail aad 

field notes, by Juke Marcou, pp. 161-164. Fart V (vol. 4), Report on the botany of toe expedition, by J. 

M. Bigelow and others, pp. 13-16 and other numerous references under description of species. Part VI (vet.*), 

Report on the zoology of the expeditkm, by C. B. E. Kennerly, p. 8 and numerous scattered refemBo»» 

Additional information in regard to the expedition is given by Baldwin Moelhausen in Diary of a Journey 

from the Mississippi to the coasts of the Pacific with a United States Government expedition, tratatated 

by Mrs. Percy Sennett, London, Longman, Brown, Green, Longman & Bros., 1858.)
18 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

undeveloped, it afforded the best watering places. Under present 

conditions of travel, with other water supplies developed, Whipple's 

route is a very difficult one to travel, for the valley on both sides of 

Soda Lake ("a dry lake") is very sandy and practically impassable 

for automobiles.

Williamson's trip down Mohave Kiver to Soda Lake and thence 

north beyond Silver Lake to the Salt Lake road was significant because he proved definitely that Mohave Kiver ended at Soda Lake. 

Before his trip it was generally supposed that Mohave Kiver was a 

tributary of Colorado River, although no exploring expedition had 

found the junction of the two streams. Moelhausen,84 a member of 

Whipple's expedition, wrote:

The friendly Mohaves * * * had given us two of their warriers to accompany us to the "flowing water" of the Mohave, for from their signs and descriptions we made out that, many days' journey from the Colorado, the river loses 

itself in the sands and joins the Colorado underground.

He also states that Whipple's party, not knowing of Williamson's 

discovery a few months before, traveled some distance up the Colorado 

hoping to find the mouth of the Mohave. From earlier reports and 

maps it seems probable that Piute Wash,35 which empties into Colorado River a few miles north of Needles, was believed to be Mohave 

River on account of its size. Fre"mont, on his trip across the Mohave 

Desert in 1844, had failed to discover the fact that Mohave River 

was not a tributary of the Colorado, because he had turned northeastward away from the river 30 miles or more before he reached 

Soda Lake. When he crossed the large valley north of Silver Lake 

he did not know that it was a continuation of the same depression in 

which the river ended.

In 1855 surveyors of the United States General Land Office began 

to subdivide the land in the Mohave Desert region into townships 

and sections. This may be said to be the beginning of settlement of 

the region. In January and February, 1858, a party under Lieut. 

Joseph C. Ives 38 explored Colorado River from its mouth to the head 

of navigation at the lower end of Black Canyon. They traveled on 

a steamboat and thus proved that the river was navigable. This 

expedition explored only the part of the Mohave Desert region that 

is immediately adjacent to Colorado River, but as the party included 

a geologist, Dr. J. S. Newberry, the report of this expedition is of 

considerable interest.

In the early sixties a number of stock ranchers settled along Mohave 

River. In 1861 a ferry was established across Colorado River at

M Moelhausen, Baldwin, op. eit., vol. 2, p. 280.

. « Piute Wash has also been called Sacramento Wash, but Piute Wash has been adopted by the United 

States Geographic Board.

»Ives, J. C., Report upon the Colorado River of the West: 36th Cong., 1st sess., S. Ex. Doc. and H. 

Ex. Doo. 90,1861.
HISTORICAL SKETCH 19

Fort Mohave, Ariz. (now Mohave City, about 15 miles north of 

Needles), which had been established a short time after Ives's expedition traversed the Colorado, and a regular stage line was established 

between southern California and Arizona, which carried much freight 

to mines 'in Arizona. There was doubtless some mining in the 

Mohave Desert in the early sixties, but there is practically no record 

of it. In 1863 J? W. Searles discovered borax in the deposits of a 

large playa or "dry lake," now known as Searles Lake. The deposits 

were not worked commercially for nearly 10 years, but beginning in 

1874 the borax from Searles Lake became for a short period one of 

the most valuable mineral products of the country. These deposit® 

lost their commercial value when other deposits were discovered in 

the Calico Mountains, near Daggett, in 1882. During the seventies, 

gold and silver mines were opened in the Pansmint, Ivanpah, Bonanza 

King, and Ord districts.

Mining operations and travel during the i sixties seem not to have 

been without danger, for several parties were set upon by the Indians. 

In 1868 Camp Cady was established on Moiiave Eiver in T. 10 N., 

K. 4 E. San Bernardino meridian, to afforc protection to travelers 

on the road from Wilmington, the port nearest Los Angeles, to northern 

Arizona. About 100 soldiers were maintained at the camp until 1870.

In the summer of 1875 a party under Lieut. Eric Bergland37 traveled 

from Cajon Pass down Mohave River to Soda Lake and thence by 

way of Halloran M Spring, Francis Spring, and Ivanpah 89 to Colorado 

River. The purpose of this expedition was to determine the feasibility of diverting Colorado River for irrigation. Dr. Oscar Loew,40 

a geologist, was a member of this expedition, and his report contains 

considerable information on the geography, geology, and other natural 

features of the region. In the same year another party, under Lieut. 

R. Birnie, jr., traveled by way of Cajon ]rass, Black's ranch, and 

Pilot Knob to explore the country in the Owens Lake, Panamint, 

Death Valley, and Amargosa regions. IE. connection with these 

surveys during the early seventies topographic relief maps were 

published for part of the Mohave Desert region.41

« Bergland, Eric, Preliminary report upon the operations of parl y No. 3, California section, season of 

1876-76, with a view to determine the feasibility of diverting the Co] orado River for purposes of irrigation:

U. S. Geog. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Ann. Bept. for 1876, appendix B 

«' Bergland writes it Hallovan. 

* The original town of Ivanpah was located on the east slope of

, pp. 109-113,1876.

the Ivanpah Mountains about 6 mfles

northwest of the present town of that name on the Los Angeles & Suit Lake Railroad, which has also been 

called Leastalk and South Ivanpah.

« Loew, Oscar, U. S. Geog. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Ann. Kept, for 1876, under the following titles: Appendix G 2, Report on the meteorological conditions of the Mohave Desart, pp. 152-157; Appendix H 2, Report 

on the geological and mineralogical character of southeastern Califo -ma and adjacent regions, pp. ITS-188; 

Appendix H 3, Report on the alkaline lakes, thermal springs, mineral springs, and brackish waters of southern California and adjacent regions, pp. 188-199; Appendix H 6, Report on the physical and agricultural 

features of southern California and especially of the Mohave Desert, pp. 214-222; Appendix H 7, Report 

OD the geographical distribution of vegetation hi the Mohave Desert, pp. 222-224; Appendix H15, Oh the 

physiological effects of a very hot climate, pp. 328-330.

» Topographical atlas to illustrate explorations and surveys west of the one hundredth meridian, Lieut. 

G. M. Whaeler in charge, U. S. War Dept.
20 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

i

After the explorations of Williamson and Whipple to find a railroad 

route from Mississippi Eiver to the Pacific several abortive attempts 

were made to form a company to build a railroad. In August, 1883, 

the railroad of the Southern Pacific was completed to Colorado River, 

where it joined a railroad just built by the Atlantic & Pacific Railroad 

Co., which was then controlled by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway.42 A year later the road from Mojave to*the Colorado was 

purchased by the Santa Fe, and at the same time arrangements were 

made for that company to use the tracks of the Southern Pacific 

across Tehachapi Pass. The line from San Bernarclino to Barstow 

was completed in November, 1885. As an aid in building the road 

from Mojave to Needles as well as the line from Mojave southward toLos Angeles, the Southern Pacific Co. was granted certain oddnumbered sections of land for a distance of 10 miles on each side of its 

right of way, exclusive of all mineral rights except those of coal and 

oil. When the road was sold to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

the Southern Pacific retained these land-grant sections, which it has 

sold to the public wherever possible.

Besides the building of the railroads, the outstanding feature of the 

eighties was the great output of the silver mines in the Calico and 

Providence districts. (See p. 29.)

The first agricultural development in the Mohave Desert region 

probably began in the early sixties. Rancho Verde, now one of the 

largest individual holdings located on the Mohave River bottom land 

south of Victorville, was first occupied about 1867.43 The first 

recorded appropriation of water from Mohave River for irrigation 

was made in 1872.4* Black's ranch, on Harper Dry Lake, was occupied 

by cattle ranchers when Lieutenant Birnie's party passed there in 

1875. The development of agriculture, however, apparently was 

gradual and mostly confined to the moist lands along Mohave River. 

§- Early in the eighties it was discovered that flowing wells could be 

obtained in the lower part of Antelope Valley near Lancaster by drilling 

to depths of 200 to 500 feet.45 Hinton states that in 1890 more than 

100 wells were in use in the valley, but it is doubtful whether very 

many of them were used for irrigation. Ground water in Antelope 

Valley has been greatly developed in recent years, however, until 

the valley is now the most productive agricultural district in the 

Mohave Desert region. (See pp. 289-371.)

In the late eighties and early nineties a wave of land-settlement 

schemes swept over the Western States, and in California conditions

« Bradley, Q. D., The story of the Santa Fe, Boston, Richard G. Badger, 1920.

« McClure, W. F., and others, Report on the utilization of Mojave River for irrigation in Victor Valley, 

Calif.: California Dapt. Eng. Bull. 5, p. 23,1918.

«Idem, p. 43.

« Hinton, R. J., Progress report of irrigation in the United States, IT. S. Dept. Agr., p. 50,1891. Johnson, 

H. R., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calif.: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 278, p. 88, 

(well 298), 1911.
were made favorable by the passage in 1887 of a hew known as the 

Wright Act. Thia law ^Sought to confer on if canning connnunitiee 

powers of municipalities in the purchase or construction and the 

operation of irrigation works." M Under this act six irrigation districts werd organized hi the Mohave Desert region, all of them in the 

drainage basin of Antelope Valley. The Little Rock Greek district 

is the only one that can be said to have been entirely successful after 

a hazardous career. (See p. 291.) During this same period several 

other plans to provide water for irrigation were started, although JKflb 

in the form of irrigation districts. Most of these plans provided for 

ih« use of water from Mohave River. The most pretentious pitA 

included the construction of several reservoirs on the north slope ef 

the San Bernardino Mountains. One of these reservoirs, known m 

Little Bear Lake, has been partly constructed, but the rest of the 

plan has not yet been completed. None of the other schemes w*a$ 

completed as originally planned, and some of them have failed eonipletely. A brief statement of the history of the different projects 

for using water from Mohave River is given on pages 381-384.

A remarkable event in the recent history of the region was the«0n* 

struetion of the Los Angeles aqueduct. The greatest benefit from 

this development accrues to the area south of the Mohave Desert 

region, but as the aqueduct traverses the western border of the region 

from north to south, the story of its building is not out of place.47

Prior to 1905 the water supply of the city of Los Angeles was 

obtained from Los Angeles River and smaller streams near by and 

from wells which penetrated the porous gravel at the foot of the moujitains. As th© city and the surrounding country was intensively 

cultivated by irrigation, the ground-water level of the region was 

rapidly lowered. The development of a larger supply sufficient for 

the future wants of the rapidly growing city became imperative, 

Investigations showed that water might be obtained from the mountains not far distant, but this would further deplete the ground-water 

supply of the valleys south of the mountains. To decrease the water 

supply of this fertile region would be to prevent the maximum development of what was to become one of the most intensively worked 

and productive farming regions in the United States, because tke 

requirements of irrigation demand large quantities of water. It was 

evident that if the development of Los Angeles and the surrounding 

country was to continue a water supply must be found which would 

not in the least affect the resources of the region.

<* Adams, Frank, Irrigation districts ia California, 1887-1815: California Dept. Eng. Fifth Bienn. fyjpt., 

Appendix B, p. 8,1917. (This report was also published as California Dept. lag. BuH. 2,19W.)

« The following description Is baaed largely on Los Angeles Dept. Public Service, Complete 

on construction of toe Los Angeles aqueduct, 1918.

5631 39 8
22 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The solution of this perplexing problem was found by Fred Eaton, 

a former mayor and city engineer of Los Angeles. In traveling 

through the region of Owens Valley, almost 250 miles nearly due 

north of Los Angeles, he had been impressed by the vast quantity 

of good water that was being wasted through running into Owens 

Lake, a large body of salt water. He had made investigations and 

was convinced that, as a result of natural conditions of topography, 

this great supply could be carried to Los Angeles at a cost which, 

though great, would not be disproportionate to the value of the water 

to the growing city. After due investigation the city undertook tfye 

project of building a large aqueduct from Owens Valley to Los 

Angeles. Work was begun in October, 1907, and completed in May1, 

1913, at a cost of slightly less than $25,000,000.

The capacity of the aqueduct is about 420 cubic feet a second (about 

188,500 gallons a minute, or 271,000,000 gallons a day). The length 

of the aqueduct from the intake to the San Fernando Reservoir is 

223 miles, and the end of the aqueduct proper is 23 miles north of 

Los Angeles. The total distance of nearly 250 miles from source to 

final destination is just about twice as great as the length of the great 

CatsMH aqueduct, which supplies water to the city of New York. 

^The CatsMH aqueduct has a greater capacity than the Los Angeles 

aqueduct and has cost considerably more, but in many ways the feat® 

involved in its construction are not any more wonderful than those 

involved in building the western waterway. The water is carried to 

Los Angeles entirely by gravity, there being a difference of about 

2,500 feet between the intake and the San Fernando reservoirs. In 

order that the effect of fall may not be lost and that the need of 

pumping may be obviated, the water is carried across deep canyons 

and wide valleys hi inverted siphons that have a total length of 12 

miles and through 43 miles of tunnels that cut across mountains. It 

is expected that eventually hydroelectric power to the extent of 

400,000 horsepower may be developed at points along the aqueduct. 

The city is already selling a considerable quantity of electricity.

The difficulty of the transportation of thousands of tons of supplies 

across miles of desert and of getting huge pipes into place on steep 

canyon sides was one of the great problems. The branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad from Mohave northward to Owenyo was built 

primarily for the express purpose of transporting supplies and equipment for the aqueduct. This railroad incidentally has made the 

northwestern part of the desert much more accessible than it was 

before the aqueduct project was begun.

Another notable event in the recent history of the Mohave Desert 

region was the construction in 1912 of the high-power electric transmission line of the Southern Sierras Power Co. from the Owens 

Valley, north of the northwest corner of the region, southeastward to
SETTLEMENTS AND POPULATION 23

San Bemardino. Electricity was thus made available not only for 

domestic use but also for irrigation, mining, and manufacturings 

Branch lines furnish power for irrigation in Indian Wells Valley, im 

the vicinity of Victorville, and along Mohave River to Barstow^ 

Power is also furnished to the potash plants on Searles Lake and tcr 

mines in the Randsburg district. At the time it was constructed the 

main transmission line, more than 235 miles long, was one of the 

longest transmission lines in the world. In 1914 the Southern California Edison Co. began furnishing power for irrigation in Antelope 

Valley, and electric power is now used almost exclusively in that part 

of the desert.

The more recent history of the Mohave Desert region is found in 

the development of the agricultural districts and productive mining 

districts which are described in the other parts of this report.

SETTLEMENTS AND POPULATION

There are several towns in the Mohave Desert region. Mojave, 

Barstow, Yermo, Ludlow, and Needles are situated at important 

railroad junctions or division points. Palmdale, Lancaster, Rosamond, Victorville, Hinkley, Daggett, and Inyokern are situated in 

agricultural districts. All these towns have good stores and other 

facilities to meet the demands of the traveler and may be considered 

permanent. Randsburg, Johannesburg, Atolia, and Goodsprings 

are mining towns. Oro Grande and Amboy depend respectively 

on cement and gypsum manufacturing plants. Trona, Borosolvay, 

and Hanksite, on Searles Lake, are maintained by companies that 

produce potash from the old lake bed.

Supplies may be obtained at a number of other small places. On 

the main railroads section crews are located every 10 or 15 miles, 

but many of the stations indicated on the maps are only sidings, 

where neither help, supplies, nor water can be obtained.

In the mining districts the permanence of the towns is somewhat 

uncertain. In several places there is now almost no indication of the 

presence of towns that at one time had populations ranging from several hundred to a few thousand. Perhaps the best example is the 

famous town of Calico, hi the Calico Mountains, 10 miles north of 

Daggett, which is said to have had in the late eighties a population of 

more than 5,000. The town was dependent on silver mines in the 

mountains, and when silver declined in value the population dwindled 

rapidly, until during the last few years only three or four men havelived among the ruins of the town while they sporadically workedthe best ore in abandoned mines. (See pi. 3, A.) A town of several 

hundred persons is said to have arisen at the Bonanza King minewhen it was in operation, and another large settlement grew up at 

Dale. These places have been practically deserted for a number of
24 THE MOHAVB DESEBT BBOION, CALIFOBNXA

years. Within the last two years the towns of Atolia and Bandsburg might have sharea a similar fate, owing to the almost complete 

shutting down of the tungsten and gold mines, if a rich and unexpected 

silver strike had not been made at an opportune time. Goodsprings, 

Nev., is another town whose population is subject to fluctuation. 

After the reappearance of German potash on the United States 

market the potash plant at Borosolvay was closed down, and the 

town was practically deserted.

In 1920 Needles, the only incorporated town in the region, had a 

population of 2,807.48 Census data are not obtainable for unineoi1- 

porated towns, but the population of the judicial townships hi 190Qj 

1910, and 1920 is given hi the following table. With few exceptions 

the names of the townships are the same as the names of the principal 

towns in them, so that the table gives an approximate idea of the 

size of the towns.

Population of minor civil divisions in Mohave Desert region in 19SO, 1910) and

1900"

Minor civil division

LOS ANGELES COUNTY

Total, part of Los Angeles County considered in this report. 

SAN BERNABDINO COUNTY

Belleville (including towns of Daggett and Newberry) __________ _

Needles Township (including Needles city). __________________

Victor Township. . . ____ . __ ..... .. .....

KERN COUNTY

Total, part of Kern County considered in this report _ ...

Part of Inyo County considered in this report _________ . ___ ....

Part of Clark County, Nev., considered in this report ___ _ ............

1920

2,196

840

8,036

150

333

1,838

347

122

8

590

185

220

2,030

395

35

724

135

989

215

8,916

1,022

912

1,934

"250

"550

14,686

1910

1,047

932

L,97»

1,066

874

97

41

92 136-

255

3,067

280

135

149

580

178

6,450

(»)

< >

(»)

<2(")

(«)

idee

415

42T

843

«72

&

170

1,143

329

645

8,322

(>)

W

(»)

$W

<">

* Fourteenth Census, vol. 1, pp. 854, 356,1921.

* Townships redistricted since 1910 census and data for these districts for 1910 and 1900 therefore not 

comparable. 

«Estimate furnished by the Director of the Bureau of the Census.

* Statistics for 1910 and 1900 not available.

« Fourteenth Census, vol. 1, p. 184, U. 3. Dept. Commerce, 1921.
25

TaWata in these tables are of interest in showing the permanency 

of th% population in some of the districts where conditions are favorable to agriculture and the fluctuations where mining is the principal 

indus^tary. The decrease in population in Belleville, Dale, Silver 

Lake, and Vanderbilt Townships is explained by the dying o\*t of 

short-lived mining "booms." On the other hand, the increase in 

the population hi Hesperia, Victor, and Antelope Townships is 4*i<* 

largely to the gradual development of the agricultural resources.

TRANSPORTATION

The region is fairly accessible by railroads, the main lines of three 

important systems passing through it. The Valley line of the 

Southern Pacific Co. crosses the west edge of the desert from Palmdale to Mojave and thence goes through Tehachapi Pass. A brand* 

line continues north from Mojave along the east side of the Sierra 

Nevada. The Trona Railroad is a short line that leads from Searles 

station on the Southern Pacific to Trona. The main line of the1 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway from Los Angeles to Chicago 

goes north from San Bernardino through Cajon Pass to Barstow 

and thence east to Needles. A branch line goes from Barstow to Mojave, connecting there with the Valley line of the Southern Pacific, 

whicli the Santa Fe trains to San Francisco use for some distance. 

An important branch line of the Santa Fe runs southeast from Cadiz 

to Parker and Phoenix, Ariz., with a connecting line from Rice 

(formerly Blythe Junction) to Blythe, in Riverside County. A 

minor branch runs from Kramer to Johannesburg, and another from 

Goffs to Barnwell and Searchlight, Nev.48* The Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake Railroad (part of the Union Pacific System) uses the tracks of 

the Santa Fe from San Bernardino to Daggett and thence mas 

northeastward across the region. The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad runs from Ludlow nearly due north, and serves a large territory 

that contains valuable mineral resources.

Much of the local travel in the region is by automobile, and many 

travelers even from distant parts of the country pass through the 

region in automobiles. The through travel is mostly confined to 

three or four routes which are described briefly on pages 141-148.

Although most of the desert roads are not paved or otherwise 

improved they are generally in fair or good shape. Sometimes 

heavy storms wash out stretches and make them impassable, ©a 

some routes, mostly those that are little traveled, sand may be 

encountered, but the desert traveler usually learns in a short time 

how to cope with this difficulty. The greatest hazard in automobile 

travel on the desert is the fact that places where water and other

" After the maps in this report were prepared the branch from Goffis to Barnwell and Searchlight was 

abandoned and the track torn up.
26 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

supplies can be obtained are far apart, and some slight trouble, such 

as a cracked spark plug or a leaky radiator, which in more settled 

regions might cause only slight discomfort and delay, may easily 

prove disastrous. A number of suggestions to desert travelers are 

given on pages 132-140. Notes on watering places on the different 

roads are given in the descriptions of the different valleys in the 

region.

MINERAL RESOURCES

STATISTICS OF PRODUCTION

The products of greatest value obtained in the Mohave Desert 

region come from mineral deposits. Some idea as to their value 

may be obtained from the statistics of San Bernardino County given 

in the following tables. Probably at least two-thirds of the mineral 

production of San Bernardino County comes from the desert part 

of the county. For several years this county led all others in the 

State in variety of minerals produced, 25 different substances being 

produced commercially in 1918, 17 in 1919, and 22 in 1920.49

The statistics for the years prior to 1894 are not available except 

for gold and silver, and these, which are shown in the second table, 

are of considerable interest because of the fact that the silver production alone amounted to more than a million dollars annually in 

several of these years. The production of borax amounted to more 

than $50,000 a year for a number of years prior to 1894.50

The statistics for 1894 to 1919 likewise do not show the full value 

of mineral production in the county for that period, for during the 

years of 1904 to 1911 the value of borax and cement produced in the 

county, and perhaps of other products, was not included in the county 

totals but was given in unapportioned totals for these materials for 

the entire State. During this period the production of borax probably 

gradually declined, but, on the other hand, the production of cement 

gradually increased from a little more than $100,000 in 1903 to 

nearly $1,000,000 in 1912. The total mineral production of the 

county has probably amounted to nearly $135,000,000, and that of 

the desert part of the county to nearly $100,000,000. Of the products listed in the table a large proportion of the limestone and lime, 

granite and other rocks,^ and cement was produced in the region 

south of the San Bernardino Mountains. Certain products, as 

tungsten, borax, salt, and gypsum, are obtained solely in the desert. 

In addition there has been considerable mineral production from the 

parts of the other counties considered in this paper.

* Bradley, W. W., California mineral production for 1920: California State Mln. Bur. Bull. 90, p. K8,' 

1921. 

» Bailey, G. E.. The saline deposits of California: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 24, pp. 39-40,1902.
Value of mineral production from San Bernardino County, 

Year

1894. ___ .. ...

1895. _ ........

1896. ........

1897- __ ......

1898. _ ........

1899-..-. ,...

1900 ....... ..

1901............

1902.. .......

1903. _ ..... ...

1904. ........

1905 . ......

1906 _ ......

1907............

1908 ... .-«...

1909 .........

1910 ..

1911............

1912. _ ........

1913...... ......

1914......... .

1915. ......

1916 ........

1917. .a....

1918 .........

1919............

1920 .

1921............

1922. _ ..... _

1923... ....

1924............

1925.... .....

Gold

$130,420 

131,360 

96,723 

100,373 

261, 512 

164,599 

247,949 

399, 693 

394,936 

381, 197 

595,828 

473,893 

354,830 

158, 676 

180,511 

40,071 

55,093 

127,367 

293,900 

356,524 

205,000 

 416, 967 

279, 813 

154,976 

29,225 

25,000 

79,195 

217,568 

125,728 

210,923 

187, 573 

157,374

7,034,797

Silver

$148,243 

219, 410 

130, 714 

54,407 

32,000 

125,603 

172, 759 

57,164 

58,972 

59,199 

13,025 

19,595 

33,765 

81,339 

35,704 

12, 570 

10,164 

35,542 

49,962 

44,413 

40,000 

64,165 

67, 146 

88,930 

88,712 

40,000 

1, 212, 987 

3, 210, 706 

2,374,948 

2, 225, 959 

1, 531, 598 

1,378,392

13,718,093

Copper

$232,339 

297,600 

7,875 

41,008 

7,852 

17, 270 

8,206 

99,207 

102,856 

71,079 

40,418 

689 

83,311 

319, 636 

77,167 

2,536 

36,652 

388,164 

333,157 

390,507 

47,790 

991 

2,200 

1,816 

1,959 

2,314 

888

2,615,487

Lead

$400 

20 

2,076 

504

1,822 

17,218 

13,254 

5,972 

7,260 

4,268 

12,287 

1,759 

7,952 

46,492 

197, 245 

47,426 

5,607 

9,270 

1,027 

615 

2,413 

2,533 

5,349

392,769

Zinc

94^746 

3,951 

257

(-0

13

103,895

Tungsten

$5,500

840,947 

3,915,434 

2,447,726 

1,911,966 

(-0

CO 

CO 

M

9, 121, 573

Borax

$726,509

555,900 

650,500

1,080,000

1,120,000

1,106,000 

999,350

QQQ ion

2, 198, 600 

495.000

<°)

<<)

(o)

ft

(*)

( )

(") 

( d) 

(< ) 

(")

a

8

440,411 

338, 905

10,609,305

Potash

$2, 049, 120 

3,428,443 

1, 670, 919 

1,082,037 

211.067

(-0

8,441,586

Salt

$3,000 

20,101 

15,000

650 

14,000 

9,000 

13,800 

12,600 

10, 573 

2,892 

3,324 

13,830

1,220 

67, 782 

54,259 

65,560 

99,791 

101,085

508,457

Gypsum

$70,000 

43,000 

70,357 

66,505 

67,000 

74,000 

49,150

i?

!?

50,154 

CO

is(-0 

CO

490,166

 Compiled from bulletins of California State Min. Bur. Does not include mineral 

waters. Where blank spaces are left it is not certain whether there was any production.

* Includes, in one year or another, asbestos, barytes, borax, brick, calcium chloride, 

cement, clay, gems, gypsum, iron, lead, lime, manganese, mineral paint, potash, salt, 

soapsteoe, soda, strontium, talc, tungsten, vanadium, ana zinc.

' Production of borax 

only in totals for the en

* Included in miscell
28 THE MOHAVE I>ESBRT KEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Value of gold.and silver produced in San Bernardino County, Calif., 1880-189$'

Year

1880.. - ... .-...-........ ............... . 

1881.. -_....._ . . ._ . _ 

1882 ___ _. _ ... ___ .. ___ -.._....._.._.. __ ..... __ .....

1883.-.-.--.......-...-. .......................-.-..........

1884 __.... . _ . . 

1885 __ . _ ... _ .. __ ... . ............ ___ . __ .. _ ..

1886. ___ .. _ . ___ ....... ....................... _ .........

1887..-. ................... ....... _. . _. . 

1888-.. . _ _ 

1889 .. .. .................-................ .

1890 _ _ _ 

1801.... ..........................................................

1892 _ . .. .. _ 

1893...... ........... . . 

Total .

Gold

<»)

9,000

20,000

30,000

« 32, 000

23,000

66,464

27,850

25,000

19,737

17,335

62,970

47,037

158,000

£28,393

Silver

(*)

100,000

150,000

1,050,000

"2,550,000

2,363,436

1,204,750

1,133,267

1,200,000

824,820

795,465

711, 157

67,072

447,020

12,696,887

Total

(»)

109,000

170,000

1,080,000

°2,582,000

2,386,486

1,261,214

1,161,117

1,225,000

844,557

812,800

774, 127

114, 109

605,020

13,125,880

 CompDed from the annual reports of the Director of the Mint upon the production of the precious 

metals in the United States.

 No official returns.

 The report of the Director of the Mint for 1884 gives two estimates. One, by A. M. Lawver, gives 

the production of gold in San Bernardino County as $40,000, that of silver as $3,706,204, and the total 

production as $3,746,204 (p. 175). The figures given above seem to be the official estimate (p. 66), although 

the estimate of Mr. Lawver is used in California State Min. Bur. Bull. 88, California mineral production 

for 1919.

Mineral production in the Mohave Desert region has been hampered 

by lack of cheap transportation and lack of water. Many of the 

mineral properties are 10 to 50 miles from the nearest railroad. The 

great development of automobile and tractor transportation has 

reduced the difficulties of transporting ore from the mines to the 

railroads, but the cost is still great. For example, in 1915 the cost 

of hauling ore from the Owl Hole manganese mine, in T. 18 N., K. 

3 E. San Bernardino meridian, to the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, 

a distance of 35 miles, was 35 cents a ton-mile, or more than $12 & 

ton for the entire haul. Obviously an ore must be of high grade to 

warrant such shipping costs.

Where sufficient "water can not be obtained for milling, the ore 

must be shipped in unconcentrated form, thereby increasing the 

costs. At several of the larger mines water has been piped for a 

number of miles or hauled in tank cars. The supply for the Yellow 

Aster mine, at Randsburg, is pumped from the Goler Well, about 5 

miles northwest of the mine, with a lift of about 1,000 feet. The 

water used at the mill of the Atolia Mining Co. was for many years 

hauled in tank cars from Hinkley, a distance of nearly 50 miles, at a 

cost in 1909," of $24.30 for a car of 9,400 gallons. The Pacific 

Mines Corporation hauled water a distance of 40 miles from Water 

station (Newberry Spring) for use at its mine at Stedman, 8 miles 

south of Ludlow. In 1917 the Solvay Process Co. obtained water 

by tank cars from Cantil, a distance of more than 50 miles, for 

domestic use by its employees at Borosolvay. It is evident that 

the cost of obtaining water at many of the places where ore deposits

« XL 8. G«ol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1909, pt. I, p. 577,1911.
* MINERAL EESOUECES 29

i

are found may be a leading factor in determining whether the ore may 

be rained at a profit.

The following paragraphs give a brief summary of the production 

of some of the more valuable minerals. Much information in regard 

to the mineral resources of the Mohave Desert region is given m 

the annual reports of the State Mining Bureau on mineral prodwt* 

tion, special reports on specific products, and county reports.64

METALS

Stiver. The value of silver produced in San Bernardino County 

has probably been greater than that of any other mineral and amounts 

to more than $26,000,000. Practically all the silver has com© 

the desert part of the county. A large part of the silver wan 

duced prior to 1893. After that the production was small for 

years until rich deposits were discovered in 1919.

The earliest .year for which there iS any record of the production 

of silver in San Bernardino County is 1881, when the recorded pto* 

duction amounted to only $100,000. In that year rich deposits weft 

discovered in the Calico district. By 1S83 the production had risea 

to more than $1,000,000, and the following year it had reached mom 

than $2,500,000. (See footnote c to table on p. 28.) The production continued to be more than $1,000,000 each year through I§8$. 

The importance of the production of San Bernardino County during 

that period is shown by the fact that from 1883 to 1893, except ill 

1892, the value of the silver produced in the county each year wm 

practically 70 per cent or more of that produced in the entire State* 

and in two years, 1884 and 1885, it was 85 per cent or more. Tla« 

production dropped suddenly after the lowering in the price of silver 

since 1893, and with the exception of four years, until 1920, it WM 

never again as high as $100,000. In 1919 the value of the silver 

from San Bernardino County was only about 3 per cent of th® total 

for the State. From 1920 to 1925 the production of silver from the 

aewly discovered Rand district ranged from more than $1,200,000 

to $3,210,706 annually and aggregated nearly $12,000,000.

During the early periods of great production most of th« 

came from .two or three districts. The leading district was 

Calico district, about 8 miles north of Daggett. Other productive 

districts were the Grapevine district, a few miles north of Barst0w; 

the Ivanpah district, 10 or 15 miles north of Ivanpah; and the Provi*- 

deuce district, 25 miles northwest of Fenner. There has been prae* 

ticaHy n® production in most of these districts for many yearn 

Prom time to time a few men have mined out some of the richest ore

*> Boalicb, E. S., Catalog of the publications of the California State Mining Bureau, 1880-1917: 

State Mln. Bur. Bull. 77, 1917. Brief descriptions of the chief mining regions are given in connty reports 

for San Bernardino, Kern, and Inyo Counties, published as chapters of the report of the State mineralogist 

for 1916-16.
30 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

in the Calico district. In the spring of 1919 rich silver deposits were 

found near Randsburg (see p. 229), and these have been extensively 

developed. The California Rand mine, in this district, has been the 

largest single producer in the United States for several years and up 

to April 1, 1924, had yielded over $10,000,000.63 The peak production was reached in 1921, and since then there has been a gradual 

decline.

Gold, The total production of gold in San Bernardino County 

since 1880 has amounted to more than $6,500,000, but this is only a 

small percentage of the total production of the State. Most of the 

gold mined in San Bernardino County has been obtained from the 

San Bernardino Mountains, which in this report are not considered a 

part of the Mohave Desert. Much of the gold has been obtained 

from placer workings in these mountains.

In the desert the Dale district, in T. 1 S., R. 12 E. San Bernardino 

meridian, was an important producer several years ago, but it has 

not been active for some time. The Providence district, northwest 

of Fenner, has also been one of the larger producers. Considerable 

active development work was done in the Goldstone district, 30 

miles north of Barstow, after the discovery of gold in 1915, but in 

1917 the work was stopped, and so far as is known there has been no 

further activity.

The largest producing district for some time has been the Randsburg'district, which, however, is in Kern County. The principal 

mine here is the Yellow Aster, which up to 1915 is said to have produced $6,000,000.M The Randsburg district, including its placers, is 

said to have produced $10,000,000 up to the same time. Considerable 

gold has been produced from several mines in the Rosamond Buttes 

and other buttes south of Mojave.

An interesting phase of gold mining in the desert region has been 

the working of the so-called "dry placers." Gold has been found at 

several places in the alluvium that covers so large a part of the region. 

The scarcity of water makes impracticable the working of the placers 

in the usual way, and methods of "dry washing" have been developed. 

Machines called "dry washers" have been contrived which use bellows to blow away the lighter materials. The residue is sometimes 

"panned" without water, except perhaps in the final stage, when 

only a very small quantity is used. Some of the most productive dry 

placer fields have been the Coolgardie field, 19 miles north of Barstow; 

Goler Wash, northwest of Randsburg; and the Summit Diggings, 

about 6 miles north of Johannesburg. None of these fields have

» Hulin, C. D., Geology and ore deposits of the Randsburg quadrangle: California State MIn. Buf. 

Bull. 05, p. 119,1925.

M Brown, G. C., Mines and mineral resources of Kern County: California State Min. Bar. Kept. State 

Mineralogist for 1913 and 1914, p. 59,1915.
MINERAL RESOURCES 31

been producing much for some time, although a few men have been 

working them sporadically.

Copper. Copper is found in many parts of the Mohave Desert 

region, but the production has amounted to only a little more than 

$2,500,000. The annual production has varied greatly from year to 

year, doubtless in part owing to fluctuations in the price obtained for 

the metal. The greatest production has probably come from mines 

in the Ivanpah district, especially from the Copper World mine, in 

T. 16 N., R. 13 E. A copper smelter was operated at Valley Wells, 

a few miles southwest of the mine. In 1917, after a period of idleness, the smelter was reequipped and considerable ore was smelted, 

but the furnaces were operated for only a few months. The mine of 

the Pacific Mines Corporation at Stedman, about 8 miles south of 

Ludlow, has been one of the largest producers; In recent years 

copper has been mined in the Whipple Mountain district, in the 

southeast corner of San Bernardino County. *A copper smelter is 

operated at Needles, but some of its ore is brought from Arizona.

Lead and zinc. The production of lead and zinc in the Mohave 

Desert region has been relatively insignificant. Nevertheless, for a 

number of years San Bernardino County has ranked second or third 

among the counties of the State as a lead producer, although in only 

two years since 1907 has the production from the county been as much 

as 10 per cent of the total for the State. The lead is generally associated with silver.

The production of zinc has been even smaller than that of lead* 

The county, however, is one of the three counties in the State which 

make any regular production, the other two being Inyo and Shasta 

Counties, which are also regular producers of lead. The zinc is 

associated with the lead and silver.

Tungsten. Tungsten is one of the most valuable minerals found in 

the Mohave Desert region. Extensive deposits exist near Atolia. 

The tungsten-bearing mineral at Atolia is mostly scheelite (CaWO.*), 

and the Atolia deposits are the largest and most productive deposits 

of scheelite known. Likewise the mine of the Atolia Mining Co., 

which has produced most of the tungsten in this district, for several 

years has been the largest tungsten mine in the world.65 The output 

of this mine for the 11 years 1908 to 1918 amounted to more than 

$9,000,000. In addition to this output ore worth many thousands 

of dollars has been produced by other mines, and much placer tungsten has been dug up in the so-called "spud patch" on the aUimmncovered slopes below the vein deposits. The total output of the Atolia 

district has probably been more than $10,000,000. The deposits 

are described briefly on pages 227-228. Some tungsten ore has been 

shipped from the Clark Mountain and New York Mountain districts,

w IT. 8. Gteol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1918, pt. 1, p. 979,1921.
32 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CAIJFOBNIA

in the eastern part of San Bernardino County. Tungsten is also 

reported to occur 15 miles northwest of Vietorville and on the north 

side of the San Bernardino Mountains, 45 miles southeast of Victorville.8* Since 1918 the production of tungsten in the desert region 

has been very small, owing to the fact that the product can not con** 

pete with imports from Asia, where cheap coolie labor is used. Becattse of the lack of a protective tariff, in 1920 for the first time*since 

tungsten has been mined in California there was no production in the 

State.67 Such a tariff was imposed by the law passed in 1922-. Pro* 

duction from the Atolia region was resumed on a small scale if; 1923. 

In 1924 the production of tungsten in the entire State was $446,060, 

and in 1025 it was $348,475. It may be assumed safely that most ©I 

this came from the Atolia district.

Other metals. In addition to the metals already mentioned, several 

others have been produced in the Mohave Desert region, or deposits 

of them are known to exist which may some time be of commercial 

value.

Iron ore is found at several places, but its mining on a commercial 

scale has been hindered by the fact that there is no good supply of 

fuel for smelting close at hand. Deposits that may prove of value 

are those in Cave Canyon, near Baxter, in T. 11 N., R. 6 E. San 

Bernardino meridian; the Iron Age deposits, 6 miles east of Date, 

in T. 1 S., R. 13 E.; the Iron Mountain deposits, about 10 miles weft* 

of Silver Lake; the Vulcan deposits, in the Providence Mountains 

east of Kelso; and deposits a few miles north of Cadiz.

Manganese is found at a number of places, but ore has been shipped 

only from the Owl Hole mine, in the Owl or Owlhead Mountains, 

T. 18 N., R. 3 E. The ore was hauled by tractor to the raiboai at 

Riggs station, a distance of more than 35 miles. This mine has 

been idle much of the time because of litigation.

Platinum has been mined at the Boss mine, in the Goodsprings 

district, in T. 24 S., R. 57 E. Mount Diablo meridian, Clark County, 

Nev., in the northeastern part of the area covered by this report, 

The occurrence of this rare metal at this place is of special interest 

in that it is one of the few primary deposits in which metals of the 

platinum group occur in more than traces, and, with one possibly 

exception, it is the only primary deposit of economic importanee 

in which these metals are the constituents of greatest value.88 Mosl 

of the world's supply of platinum is obtained from placers. Th« 

platinum at the Boss mine is associated with gold and palladium, 

another rare metal of the platinum group.

* Hess, F. L., and Larsen, E. S., Contact-metamorpliic tungsten deposits of tha United States: TT. 8. 

Oeol. Survey Bull. 725, pp. 261-262, 1021. Surr, Gordon, Tungsten at Victorvflle: Am. Min. B«v. (I** 

Angeles), vol. 24, pp. 8-9, July 11,1908.

* Bradley, W. W., California mineral production for 1920: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 90, p. 80,1921. 

« Knopf, Adolph, A gold-platinum-paUadium lode in southern Nevada, U. S, Qeol. Survey Bull. 620,' 

P. 3, 1916.
MINERAL RESOURCES 33

is found in the Signal mining district, about 8 miles

nortt of (kffs, but up to 1919, so far as is known, there bad 

no commercial production, although some development work had 

beea done. Vanadium has also been reported in the vicinity ,.*£ 

Twenty-nine Palms. The mineral has been reported from only one 

other locality in California.

Minerals containing mercury, molybdenum, and nickel are ak$ 

found at one or more places in the Mohave Desert region, but §9 

far as is known none of them have been mined on a comm«reiftl aeale.

NONMETALS

The recorded production of nonmetals in San Bernardino County 

exceeds that of the metals. A slightly larger proportion of the nonmetallic production has probably come from the nondesert part* af 

the county, but several of the nonmetallie products occur only In 

the desert, and their presence is lately due to desert conditions. ,

Borax. Borax was one of the first minerals produced in the region 

and it has been one of the most valuable, ranking close, to solver, 

The total value of borax produced in San. Bernardino County & 

several million dollars greater than is given in the table on page 27. 

The production prior to 1894 was probably more than $4,OOOrOOO»8* 

and since 1903, the last year for which there are definite figures, ttui 

annual production has been large.

Borax was discovered in Searles Lake by J. W. Searles in 1863, 

but there was no commercial development until 1873. In 1882 rich 

deposits of colemanite (borate of lime) were found at the east end of 

the Calico Mountains, north of Daggett, and a few years later practioaliy all the borax produced in the county came from this district, 

which is known as the Borate district. Later the so-called Death 

Valley deposits, which consist of colemanite, were found. The 

Borate deposits were eventually practically abandoned, but in recent 

years the company has shipped some of the richest ore. When the 

Borate deposits were being developed to the maximum a large borax 

mill was erected at Daggett and another one several miles north of 

the town. The ruins of these mills are silent witnesses of the extent 

©f development of the deposits in bygone days. With the abandoiiment of the Borate deposits the production of borax in San BernardObp 

County was greatly lessened. In recent years some borax has been 

produced from Searles Lake as a by-product in the refining of potash. 

Borax deposits have recently been discovered about 7 miles northwest 

of Kramer.60

Potash. Potash has been one of the most valuable mineral prodtKJ^ 

obtained from the Mohave Desert region in recent years. Potash la-

» Bailey, G. E., The saline deposits of California: California State Min. Bar. Bull. 34, pp. 

» Noble, L. F., Borate deposits in the Kramer district, Kern County, CaSk IT. S. Geol. Survey BalK 

785, pp. 4&-61, 1926.
34 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

found in the saline deposits of many playas or "dry lakes" (see p. 109) 

in the desert, but in most of these it is mixed with much sand and 

clay and is not sufficiently pure or does not occur in large enough 

quantities to warrant its extraction. On account of the demand for 

potash, especially during the war, when the supply from Germany 

was shut off, very much prospecting has been done, but the results 

have largely been negative, except at Searles Lake, in the northwestern part of San Bernardino County.

The central part of the Searles Lake playa is a mass of practically 

pure crystalline salts of potash and sodium that covers about 11 or 

12 square miles.61 The interstices of the crystalline deposit are filled 

to a level within a few inches of the surface with a saturated potasht>eaiing brine which is estimated to form more than 25 per cent of 

the entire saline mass. Three plants for manufacturing commercial 

potash have been erected along the borders of the playa, and in the 

last four or five years nearly $10,000,000 worth of potash has been 

produced. Since the World War the importation of potash from 

Germany has rapidly increased again, to the disadvantage of American 

producers, and production from the Seales Lake plants was greatly 

curtailed in 1921. There has been some production of potash in 

the country each year since then, but as the figures are lumped with 

those for other products to avoid disclosing the output of individual 

producers they can not be given separately.

Salt. Salt, like potash, is found in the deposits of many of the 

desert playas, but at only a few places is it pure enough to be produced 

on a commercial scale. One salt-refining plant is located at the edge 

of Bristol Dry Lake near Amboy and another at Saltdale, at the 

edge of a playa in Fremont Valley, in T. 30 S., R. 38 E. Mount Diablo 

meridian, in Kern County. Salt has also been shipped from the 

west end of Danby Dry Lake, in T. 2 N., R. 17 E. San Bernardino 

meridian. Beginning with a great jump in production in 1921 salt 

has become of increasing importance as a product of the Mohave 

Desert region.

Gypsum. Gypsum is found in a number of places in. the Mohave 

Desert region.62 The only deposit which has been worked in recent 

years, however, is at Amboy, where the gypsum occurs a few feet 

below the surface of Bristol Dry Lake. Gypsum has also been shipped 

from deposits near Palmdale, in the southeastern part of the region, 

and from deposits near Acme, in T. 19 N., R. 7 E. San Bernardino 

meridian. Extensive deposits of gypsum are found in T. 18 N.,

41 For a description of the occurrence of potash in Searles Lake, see Hicks, W. B., Evaporation of brine 

from Searles Lake, Calif.: U. S. Qeol. Survey Prof. Paper 98, pp. 1-8, 1917, and Gale, H. S., Salines in the 

Owens, Searles, and Panamlnt Basins, southeastern California; U. 3. Geol. Survey Bull. 680, pp. 265-317, 

1914.

« For descriptions of the most extensive gypsum deposits in the Mohave Desert region see Hess, F. L., 

Gypsum deposits of the United States: U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 697, pp. 63,73, 76-77,81-83,1820.
MINEEAI| RESOURCES 33

E. J5 E., on the northeast side of the Avawatz. Mountains, and along 

the playa in Fremont Valley referred to in the paragraph above 

regarding, salt.

Calcium chloride. Beginning in 1921 calcium chloride was produced 

from the saline deposits of certain playas in San Bernardino County, 

and in the 5-year period ending 1925 the production had exceeded 

$378,000. Calcium chloride has become important through it® ug* 

in curing newly laid concrete pavements so that they can be opened 

to traffic in about half the time formerly required.

Cement. Cement is one of the leading mineral products of San 

Bernardino County, but a large part of the output is manufactured 

near Colton, in the non-desert region south of the San Bernardino 

Mountains. There are, however, two large cement plants on the 

desert one at Victor? ille, which, when constructed in 1915, had a 

capacity of 300,000 barrels a year, and another at Oro Grande, which 

has a capacity of about 200,000 barrels a year.63 A plant with a 

capacity of 1,250 tons daily was constructed by the city of Los Angeles 

at Monolith station, in T. 32 St , R. 33 E. Mount Diablo meridian, 

in Kern County, to supply cement for use in constructing the Los 

Angeles aqueduct. In recent years it was sold to a private company.

Lime and limestone. A large quantity of lime and limestone has 

been produced from San Bernardino County, but much of it has been 

obtained hi the nondesert portion of the region. Considerable limestone has been quarried at Baxter, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake 

Railroad, in T. 11 N., R. 6 E. San Bernardino meridian. The rock 

is used at sugar refineries. Limestone has also been quarried and some 

of it burned east of Oro Grande and near Victorville, where the 

cement plants mentioned above also obtain limestone.

Granite and other stone. Granite has been quarried near Victorville 

and Oro Grande. Most of the material has been used for paving 

blocks, but some has been used for building and monuments. A large 

part of the stone produced in Sa!n Beraardino County has come from 

quarries south of the San Bernardino Mountains, and much of it 

has been in the form of crushed stone for macadam and concrete. 

Some marble has been shipped from small quarries in the desert.

Gems. Gems of several kinds have been obtained from the Mohave 

Desert region. The leading gem produced, in point of total value, 

has been turquoise, which has been mined in T. 16 N., Rs. 10 and 

11 E., in the Turquoise Mountains, 12 to 15 miles east of the town of 

Silver Lake.6* Opals have been found at several places, but not in 

sufficient abundance to warrant mining. An unusual gem stone 

found about 45 miles northeast of Johannesburg is myrickite, named

a Cloudman, H. C., and others, Mines and mineral resources of San Bernardino County: California 

State Min. Bur. Kept. State Mineralogist for 1913 and 1916, pp. 84-86,1917.

* Cloudman, H. C., and others, op. cit., pp. 90-04. (In part quoted from Knnz, Q. F., Qems, Jewelers* 

materials, and ornamental stones of California: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 37, pp. 107 et seq., W5.)
36 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

I

after its discoverer, F. M. Myrick, which is a vaziety of agate that 

contains brilliant red inclusions, which are said tc be cinnabar.

Petroleum. Several test wells for oil have been drilled in different 

parts of the Mohave Desert region, but up to the present tuns no 

producing wells have been obtained. Prior to 1$ 12 four wells had 

been drilled north of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

between Rramer and Barstow.66 "Showings" of oil were reported 

to have been found in each well, but if oil was actually present it 

did not occur in large enough quantity to warrant pumping.

Operations at one of the wells, that of the Kramer Consolidated 

Oil Co., in the NW. Y± sec. 11, T. 10 N., R. 5 W., atout 3 miles north 

of Hawes station, have been continued intermittently from about 

1HOO to 1921. From time to time the well has been drilled deeper 

tmtil in 1921 it was said to be about 3,000 feet deep. (See p. 274.) 

The operators pumped the well for many months, hoping that if 

sufficient water were pumped out oil would come into the holt. 

When the writer visited the weU in December, ^917, warm water 

was being pumped from the well. A whitish SCUEQ on the water was 

Mid by the pumpers to be paraffin, but this is doubtful. Aa analysis 

of the water (p. 278) shows it to be highly mineralized, b*t there was 

no trace of petroleum. It is very doubtful if oil m paying quantities will be found in this locality.

The following statement by Pack w gives his conclusions a&«r an 

investigation of the Kramer-Barstow region:

The writer believes that the northern part of the Mohave Desert between 

Bttrgtow and the town of Mojave offers practically no f*a>mise of becoming a 

productive oil field and that further drilling will prove but a waste ©f money. 

The principal reasons for believing that this land trill not prove productive are 

(1) the lack of strata from which it would seem reasonable to believe that oil 

might have been formed, especially the lack of thick masses of organic material 

(diatomaceous and foraminiferal shale), such as those which occur in or neat 

all the oil fields in the southern half of California and in whjich t8i» oil is belkwad 

to have originated; (2) the lack of structural features favorable for the collection 

of petroleum even if it existed disseminated through the strata.

In 1920 and 1921 drilling was done at several places m 

Valley. Oil is said to have been found in one ^el oa tfae 

ranch, at the extreme west end of the valley, but $0 far as is known 

there has been no production. There are no indications that oil nmy 

fee expected here in paying quantities. Gas has bean reported in 

several water wells in the valley, but it is not uncoaHnon to fiad small 

quantities of gas, which originate from the 4ecay of buried vegetation, in alluvial formations such as those that fill the basin of Antelope 

VaUey.

« Pack, R. W., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, Calif.: IT. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. Ml, 

pp. 141-154,1914. 

M Idem, p. 152.
MINERAL EESOTJUCES 3?

Several wells have been drilled near Hesperia and Victorville and 

in the northeastern part of Los Angeles County and the southeastern 

part of Kern County.

It has been reported that drilling operations have been undertaken 

in the Shadow Mountains, northeast of Silver Lake. The exact, location is not known, and the geology of that region has not been studied 

hi detail, but the rocks that the writer has observed in these mottntains are all either igneous or sedimentary rocks that have been, SQ 

greatly metamorphosed that it is doubtful whether oil occurs in 

them.

The California State Mining Bureau 87 reports 19 "wildcat" wells 

drilled without finding oil between 1914 and 1924, hi the part of the 

region bounded by a line drawn through Kandsburg on the north, a 

line through Victorville on the east, and the Tehachapi, Sierra Pelona, 

and San Gabriel Mountains; and 5 unsuccessful wells in the region 

were abandoned hi 1925 and 1926. The location and depths of 'Use 

wells that have been drilled without success are given in the following 

table:

Location <md depth of wildcat wells drilled for oil in Mokaoe Desert region, 1914~lff88

Company

Hesperia OH & &as Co _______________

Victor Valley Land Owners Ofl & Gas Co....... ....

Ottucot Ofl & Lund Corporation __________

Great Ingelus Ofl & Land Co.. ____ __

LaKern Ofl Syndicate (George A. Devison Co.) __ 

Tejan R»noa Oil Oa _____________

It^hflt W«t(.hhorn

firtentate Ofl Corporation. __ . __ ... __ ... ...

ftwnomt Ofl Ssmdtarte _______ .. ___ .

Fremont Oil Corporation. ...........................

Red Rock Ofl Association (Charles W. Harlow) ..... 

Red Rock Ofl Co..... ______ . .................

Section

29 

22 

2 

36 

11 

21 

24 

14 

13 

27 

2 

11 

21 

4 

10 

22 

22 

19 

19

Township

4N. 

5N. 

5N. 

7N. 

7N. 

SN. 

8N. 

8N. 

ON. 

9N. 

ION. 

ION. 

ION. UN.

318. 

SIS. 

318. 

30 S. 

303.

Range

4W. 

6W. 

11 W. 

9W. 

12 W. 

»W. 

12 W. 

18 W. 

10W. 

17 W. 

5W. 

5W. 

10W.

ew.

38 E. 

38 E, 

38 E. 

38 E. 

38 E.

Base and 

meridianS. B.....

S. B-. 

S. B.... 

8. B.... 

S. B.... 

S. B.... 

S. B.... 

S, B.... 

S. B..... 

S. B-~. 

S. B.....

S. B..... 

S. B.....

8. B ..

M. D... 

M. D... 

M. D... 

M.D... 

M. D...

Date 

started

1924 

1824 

1922 

1922 

1921 

1922 

1921 

1826 

1923 

1919 

1824

A

1924 

1928 

192S 

1824 

1189

Depth 

<**t)

3,108

1,720

1,640

2,163

4,150 

6.56 

2,942 

800+

2,620 

5,065 

2,737

* S. B., San Bernwdino; M. D., Mount DJablo. »Before 1920.

In a recent report of the California State Mining Bureau * the 

possibility of finding oil in the desert region is summarized as follows:

The greater port of the fiat desert floor is covered by recent sand deposits. 

Along the lower foothills of the mountain ranges, particularly in the western 

and northern portions, there are sttiall areas of Tertiary sedimentary rocks, 

interbedded with lava flows. These sediments for the most part represent either

V Pyigh, B. D., Results of wildcat drilling in California, 1914-1924, inclusive: Summary of operations 

California oil fluids, California State Min. Bur., vol. 11, No. 1, table V, pp. 12-26, pi. 3, July, 1926; Wildcat wells abandoned in 1925 and 1926: Idem, vol. 12, No. 8, pp. 49-58, February, 1927.

** Vander Leek, Lawrence, Petroleum resources of California, with special reference to unproved areas: 

California State Min. Bur. Bull. 89, pp. 153-154, ,1921. ,

5631 29 4
38 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFOENIA

lake or land deposits. The higher ranges of the southern region are composed of 

crystalline rocks, either granites or pre-Cambrian metamorphics. The high 

ranges of the northern region are also crystalline in character, being either composed of granites or highly metamorphosed sediments of Paleozoic and Mesozoic 

age. With two exceptions, which will be noted below, there are no known deposits of sedimentary rocks which may correspond to the oil-bearing formations of 

California. It is evident from a study of this region that it had a totally different 

geological history from the oil fields. The various Tertiary seas in which the 

oil-bearing formations were deposited apparently did not cover any appreciable 

portion of this area. The two exceptions mentioned above consist of beds of 

Eocene age, and the only thing they have in common with the oil-field formations 

is that they were laid down in the same sea and consequently are of the same age 

as certain Eocene beds which are oil bearing in other portions of the State. One 

area of Eocene is found along the western border of the Mojave Desert, near 

Eock Creek, Los Angeles County, and consists, according to Dickerson,69 of 

about 5,000 feet of coarse sandstone and shale, belonging to the Martinez formation. This area probably represents the eastward line of the Martinee sea. The 

second area of Eocene is found in the Elsinore Valley [south of the Mohave 

Desert region] and consists of small thicknesses of highly colored shales and sands 

of Tejon age. Neither of these deposits show the slightest indication of petroleum. 

The rocks that are present, consisting mainly of granites, highly metamorphosed 

Paleozoic and Mesozoic sediments, Tertiary sediments of land or lake origin, 

together with lava flows, are all unsuitable for the formation of any appreciable 

amount of petroleum.

To the best of the writer's knowledge there are no known authentic seepages 

of oil in this area. * * * Innumerable seepages and indications of oil have 

been reported from this area and a certain well in the Mojave Desert has been 

reporting oil for the last 18 years, but it may be noted here that in no case have 

these reports been verified.

From the above brief description of the geology it is evident that the possibility 

of obtaining oil in the desert region is extremely small.

Although it is remotely possible that oil may eventually be found 

in the region, investors should consider that the chances of success of 

the numerous wildcat wells are very slight and that purchases of 

stock in the companies drilling such wells are highly speculative. It 

is significant that none of the large producing companies have done 

any drilling in the Mohave Desert region.

Nitrates. Nitrates are found in the deposits of many of the saline 

playas in the Mohave Desert region and also in a number of other 

places in the region, notably in Death Valley and the adjoining 

territory. On account of the usefulness of nitrates in warfare these 

deposits were examined carefully by the United States Geological 

Survey in 1917 and 1918.70 The results of this investigation showed 

that although thin layers of the beds were high in nitrate, the nitrate 

content of the deposits as a whole was not sufficiently great to warrant 

their development.

69 Dickerson, R. E., The Martinez, Eocene, and associated formations at Bock Creek: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 8, No. 14,1914.

 Noble, L. F., Mansfield, O. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa region, southeastern 

California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 7S4,1922.
AGRICULTURE AND STOCK RAISING 39

Other nonmetdls. In addition! to the few nonmetals already mentioned a number of others are produced on a small scale or, if they 

have not yet been mined, may sometime be of value.

Asbestos has been found 4 miles west of Hicks station, probably in 

the southeastern part of T. 9 N|., R. 4 W. San Bernardino meridian. 

None of it has been shipped.

Several deposits of high-gradei clay, suitable for fire brick and tile, 

have been found, but none of them have been developed. A deposit 

of white silica, talc, and kaolin 3^ miles east of Oro Grande has been 

worked to produce "whiting," which is used as a paint filler, in sizing 

paper, and in porcelain work. A small plant for treating the whiting 

is located at Bryman.

Strontium ore, used in making red signal rockets, has been shipped 

from deposits about 10 miles north of Barstow (see p. 439) and about 

6 miles northwest of Ludlow (see p. 657). Barite is associated with 

this ore.

Talc has been mined on a small scale near Eiggs, on the Tonopah 

& Tidewater Railroad. The mineral also occurs on Sheep Creek, 20 

miles northwest of Silver Lake.

Magnesite has been shipped from a deposit in T. 10 N., R. 11 W., 

a short distance north of Bissell. This deposit is of interest because 

it is said to be the only occurrence of magnesite of evident sedimentary 

origin that has been reported in the United States.71

Other minerals which have been found in the Mohave Desert region 

but which have not been produced commercially or only on a very 

small scale include feldspar, fluorspar, fuller's earth, infusorial earth, 

and niter.

AGRICULTURE AND STOCK RAISING

In the Mohave Desert region agriculture has not been as much 

developed as the mineral industry, although there has been considerable farming in a few small areas where ground water is close enough 

to the surface and plentiful enough to be used for irrigation.

The greatest development has taken place in Antelope Valley, in the 

extreme southwestern part of the region. (See pp. 289-371.) In this 

valley probably between 10,000 and 15,000 acres are under cultivation. 

The largest area in the valley is devoted to alfalfa, and about 20,000 

tons was shipped in 1919. Data as to shipments since that year are 

unreliable, for increasingly large shipments have been made each year 

by automobile trucks. Along the higher land on the south side of the 

valley, particularly around the town of Little Rock and at Valyermo 

post office, a considerable acreage is devoted to pears and apples. In 

1919 about 1,200 tons of pears and 250 tons of apples were shipped

from the south end of the valley.

 i i i 11 . i . i i i ..I,,,

" Gale, H. S., Late developments of magnesite deposits in California and Nevada: X7. S. Geol. Surrey 

Bull. 540, pp. S12-513,1914.
40 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

In the Mohave River Valley, from the San Bernardino Mountains 

to a point a few miles east of Daggett, several thousand aeres are irrigated. Several hundred acres are being irrigated from wells in Indian 

Wells Valley, in the northwestern part of the region. Some land is 

ateo being irrigated in Fremont Valley.

It is estimated that more than 2,000,000 acres of land in the Mohave 

Desert region would be suitable for agriculture if water were available.72 

But it is believed that probably not more than about one-twentieth 

of that area can eventually be irrigated, and only a very small part ©f 

the region is adapted to dry farming. Thousands of acres have been 

patented or applied for under the homestead and desert-land aete. 

Many of the homesteads have been applied for and some of the 

patents have eventually been received by persons who have wanted 

the land only for speculation. This has been true especially in the 

regions where projects have been proposed to irrigate large areas or 

where the prospects are otherwise bright for a considerable increase 

m the val»e of the land. These persons have not spent any more 

money on their land than is necessary to obtain patent to it, aad after 

it has passed into their ownership they have ceased to cultivate it. 

Such neglect of the land tends to hold back the development of the 

surrounding territory. Many of the homesteaders, after having 

spent some time and money on their land, have relinquished their 

claims before obtaining patent to the land. Some of them have 

relinquished their claims because they did not have sufficient funds 

to carry them through the period of no returns until their land should 

be on a paying basis. Others, after they have been on the land lor & 

few months and have come face to face with the problems of ranching 

hi a desert country, discover that the prospect is not as bright as it 

first seemed; for many of the homesteaders have been persuaded to 

apply for their land by unscrupulous "land locators" or by persons 

who have had greater vision than practical experience and knowledge 

of the possibilities and difficulties of the development of arid lands. 

Nearly all of the land suitable for irrigation has been patented.

Cattle raising is unimportant in the Mohave Desert region, the total 

number on the range in the entire region probably being considerably 

less than 5,000. The most extensive cattle range is in Providence, 

New York, and Ivanpah Mountains, where possibly as many as two 

or three thousand head are run. A few hundred head are run on the 

northeast slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains near Old Woman 

Spring, and small scattered herds are run in Antelope and Indian 

Wells Valleys and around Pilot Knob.

The natural conditions in most of the region are unfavorable to 

raising cattle on the open range, and there seems to be little likelihood

M Tatt, O. £., Irrigation resources of seattiem California: Kept. CaUferaia Cowwvattea COHM 

p. 326, 1912.
41

that the industry will grow. Tljie principal difficulty is that the supplf ©f natural feed is not sufficieijit to support the cattle. In the rainy 

season annual plants that spring up furnish feed, but these quiokly 

die and in most of the region there is no feed for many months. The 

winter and spring growth of feed might be utilized if high mous-tains 

were near to which the cattle could be driven for grazing in the hot 

and dry mouths, but most of the mountains in the region are not high 

enough to provide the proper conditions in summer. Because of th* 

shortness and uncertain length of the wet season it is sot feasible to 

run cattle in most of the region. The problem of water supply for the 

&toek does not seem to limit cattle raising, for probably enough water 

for stock could be obtained in abpnost any part of the region if the feed 

were sufficient.

It is estimated that the average carrying capacity of the region « 

a whole is less than 5 head to the section. In order to make it profitable to raise cattle a man ought to have at least 25 car-50 bead, 

and it would accordingly be necessary for him to control from 5 to 10 

sections of land. It is evident that even though the feed is good 

over a small area the homesteader who can obtain patent to a single 

section of land can not hope to succeed in raising cattle alone unless 

he grows a large amount of feed by irrigation. The few small areas 

in the region where cattle can be raised on the range came into the 

control of ranchers long ago.

FLORA

GENERAL FEATURES OF DESERT VEGETATION

Despite the popular impression that the desert is a vast waste 

where but few living things can exist, it not only contains much Mfe 

but there is a considerable variety of both plants and animate. The 

observing traveler finds many interesting things to occupy has attention, even though he may not be especially trained in botany or zoology. The Desert Botanical Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution 

of Washington " has made the most extensive investigations of the 

plant life of the desert region of America. The occurrence and dis>- 

tribution of plants in the Mohave Desert region are described by 

OoriJle M and Merriam,76 of the Death Valley expedition sent oat by 

the United States Department of Agriculture in 1891. In the present

 ___ _ . -.- . ____________ . . . __. . __ . . ..-.-- -- i ; '- L

" Among the publications of the Carnegie Institution of Washington relating to the flora of the desert 

the following contain material of general interest:1 Coville, F. V., and MacDoogal, D. T., Desert Botanies! 

Laboratory of the Carnegie Institution: Pub. 6,1903. MaeDoagal, D. T., Botanical features of tt» North 

American deserts; Pub. 99, 1908. Spalding, V. M., Distribution and movements of desert plants: Fub. 

118, 1909. Cannon, W. A., The root habits of desert plants: Fob. 181, 1911. MacDougal, D. T., *ai 

others, The Salton, Sea, a study of the geography, tb« geology, the Soristiea, and tb» ecology el a d«*^rt 

basin: Pub. 183,1914.

» Coville, F. V., Botany of the Death Valley expedition: Contr. U. 8. National Herbarium, vol. 4,1S93.

"Merriam, C. H., The Death Valley expedition, a biological survey of parts of California, Nevada, 

Arlzwna, and Utah: North Am. Fauna, No. 7,1893 (report'on desert trees and shrubs, pp. 2S_-34_; report 

on desert cactuses and yuccas, pp. 345-359).
42 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

report a technical discussion of plants would be out of place, but some 

of the facts of general interest about the vegetation of the region are 

given.

One of the principal conditions that govern the distribution of 

vegetation is the moisture supply. Except in the highest mountains 

the rainfall probably does not average more than 5 inches a year an 

amount which is insufficient to produce vegetation like that of humid 

regions but which produces a characteristically desert type of vegetation. In certain parts of the region the water table stands so close 

to the surface that the ground water is within reach of the plants, 

and plants similar to those in humid regions are found. In some 

places where the water table is close to the surface, however, the soil 

is so impregnated with alkali that only certain species that are especially adapted to withstand the effect of the alkali can grow. Such 

plants are physiologically like the true desert types of vegetation, 

because the presence of so much alkali in the water in the soil makes 

the water unavailable to the plant, even though it is present in abundance.76 Trees are found in some areas along Mohave and Colorado 

Rivers where the water table is close to the surface, and in some of 

the highest mountains where the precipitation is great enough coniferous trees grow. The rest of the region is virtually treeless except 

for the giant yucca or Joshua tree (Yucca or Olistoyucca arborescens), 

which grows in some localities above altitudes of 2,500 feet. (See 

pi. 4, 5.)

The number of species found in the desert is not as great as in an 

area of the same size in more humid regions, but Coville, in his 

report on the Death Valley expedition, lists about 200 genera and 

more than 300 species. A very few species, however, predominate. 

Over most of the region the creosote bush (CoviUea, tridentata, Vail), 

often erroneously called greasewood or sagebrush, is the dominant 

shrub. It is generally larger than the other plants that are present 

and more or less obscures them, so that it gives a monotonous appearance to the landscape. (See pi. 4, A.) The species Franseria 

dumosa is almost as widely distributed as the creosote bush but not 

so. abundant or conspicuous.

The monotonous appearance of the landscape, which is due to the 

widespread distribution of the creosote bush or the other few common 

types, is lessened somewhat in the spring. At this time of the year, 

after the winter rains, the desert floor in many places is literally 

carpeted with small annual plants that bear brilliantly colored flowers. 

As the dry summer progresses, however, these plants wither away, 

and unless one looks carefully he is unaware that the ground between

n Coulter, N. M., Barnes, C. R., and Cowles, H. C., A textbook of botany for colleges and universities, 

vol. 2, p. 486, American Book Co., 1911. 

" Coville, F. V., op. cit., pp. 39-41.
43

the creosote and other shrubs ever bears any vegetation. The seeds 

of the annuals lie dormant during the greater part of the year but 

spring into life at the coming of the rainy season and send forth their 

flowers for a short period.

Another noticeable characteristic of the desert vegetation is the 

fact that in most parts of the region the larger plants generally grow 

several feet apart, doubtless because of the scanty supply of moisture 

that is available for them. Except in the areas where the water table 

is close to the surface, about the only water available to plants comes 

from the scanty rainfall, which generally moistens only the upper 

layers of soil. The investigations of Cannon 78 have shown that in 

order to obtain sufficient moisture to sustain life the plants have 

developed extensive root systems with many branching roots, which 

draw water from a relatively large volume of soil. He found that 

perennials develop three types of roots one in which there is a very 

prominent tap root, one in which the laterals are well developed, and 

a generalized type having both the tap root and the laterals.

The perennials that have the generalized type of roots were found 

to have the widest local distribution in the region studied, doubtless 

because they were best able to adapt themselves to a variety of conditions. The creosote bush (Covittea tridentata) has this type of 

roots. On the alluvial slopes where the depth to water is great a 

prominent tap root was not found, but the roots spread out laterally 

over a considerable area. An example of the length of the lateral 

roots of the creosote bush is shown in Plate 5, A. These roots were 

exposed by the flood run-off that followed a cloudburst near Newberry Spring a few months before the photograph was tajten.

Cannon found that most of the cactuses have prominent laterals, 

although many of them also have an anchoring root. The giant 

yucca apparently has a root system somewhat similar to the cactuses. 

A sturdy yucca in full life exhibits a broad base above ground, comparable to the base of an oak tree, and one would suppose that large 

roots extended downward below the surface. But where a yucca 

has been uprooted it is obvious that a few inches below the surface 

there is a sharp change, and many very slender roots lead from 

the larger roots, which spread out like feet. (See pi. 5, B and <7.) 

The numerous small roots evidently can gather moisture from a much 

larger volume of soil than a few thick roots could. This is significant, 

for the yuccas are found where i^he depth to ground water is great. 

The development of the roots is Such that moisture can be derived 

even from the slight amount of water that percolates into the ground 

after a single shower.

Not only have the desert plants developed methods of increasing 

.their supply of moisture but they have also developed means of

I* Cannon, W. A., The root habits of desert plants: Carnegie Inst. WashingtonJPub. 131,1911..
44 THE MOHAVB DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

conserving the supply of moisture which, they absorb, for if such means 

were not present, under the heat and great evaporation that occurs 

in the desert, the entire supply of moisture would be transpired 

quickly, and the plant would wither and die. Many of the desert 

perennials have very small leaves, so that the transpiration surface 

is thus reduced. The leaves of some species have a resinous coating 

or a close covering of hairs, which reduces transpiration to the minimum. From the resinous coating on its leaves the creosote bush, gets 

its popular name, for in burning the wood and leaves it gives off a 

dense smoke accompanied by a pungent odor.79 When the plant is 

wet by rain the peculiar odor is also noticeable. On hot days the 

stomatic openings in the leaves are closed thus reducing the transpiration. In dry seasons some plants also drop their leaves.

Many of the desert plants, especially cactuses, possess special structures for storing water. The interior of many of the cactuses consists 

of pulp, which contains much water,80 and in fact, the desert Indians 

drink the juice from some species. The water is obtained by cutting 

off the top of the plant and crushing the pulp. The water in some 

erf the cactuses is bitter and unpalatable. It is found that the cactuses 

in which the juice is bitter are not as well protected with spines as the 

species which yield juice that can be drunk, as if the spines had been 

developed to protect the plants from animals seeking water,

A striking feature of the landscape in many parts of the Mohave 

Desert region is the presence of areas of land entirely devoid of 

vegetation. These areas, which range in size from a few acres t© 

many square miles, are in the lowest parts of the closed basins of the 

region and comprise what are known to the geologist as playas, but 

more commonly called "dry lakes." 81 The soil of the playas generally contains more or less alkali, and the absence of vegetation on 

some of them is undoubtedly due to the excessive amount of alkali. 

However, analysis of the soil of some playas shows that their alkali 

content is less than that endured by some plants, so that the absence 

of vegetation on such playas can not be due entirely to the alkali 

The soil of these playas is generally so compact that plant roots have 

difficulty in penetrating it, and the water level is some distance below 

the surface. It is therefore probable that in addition to the chemical 

character of the soil, its physical character and deficient moisture 

supply are responsible for the absence of vegetation on the playas.

The Mohave Desert region may, with respect to vegetation, be 

separated into three more or less distinct zones, embracing (1) the 

mountains that are high enough to receive sufficient precipitation to 

produce coniferous trees and associated types; (2) the flood plains of

| » Coville, F. V., op. dt., p. 51.

* CoTffie, F. V., Desert plants as a scares of drinking voter: Smittuaatan lost, Aon. B«pt. for 1H3, 

pp. 490-505,1904. 

l_ > See footnote, p. 108, fat definition of a playa.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 3

VIEW LOOKING NORTH UP WALL STREET CANYON IN CALICO MOUNTAINS 

Shows remains of abandoned town of Calico

B. MESQUITE RUSH ON SAND DUNE ALONG MOHAVE RIVER 

Shows how a single plant extends over a large area. Roots partly exposed
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 4

A. TYPICAL VIEW IN MOHAVE DESERT 

Shows predominance of the creosote bush

£. JOSHUA. TREES, OR GIANT YUCCAS, NEAR CIMA 

A characteristic desert plant that grows above the altitude of 2,500 feet. Photograph bv G. A. Waring
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 5

ROOTS OF A CREOSOTE BUSH 

EXPOSED BY FLOOD WASH

B. ROOTS OF A GIANT YUCCA

(Yucca arborescens)

' ,^--- *. 

( fyjH*; M. j 

, <* - .>.l^'

 a *;TJ., ^.^ 

^...; >-- ^

s ^V^-*-^- 

- .^ iisr.Vi:

-j,; ' "a t ^,^S^ .... ~. jjp

'

^ MWiSSS^

- ^...i.-t-V-.'>^^:^

(7. ROOTS OF A GIANT YUCCA

(Yucca arborescens)

FLORA 45

i

Colorado, and Amargosa Rivers and the lowest parts of 

some closed basins, where the water table is close to the Surface and 

thus supports a relatively dense vegetation;* and (3) the low hills, 

alluvial slopes, and plains, where the rainfall is low and the water 

table is too far below the surface to be reached by the plant roots. 

In this third zone the conditions that affect plant growth are of 8 

truly arid type. It separates more or less completely the mountains 

from the areas of high water table. In altitude, however, the thirxl 

zone is not always intermediate between the other two. Thus salt 

grass, the willow, and the mesquite grow along Mohave River in the 

areas of shallow water table at altitudes as great as 2,500 or 3,000 feet 

above sea level, whereas the creosote bush, which is characteristic 

of the zone of true arid conditions, is found in Death Valley as low 

as 200 feet above sea level. The following paragraphs contain notes on the occurrence and 

distribution of a few typical plants in each of the zones mentioned 

above, as observed during the present investigation. The observa* 

tions are those of one not specially trained in botany and were made 

with the view of obtaining evidence of the relation between vegetation and occurrence of ground water. Specimens collected in the 

field work were identified by Miss Alice Eastwood, of the California 

Academy of Sciences, to whom the writer is indebted for much in* 

formation of value in regard to the desert vegetation. On pages 54-57 

is given a list of all the specimens collected by the writer and identified 

by Miss Eastwood.

VEGETATION OF THE HIGH MOUNTAINS

Parts of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, the 

Sierra Nevada, the Providence and New York Mountains, Clark 

Mountain, Pdtosi Mountain, and the Kingston and Panamint Ranges 

have sufficient precipitation to bear coniferous trees or other vegetation typical of a nonarid region. The writer did not have an opportunity to visit most of these high mountains, and no special attention 

was paid to the vegetation of these areas.82 Coniferous trees, some 

of them several feet in diameter, are abundant in the San Bernardiao 

and San Gabriel Mountains. The California live oaks are found on 

the desert slopes of the Tehachapi Range, a southern extension of the 

Sierra Nevada. The juniper (probably Jtmiperus ealifomwa) and $j» 

pifion (Pinus monophyUa) occur on the ranges at the southwest and 

west borders of the desert, and the pinon at least is found in the 

Providence and New York Mountains. Along the base of th« Sfttt 

Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains the juniper extends down

- W The description and distribution of trees that grow in. .the Mobave Dcsart region,.,. 

Tidoal species, «r« given in fiudworth, Q. B., Forest trees of the Pacific slops, U. 8, Dept. AST. Forwt S«rvwe, 

1008.
46 THE MOHAVE DESEET EEGION, CALIFORNIA

into a zone of giant yuccas which marks the upper parts of the arid 

zone. In the vicinity of Quartz Hill, in T. 66 N., R. 12 W., where 

the average annual precipitation is about 8 inches, the juniper grows 

at an altitude of about 2,500 feet, whereas in the interior of the desert, 

where the rainfall is much less, it is not present at elevations of 4,500 

to 5,000 feet.

VEGETATION OF THE LOWEB MOUNTAINS AND ALLUVIAL SLOPES

The zone in which the precipitation is low and in which the 

water table is so far below the surface that ground water is not 

available to plants is by far the largest of the three zones. It includes 

both the gently sloping alluvial slopes which reach almost to.the 

bottoms of the numerous closed basins in the region and also the slopes 

of all the mountains except a few of the very highest. The vegetation on the mountain slopes is generally more sparsely distributed 

than that on the alluvial slopes, but the principal species are found 

in both environments, although most species are more abundant in 

one environment or the other.

The creosote bush, GoviUea tridentata, is the most widespread and 

one of the most conspicuous plants in the region. It is most abundant 

on the alluvial slopes but is also common, though in fewer numbers, in 

the mountains. Its range in altitude is great. Coville 83 reports that 

it grows below sea level in Death Valley and at an altitude of more 

than 5,500 feet in the Panamint Range, although commonly it does 

not grow at so high an altitude.

Although the creosote bush is widespread, it does not grow everywhere. The conditions that govern its growth, whether of soil, 

temperature, and moisture supply, are not definitely known, but 

some observations were made in regard to its distribution. It is 

generally not found where the water table is close to the surface. In 

Indian Wells Valley, in the northern part of T. 26 S., R. 40 E. Mount 

Diablo meridian, the boundary of the creosote zone is sharp (see 

p. 145 and fig. 4), and well data indicate that the depth to the water 

table in this zone in this locality is at least 25 feet. The lower boundaries of the zone are generally several hundred feet from the borders 

of the play as or "dry lakes" in the lowest part, of the numerous closed 

basins in the region, even though beneath some of the playas the 

water table is not close to the surface. Doubtless the clayey texture 

of the soil or the presence of alkali prevents its growth in such places. 

The bush is absent throughout a very large area in the lower part of 

Antelope Valley, not only near the playas but some distance away 

from them. Specific observations show that it is absent in the 

vicinity of Lancaster, 7 miles south of Rosamond Dry Lake, and for a

« Coville, jF. V., Botany of the Death Valley expedition: Contr. U. S. National Herbarium, vol. 4, 

pp. 21,fT6, 1893.
FLORA 47

number of miles east and northwest of that place. It was not seen 

in sec. 19, T. 9 N., R. 13 W. San Bernardino meridian, more than 10 

miles from Rosamond Dry Lake. Throughout a large part of this 

extensive area the water table is so close to the surface that there is 

discharge by evaporation and transpiration by plants, but in section 

19 the depth to water is probably at least 40 feet. The bush is found 

on the slopes of the Rosamond Buttes, which border Rosamond Dry 

Lake on the north. The absence of the bush in so large an area in the 

valley is probably due to the texture of the soil.

One well driller stated that he believed that the creosote bush was 

an indication that bedrock would be encountered before water was 

found and that the water supply in such area was not great. There is 

abundant evidence, however, that this opinion is not warranted, for 

wells in the creosote bush zone have reached water at depths of 400 to 

500 feet without striking bedrock, and some wells with large yields have 

been obtained where the bush is the dominant vegetation. The 

creosote bush seems to be of no value as an indicator of ground-water 

conditions except as indicating that the depth to water is more than 

25 feet. In places where floods are frequent the plants grow larger 

than elsewhere, attaining heights of 6 or 8 feet.

Franseria dumosa is a common shrub with rigid branches that 

generally grows in the same localities as the creosote bush, but it is 

less noticeable because it is smaller, ranging from 1 foot to 2 feet in 

height. In the Mohave Desert region Franseria is the common associate of the creosote bush.

Eriogonum infiatum is a peculiar plant of the alluvial slopes. It 

grows about a foot high and has a straight stem, from which there are 

several branches. Several inches above the ground the stem has an 

inflated bulblike structure somewhat like a small onion, which has 

suggested the name "cigarette plant." A spebies of the same genus, 

which, however, does not have the inflated bulb on the stem, JEHogonum trichopodym, is found in many places where the land has been 

cleared and perhaps sowed to a crop and later abandoned. It 

is reddish brown when dry and gives to such abandoned tracts a 

characteristic red color.

Ephedra californica, commonly known as Mormon tea, is also 

found in many places on the alluvial slopes. It is a low, bushy plant 

characterized by pale-greenish jointed stems which are devoid of 

leaves.

A very peculiar species is HolocantJia emoryi. It has no leaves, 

and its branches are like long sharp spikes. It bears reddish berries. 

It is of special interest because, so far as the writer is aware, it has 

been reported from only three places in California, all of them in the, 

Mohave Desert. The writer was given a specimen by Mr. E. H. 

Martin, of Oatman, Ariz., who had found it growing in the wash of a
48 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

broad valley that extends from Goffs southward to Ward station, on 

the Parker branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, at a 

place about 20 miles south of Goffs. The specimen was sent to 

Miss Alice Eastwood, who stated that it was the first time the species 

had been recorded in California. It occurs more abundantly in 

Arizona. The writer was also shown a specimen that had been 

collected in a wash along a road that leads southward from the 

National Old Trails Road about 25 miles east of Ludlow, though the 

location was not very accurately described. It has also recently 

been reported from a locality near Ludlow.84

Several species of trees grow on the alluvial slopes, where the depth 

to water is great, but the only one that is abundant is the giant yucca 

or Joshua tree (Yucca drboreseens). The yucca is one of the most 

interesting species found in the desert. (See pi. 4, B.} It is the 

largest spine-bearing form in the Mohave Desert region and is often 

erroneously called a cactus. The following description is quoted 

from Sudworth: 85

Of the two tree yuccas indigenous in the Pacific region the Joshua tree, also 

called "yucca cactus," is much the larger and more treelike. From 18 to 25 

feet, or occasionally 30 or 35 feet, is the usual height, with a diameter of from 1 

to 2 feet. It is easily the most wild-looking denizen of desert hills and plains. 

The keenly pointed bayonet-like leaves, bristling at the ends of big clumsy branches, defy every intrusion and compel respect from many natural enemies. Young 

trees are unbranched until they have produced flowers, which is commonly at 

a height of from 8 to 12 feet. Usually two branches are then formed at the 

top of the single stem and, in succession, each of these forms two or more, until 

a broad, low-branched crown results at maturity. When from 3 to 6 feet high 

the trunks are often set with bristling leaves down to the ground. No living 

thing intrudes upon the ground they occupy. The topmost leaves are upright 

in position, but as the stem increases in height the first leaves grown begin, during about their second year, to droop, finally dying and becoming closely pressed 

down upon the trunk in a thatchlike cover. Trunks 10 feet high may be entirely 

covered. Gradually these dead, but always stiff and prickly leaves are forced 

off at the base of the trunk by the growth of the trunk and by wind, uncovering 

an ashy gray, cross-checked, and ridged bark. Except on old trees the greater 

part of the tree is covered with dead, closely thatched leaves. This covering 

of formidable living and dead leaves suggests a wise protective measure through 

which alone the tree is able to maintain and extend itself, with little check from 

its enemies, in a region often lacking in other vegetation. The bluish-green 

leaves are from 6 to about 10 inches long and about five-eighths of an inch widej 

longer leaves occur on young trees. Leaves taper gradually from just above 

the base (1% inches wide) to the point. The upper half is concave, tapering 

to a long, keen reddish or blackish-brown point; the lower half of the leaf is 

fiat or only slightly concave, while the two edges have minute teeth throughout. 

A single stiff, branched cluster (about 15 inches long) of rather fetid flowers 

grows from the end of the crown branches. The fruit, usually matured early in 

June, is borne on short stems, at first standing more or less erect but after maturity somewhat drooping or bent down. The fruit covering is dry and soft. It

84 Jerris, R. 8., A new plant record for California: Southern California Acad. Sd, Bull., vol. 1$, pt. 1, 

p. 13,1919. Thompson, D. Q., idem, vol. 19, pt. 3, pp. 64-55, \V20. 

 » Sudworth, Q. B., op. cit., pp. 201-203.
FLOBA. 49

rarely opens of its own accord, but when very dry and brittle it is blown or falls 

from the tree and later is blown about and broken open by the wind and its seed 

scattered. The six chambers of the fruit are filled with fiat, jet-black seeds. 

Wood rather soft and light (when dry) but tough on account of its strong fibers; 

pale yellowish white. Further investigation may establish its permanent usefulness for paper pulp, for which it is'suitable.

Nothing can be said definitely of the age to which this tree attains. It is 

very probable that an individual lives at least 100 to 200 years, and there seems 

little doubt that these trees may live 200 to 300 years. The growth appears to 

be very slow* in both height and diameter, but very persistent.

The giant yucca is found only on the higher alluvial dopes and 

occasionally on the slopes of some of the interior mountains. It has 

a rather definite range in altitude and is seldom found below 2,500 

feet above sea level. It is sparsely distributed, however, as low as 

about 2,300 feet in Antelope Valley. It is rather widespread where 

the altitude is sufficient. It is most abundant on alluvial slopes 

extending northward from the San Gabriel Range and near Cima, 

in each of these places forming a veritable forest. The giant yueea is 

not found in Arizona except in a small area in the northwestern jrart 

of the State. On the other hand, some forms found in Arizona, 

notably the giant cactus or sahuaro (Cereus giganteu8},Bie reported 

at only two or three places on the California side of Colorado River.89

The yucca is sometimes used for fuel, but although it makes a hot 

fire it burns rapidly and does not last long. It is said that despite 

its protective structures the fruit is eaten by cattle, which obtain it 

by raising on their hind legs and avoiding the sharp blades of the 

leaves. Paper pulp has been made from the trunks, but the manufacture of paper from this tree can hardly prove successful. The 

tree grows so slowly that the supply would soon be exhausted.

Several other species of yucca occur in the region, but they do not 

form trees. One of these, Yucca macrocarpa, generally grows in 

clumps on short trunks 4 or 5 feet high, from which the leaves extend 

without any branches. Another species is Yucca wbipplei, which is 

especially abundant on the south slopes of the San Bernardino and 

San Gabriel Ranges and extends onto the desert side of these mountains. The plant consists of a number of daggerlike leaves that 

radiate upward from a common base at the surface of the ground, and 

because of its shape it is commonly known as Spanish bayonet or Spanish dagger. The flowers of this plant are especially striking. Early 

in the spring a shoot appears in the center of the plant and grows 

rapidly. In a few weeks it attains a height of 8 to 10 feet, occasionally 

15 to 20 feet, and is 2 inches or more in diameter. On this stalk there 

develop many beautiful cream-colored flowers, which are bell-shaped 

and have a waxy luster. With the coming of the dry season the 

stalk dies and turns yellow, but it stands where it grew for many

** Chase, J. 8., California desert trails, pp. 51,310, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1019.
50 * THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

months. The leaves of the Spanish bayonet have been used for making binder twine.87

Other tree forms besides the giant yucca that were seen on the dry 

alluvial slopes in the region are palo verde (Cercidium torreyanum) 

and ironwood (Olneya tesota). Palo. verde was seen in a large wash 

in Chemehuevis Valley. (See p. 737.) Ironwood was found in a wash 

a mile or two north of Vidal. The depth to the water table at this 

place, according to well data, is probably at least 250 feet, and it is 50 

feet or more where the palo verde was seen. The localities mentioned 

apparently are the farthest north that these species have been found 

in the region. They are abundant farther south and in Arizona.

The cat's-claw (Acacia greggii), so named because of its clawlike 

thorns, was seen at a number of places in gravelly washes, especially 

within the mountain borders. Although in some places it grows 

luxuriantly, it apparently does not indicate the presence of ground 

water but rather depends on flood water that percolates into the gravel 

in stream channels.

The desert palm (Neowashingtonia fflifera) is found at Twenty-nine 

Palms, on the southern border of the region, which seems to be the 

most northerly station of this plant.

Cactuses are not as common in the Mohave Desert region as in 

other parts of the arid Southwest. They occur generally on the alluvial slopes at intermediate and high altitudes but not in the lower 

valleys. Probably the most common and most noticeable are species 

of Opuntia, generally called cholla (pronounced cho'ya). Chollas 

are fantastic plants, usually with a treelike habit but only 2 or 3 

feet high. The branches bear numerous menacing spines, which are 

long or short according to the species. They have the evil reputation 

of shooting their spines into a person's flesh if he approaches within 

a few inches of them, even without touching them. This reputation 

arises from the fact that the spines are separated from the stem very 

easily and the plants are often unknowingly touched by the clothing 

or articles that are being carried by one walking among them. The 

spines penetrate the flesh at the slightest pressure and are removed with 

difficulty and pain.

The forms of cactus commonly known as "prickly pear" seem to 

be scarce, possibly because they are too small or low to be noticeable 

except as one sees them directly underfoot. Some of them have 

prominent spines. Other species seem to have no spines but bear a 

kind of fuzz on the surface which, if the plant is not handled carefully, 

proves to be as efficient as the large spines in penetrating the flesh.

Fouquieria splendens or oeotillo (pronounced ocotee'yo) consists of 

a number of straight stems from 5 to 10 feet or more in length and 

an inch or two in diameter, which radiate upward from a common

w Von Blon, J. L., Binder twine from the desert: Sci. Am., vol. 121, p. 82,1919.
FLORA 51

base.i The stems have no branches. Minute leaves are attached to 

them, and they also bear thorns. In the spring they bear brilliant 

purple flowers. This plant was seen at only one locality in the Mohave 

Desert region, along the Needles-Parker road, on the south side of a 

low divide about 16 miles south of Needles. The ocotillo, however, is 

common farther south in the Salton Sea region.

An interesting species is Atriplex Jiymenelytra, commonly known as 

desert holly. It receives its name from the fact that the leaves are 

shaped much like the holly that is used extensively for Christmas 

decorations, and it has a red seed or berry, which, however, is smaller 

than the berry of the true holly. The leaves are of a silver-gray 

color. The plant presents a pleasing appearance and is used for holiday decorations in the towns and cities adjacent to the desert. The 

plant was seen in washes where the soil was rather hard and perhaps 

slightly alkaline and also on rocky hill slopes. It was especially 

abundant on the rocky slopes near Newberry Spring.

VEGETATION WHERE WATER TABLE 13 NEAR SURFACE

The third type of vegetation found in the Mohave Desert region is 

that which grows where the water table is close enough to the surface 

for the plant roots to reach it. The areas where these conditions 

exist are of three general kinds. One kind comprises lands along 

streams, as along the flood plain of Colorado River and at places 

along Mohave River, although in some of the flood plain of the 

Mohave the water table is too deep to be reached by plant roots.

Another kind of area comprises lands that lie near the lowest parts 

of closed basins. The play as or clay flats, some of them covering many 

square miles, are generally devoid of vegetation, but a characteristic 

vegetation grows around their borders if the water table is close to 

the surface. Where the water table is not close to the surface the 

vegetation of the arid alluvial slopes extends to the border of the 

playa.

The third kind of area comprises lands where the water table is 

close to the surface but which lie neither along rivers nor in the lowest 

parts of closed basins. Such conditions are generally due to the 

geologic structure, which brings the ground water near the surface. 

The vegetation in such areas is generally similar to that in one or 

both of the other kinds of areas. The essential difference between 

the conditions along the streams and those in the low parts of the 

closed basins is that the soil near the playas is generally more alkaline 

than that along the streams. Accordingly, the vegetation in such 

places is of a type that can endure considerable alkali. The relation 

of plants to ground water in portions of the United States has been 

discussed recently at some length by Meinzer.88

*> Meinzer, O. E., Plants as indicators of ground water: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 577, 

1927.
52 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EEGION, CALIPOBNIA

Along the streams grow several kinds of trees, notably species of 

willow, cottonwood, and mesquite. The first two kinds are not 88 

common as the mesquite. MacDougal has pointed out that mesquite 

requires less water than poplar.89 A grove of poplars, in which the 

trees were a foot in diameter, was seen in the lower part of the wash 

of Big Rock Creek a mile or two southwest of the Lovejoy Buttes. 

Elsewhere they were observed only along Mohave River. They 

doubtless grow along the flood plain of Colorado River but were not 

seen in the parts of that region that were visited.

Two species of mesquite occur hi the region, Prosopis pubescens or 

P. odorata, commonly called the screw bean mesquite, and Prosopis 

jvliflora or common mesquite. The screw bean mesquite is most 

easily distinguished from the other species by the fruit, which is a 

leathery pod shaped somewhat like an Archimedes screw and which 

contains beanlike seeds. The fruit of the ordinary mesquite is much 

like the pod of ordinary beans. The beans of both species are eaten 

with relish by cattle and when crushed into a meal are used for food 

by the Indians. Both plants grow either as trees or as bushes and 

have small leaves and sharp thorns. The root wood of Prosopis 

juliflora and probably also that of the screw bean is heavier than the 

wood of the trunk. The roots also are very long, some of them extending 50 or 60 feet below ground.90 Indeed, it is said that the plant 

usually has more wood below ground than above. In this region the 

trunk and branches are usually small, so that the roots are more 

generally used for firewood than the parts above ground. When one 

goes to cut mesquite for fuel, a shovel is as essential as an ax.

The screw bean and ordinary mesquite often occur together. They 

are abundant in stretches along Mohave River where ground water 

is close to the surface but are absent in other stretches where the 

depth to water is considerable. They are found in the lower parts 

of some of the closed basins and in other places where the geologic 

conditions hold the water table close to the surface. They are found 

in the lower parts of the basins near playas, in Antelope Valley, in 

Ind an Wells Valley, and in Crucero Valley bordering Soda Lake and 

elsewhere. They are also found in a belt that stretches northwest 

from the vicinity of Newberry Spring (see p. 445 and pi. 26,2?), where 

some unknown geologic conation brings the water to the surface.

In many places where the mesquite grows in open expanses of land, 

wind-blown sand accumulates around the plants. As the plant grows 

the sand accumulates more and more, and dunes, some of them 15 or 

20 feet high, are formed. The mesquite spreads out, and the different 

branches, when covered by sand, appear to form a number of indi-

» MacDougal, D. T., Botanical features of the North American deserts: Caraegfe last. Washington 

Pub. 99, p. 13,1908. 

w Sudworth, Q. B,, op. dt., p. 365.
FLORA 68

Yidual plants, 'The roots generally penetrate some distance below 

the original ground surface in search of water, although the plants 

may appear to be perched on top of the dunes. (See pi. 3, B.)

In the Salton Sea region and parts of southwestern Arizona mesquite 

grows where the depth to water may be from 50 to 100 feet or more, 

and it is thus not a reliable indicator of ground water.91 In the 

Mohave Desert region, however, wherever mesquite was observed 

the depth to water was not more than 25 or 30 feet, and it is generally 

considered to indicate that ground water is within that distance of 

the surface.

Another plant that is found along streams is the arrow weed 

(Pluehea sericea, also known as Tessaria borealis), so called because 

its straight stems were used by the Indians for arrow shafts. This 

plant is reported by Coville 92 to occur at several springs in the desert 

region. It was observed by the writer in great abundance on tfye 

flood plain of Colorado River near Topock, Ariz. It is generally 

considered to indicate that ground water is close to the surface.

Around the borders of the playas where the water table is close to 

the surface the soil generally contains considerable alkali, so that the 

plants that grow in such environments are those that can resist 

alkali. Many of them actually absorb some of the salts in such 

quantity that they can be tasted if the leaves are chewed, and hence 

these plants receive the general name of "salt bushes."

The commonest alkali-resisting plant is salt grass (Distiehlis 

spicata). This plant is found almost everywhere in the desert where 

the water table is within 8 feet of the surface. It grows along the 

flood plain of Mohave River, near many of the playas, and around 

springs, where the area of moist soil covers many acres or only a few 

square feet. It is especially troublesome in alfalfa fields where the 

water table is close to the surface, because with its long, tough roofs 

and general endurance of adverse conditions it is very hard to eradicate once it gets a start. The plant can withstand considerable 

alkali, but where the ground is very saline it turns a rusty-brown 

color.

Rabbit bush, which includes several species of Chrysothamnw, also 

grows where the ground water is close to the surface. OJirysofhamnus 

mohavensis was found where the depth to the water table was probably 

a little greater than in areas of salt grass and the soil was probably a 

little less alkaline. Thus a rather definite zone of ChrysotJiamnus 

mohavensis was seen at the southeast side of Harper Dry Lake, and

« Brown, J. S., The Salton Sea region, a geographic, geologic, and hydrologic reconnaissance: TJ. S. Qeol. 

Survey Water-Supply Paper 497, pp. 114-117,1923. Bryan, Kirk, ThePapago country, Ariz., a geographic, 

geologic, and hydrologic reconnaissance: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 4«9, p. 41,1925. Meinzer, 

O. E., op. cit., pp. 42-54.

" Coville, F. V., Botany of the Death Valley expedition: Contr. U. S. Nat. Herbarium, vol. 4, p. IgS, 

1803.

5631 29 5
54 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION^ CALEFOBNIA

what is probably the same species is common in the lower part of 

Antelope Valley. Other species of Ohrysofhamnus are found in the 

Mohave Desert region, but although they all seem to grow where the 

water supply is abundant they do not all occur in the same kind of 

environment. Thus Ohrysothamnus nauseosus was found in a canyonon the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains south of Valyerm0> 

post office, where the soil is probably less alkaline than in the closed 

basins.

Investigations made during the recent war haye shown that thedifferent species of Chrysofhamnus contain a good quality of rubber m 

quantities up to 6.5 per cent.93 It is estimated that 3,000,000,000* 

pounds of rubber could be obtained from plants of this genus in an< 

emergency if the Nation's supply of this necessary article from outsidesources were cut off in time of war. The percentage of rubber is sosmall, however, and the growth of the plants so slow that it is not 

worth while to exploit this source of supply under ordinary conditions..

Two plants that grow in very alkaline moist soils are Suaedasuffrutescens and Sesuvium portulacastrum. Suaeda, suffrutescens,, 

commonly called inkweed, was noticed especially at the south end of 

Silver Lake after the flood of 1916, at the west side of Troy Dry Lake- 

(T. 8 N., R. 4 E. San Bernardino meridian) and in the depressions 

between sand dunes northwest of Newberry Springs. Sesuvium 

portulacastrum was abundant around the border of Silver Lake after 

the flood of 1916. Apparently the seeds had been washed to the edgeof the playa during the period of high water.

Other species that grow where the water table is close to the surface* 

and where the soil is generally alkaline are the tule (species of Phrag^ 

mites), sometimes called Indian sugar cane; yerba mansa (Anemopsiscalif arnica), a plant somewhat like plantain weed; wire grass (Juncu& 

balticus); and several species of Atriplex, including A. polycarpa and. 

A. torreyi.

SPECIES OF PLANTS COLLECTED IN THE MOHAVE DESEBT

REGION

A number of species of plants were collected from the Mohave* 

Desert region by the writer and were identified by Miss Alice Eastwood, of the California Academy of Sciences at San Francisco. Thenames of these species with brief statements as to their occurrence aregiven below. The observations are incomplete and were made primarily for the purpose of determining the significance of certain 

species in respect to the presence or absence of ground water near thesurface. The species are listed alphabetically.

Acacia, greggii. Cat's-claw. Found in dry gravelly washes where the moisturefrom the surface run-off may be abundant but does not indicate that ground 

water is close to the surface.

 > Hall, H. M., and Qoodspeed, T. M., A rubber-plant survey cf western North America: California, 

TJniv. Publications in Botany, vol. 7, Nos. 6, 7, 8, pp. 159-278, 1919.
PLOBA 55

. Chamiso. Summit of Cajon Pas*.

Anemopsis californica, Yerba mansa. In moist alkaline soil near 

Spring, where water table is only 3 or 4 feet below the surface.

Arctostaphylos glattca. Manzanita. At the summit of*Cajon Pas®. Common 

on the south slope of the San Bernardino Mountains.

Artemisia tridentata. Sagebrush. Near Government Holes in the elevated 

valleys of the New York Mountains, along the foot of the San Gabriel Mountains, 

and .about 7 miles west of Lancaster in Antelope Valley; otherwise absent in 

practically the entire region. Where it is present the rainfall is generally 

greater than in other parts of the desert.

Atriplex hymenelytra. Desert holly. * In' gravelly washes where the (soil in 

perhaps slightly alkaline and on some rocky slopes near the foot of the mountains,

Atriplex parryif. In the sand dunes northwest of Newberry Spring. |

Atriplex polycarpaf. In the sand dunes northwest of Newberry Spring. A salt 

bush common in clayey valley bottoms where the soil is damp and alkalino.

Atriplex torreyi. In moist alkaline soil a short distance west of Newberry Hpring.

Baccharis vimineaf In the dry channels of Mohave River a few miles west of 

Soda Dry Lake. j

Baccharis emoryi. Near springs along Mohave River in sec. 2, T. 9 N., K. 1 B. 

San Bernardino meridian, where it grew to a height of 7 feet. Probably mfMeates 

presence of ground water that is fresh or only sh'ghtly alkaline. 94 I

Baccharis saroihoides. In wash near Colton Well, 15 miles northwest of Wenaer. 

Possibly indicates ground water close to the surface. !

Chilopsis saligna. Desert willow. Abundant in the dry sandy channels of 

Mohave River in the north-central part of T. 11 N., R. 7 E. San Bernjardino 

meridian, and locally in dry washes. Although this species was found in cbjannels 

Along Mohave River where the depth to water is probably not more tha4 25 or 

30 feet it is not a certain indicator that the water table is close to the surface.

Chorizanthe thurberi. On north slope of first range of mountains n^rth of 

Barstow. j

Chrysothamnus or Bigelovia mohavensis. Rabbit brush. A short distanc^ away 

from southeast edge of the alkali flat of Harper Dry Lake, north of Hjnkley, 

associated with sparse growth of Distichlis spicata. The species apparently 

grows where the ground water is abundant. j

Chrysothamnus or Bigelovia paniculatus?. Locality not recorded.

Cleomella obtusifolia. On clay flats between sand dunes at Edwards [ranch, 

near Newberry Spring. j

Croton californicum. Locally called "dove cover." Between Crucero Station 

and Cronise Valley. j

Dicoria canescens. Dry sandy bottom of Mohave River just west of bridge at 

Daggett. i

Distichlis spicata. Salt grass. Very common where the depth to the [water 

table is less than 8 to 10 feet, as in places along Mohave River and arounji such 

I>layas as Harper Dry Lake and Rosamond Dry Lake. Can exist where tfre soil 

is very alkaline.

Elymus condensatus. On a pile of windblown sand in a sheltered spot Ion the 

western slope of the Cronise Mountains 50 or 100 feet above the alluvial sljope.

Ephedra californica. Mormon tea, Brigham's tea, etc. Locality not recjorded, 

but common in the creosote zone. |

Ericameria monactis. Locality not recorded. I

Eriogonum inflatum. 

creosote bush.

Cigarette plant. Common on alluvial slopes wi the -

M Coville, F. V., op. cit., p. 127.
66 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Eriogonum trichopodum. Common on land that has been cleared and later 

abandoned for some time.

Eriodictyon californicum. On north slope of San Gabriel Mountains a few 

hundred yards south of Valyermo post office.

Fouqueria splendens. Along road between Needles and Parker, about 17 miles 

south of Needles.

Frankenia grandifolia. A salt weed. In moist alkaline soil about one-third 

mile west of Newberry Spring. Depth to water table 3 or 4 feet.

Franseria dumosa. Very commonly found with the creosote bush.

Hilaria rigida. Locally called galleta grass. In the vicinity of Crucero 

station and elsewhere.

Holocantha emoryi. Reported from only three localities in California, all of 

them in the Mohave Desert region. (See pp. 47-48.)

Isocoma aaradenia. In sand dunes northwest of Newberry Spring, probably 

in damp alkaline soil.

Juncus balticus. Wire grass. Moist alkaline soil about one-third mfle west 

of Newberry Spring and in moist soil at other places.

Juniperus californica. Juniper. Very abundant on north slopes of San 

Gabriel Mountains.

Lydum cooperif. Locality not recorded. Rather common on the upper 

alluvial slopes.

Olneya tesota. Ironwood. Abundant in wash a short distance north of VidaL 

Depth to water table about 250 feet. This is the only place it was seen in the 

region.

Quercus dumosa. A scrub oak. At summit of Cajon Pass, extending a short 

distance down on north slope.

Parosela or Dalea spinosa. Palo blanco. In wash along National Old Trails 

Road north of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, probably in sec. 25, T. 7 

N., R. 10 E. San Bernardino meridian; called indigo bush by Sudworth.96

Petalonyx thurberi. Locally called honeybush. Between Crucero station and 

Cronise Valley.

Phoradendron longispicumf. A large mistletoe on sycamore trees on north 

slope of San Gabriel Mountains a few hundred yards south of Valyermo post 

office.

Phoradendron californicum. A. mistletoe growing on mesquite, common along 

Mohave River east of Daggett.

Phoradendron densum. A small mistletoe on juniper on north slope of San 

Gabriel Mountains a few hundred yards south of Valyermo post office.

Phragmites communis. Tule or Indian sugar cane. On moist alkali soil about 

one-third mile west of Newberry Spring, where water is only 3 or 4 feet below 

surface. This or another species is found at Saratoga Springs.

Plantago scariosaf. Common in the creosote bush zone but inconspicuous 

because of its small size and because it dies after the spring rains.

Prosopis juliflora. Mesquite. Common along Mohave River and in other 

localities where the depth to the water table is not great.

Prosopis pubescens or odorata. Screw bean mesquite, characterized by the 

bean, which is shaped somewhat like an Archimedes screw. Common along 

Mohave River and in other localities where the depth to water is not great.

Psathyrotes annua. On hard clay flats between dunes northwest of Newberry 

Spring; not on the dunes.

Sesuviufa portulacastrum. Abundant around the edges of Silver Lake playa 

after water from flood of 1916 had disappeared. (Type locality is in the West 

Indies.)

« Sudworth, Q. B., op. cit., p. 377.
FAUNA 57

Sideranthits sp. In wash near Colton Well about 15 miles northwest of Fenmer. 

Water supply probably abundant; water table probably not far below the surface.

Sporobolus asperifolius. On edge of sand dunes northwest of Newberry Springs; 

probably in moist alkaline soil.

Suaeda suffrittescens. Inkweed. On moist flat areas between sand dunes 

northwest of Newberry Spring. Abundant at the south end of ^S8ve^ Lake and 

on Troy Dry Lake. In saline moist soil.

FAUNA -

The desert is not devoid of animals. The individuals doubtless 

are not as numerous as the plants, but in the aggregate a considerable 

number of species are found. The Death Valley expedition listed 

about 290 species of birds, 56 species of reptiles, more than 250 

species belonging to 170 genera of insects, 47 species of mollusks, and 

13 species of fish.96 A large proportion of these species were collected 

from the Mohave Desert region.

Mammals are not numerous. J. C. Merriam 97 gives a list of 35 

species found at present in the region, of which 21 are rodents. Mice 

and rats of many kinds are abundant but seldom seen. One of the 

commonest species is the kangaroo rat, whose holes are found everywhere. The habits of this little creature of the desert, who ventures 

out only at night, have been described most interestingly by the 

eminent naturalist Ernest Thompson Seton.98

Rabbits, both the cottontail and the jack rabbit, are probably seen 

more than any other mammals. In unsettled territory a traveler will 

usually see several each day. In some places they have caused considerable damage to crops, especially to fruit trees.

The coyote ranges over the whole region. His mournful howls are 

a customary serenade at night, and he has been known to come within 

a few feet of camp. Occasionally he steals a chicken from a rancher 

and robs a camp, but he generally keeps a safe distance from human 

beings.

Mountain sheep are said to have been common in the higher mountains 30 years ago, but they are not now abundant. Two were reported on the east side of the Old Woman Mountains in 1919, and 

individuals have been seen occasionally in recent years in some of the 

more rugged mountains of the region. Antelope Valley derives its 

name from the abundance of antelope in former years. Occasionally 

a few remaining individuals are seen in the western part of the valley.

The most common reptiles are lizards. They can be seen scampering across the road hi front of the traveler's automobile every few

" Merriam, C.- H., and others, The Death Valley expedition, a biological survey of parts of California, 

Nevada, Arizona, and Utah: North American Fauna No. 7, pt. 2,1893.

" Merriam, J. C., Tertiary mammalian fauna of the Mohave Dessrt: California Univ. Dept. Geology 

Bull., vol. 11, No. 5, p. 439,1919.

« Setoa, B. T., Dipo, sprite of the desert: Century Mag., vol. 105, No. 1, pp. 106-115,1922.
58 THE MOHAVE DESBBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

yards. Although it seems that many of them must be crushed under 

the wheels, they are so quick and lithe that they always escape. 

Each bush seems to be the hiding place of one or more of these initeresting little creatures. Most of the lizards are from 1 inch to $ 

inches in length and slender. The chuckawalla (Sauromalus <rfer), 

however, is 15 inches or more in length and has a heavy body with 

wrinkled skin. It is especially common in the Salton Sea region;, 

where its name has been given to the Chuckawalla Mountains. The 

Death Valley expedition found it as far north as the Argus Range, th© 

Panamint Mountains, and Pahrump Valley, but the writer did not 

see any specimens during his field work.

Snakes, especially the rattlesnake, are said to be common in some 

places but none were seen by the writer, perhaps because the field 

work was mostly done in the winter. The horned rattlesnake or 

"sidewinder" (Crotalm cerastes) is perhaps the most common. It 

derives the popular name of sidewinder from its peculiar mode Q£ 

locomotion, which is described as "a peculiar looping movement 

which carries it obliquely sidewise as well as forward, an adaptation 

to progression over yielding sand." "

The land tortoise is occasionally found in the desert many mile$ 

from the nearest known source of water. Other animals rabbits, 

rats, and lizards likewise live far from known water supplies and in 

places where the depth to the water table is so great that it is obviousl^ 

impossible for them to burrow down to water. Possibly these animal^ 

obtain some moisture fro'm the molecular water that always exists 

in the soil. Experiments made with desert mice show that some of 

them apparently do not know what water is, for when shut up the^ 

do not drink it, but eat only dry seeds and twigs.1 Apparently this 

dry food furnishes sufficient moisture.

Birds are frequently seen, although neither in species nor in number 

of individuals are they as common as in more humid regions. They 

are naturally most numerous near the springs and along the stream* 

where water is abundant. Ducks and geese are seen at the largest 

springs, as Saratoga Springs, and at other places where there are bodies 

of water of considerable size. Quail are seen in many places. Desert 

owls are occasionally scared up. Mourning doves are heard around 

many of the springs. Wading birds of unknown species were seeit 

along Soda Lake. The road runner (Geococcyx californianus) is me^ 

occasionally. This bird receives its name from the fact that when it 

is surprised, instead of jumping out of the road, either through stupidity or by preference it scurries along for many yards ahead of the 

traveler's automobile.

» Vortues, C. T., Poisonous animals of the desert: Arizona Univ. Agr. Exper. Sta. Bull. 83, p. 880, 1917;.

i Coville, P. V., Desert plants as a source of drinking Water: Smitbsonian Inst. Ann. Rept. for 1903,

pp. 501-503, 1903. i
FAUNA 59

Insects are particularly numerous around springs and are exceedingly bothersome around evening camp fires. Mosquitoes are present 

throughout the year but never troublesome. Flies seem to appear 

from nowhere when camp is made many miles from habitation. A 

number of species of moths, beetles, and other creeping things west* 

«een, but no attempt was made to distinguish any of them. The 

large hairy spiders commonly called tarantulas are occasionally seen. 

These hideous creatures have the reputation of being able to spring 

several feet into the air if disturbed, but the writer has never seen any 

of them do so. One scorpion was found in digging a post hole near 

Victorville. It was unearthed in February and was very sluggish.. 

Although both tarantulas and scorpions are believed by many persons 

to inflict fatal bites or stings, careful investigations do not show that 

persons poisoned by either of these insects necessarily will die.2 Tht 

^effect of the poison, however, may be serious, and these animals 

should be avoided by the desert traveler.

A number of species of mollusks, both land and fresh-water forms, 

have been found in the region but they are not generally discovered 

Except by close observation. A number of the species occur itt #omd 

of the larger springs. The writer found a number of one species 

(Physa eUiptica Lea, identified by W. H. Dall, of the United States 

Geological Survey) in Buckhorn Springs, at the northeast end of Antelope Valley. This species, with several other species that are listed 

in the report of the Death Valley expedition, including Anodonia, 

nuttaUiana, Planorbis lentus, and Planorbis par&us, were found as 

fossils in a beach ridge at the north end of Soda Lake, near Baker

 station. Fossil mollusks which probably include the same species 

were seen in cliffs along Mohave River and on the surface at the east 

side of East Cronise Lake.

Several species of fish are found in the Mohave Desert region. No 

data are at hand in regard to the fish in Colorado River, but at least 

two species are known from Mohave River the common catfish

 {Ameiums nebidosus) and a species of chub (SipJiateles mohawfms). 

The catfish has been introduced into the region.

Siphateles mohavensis is indigenous to Mohave River; in fact, this 

species of SipJiateles has been found only in that stream.3 Other

 species of SipJiateles are found in Owens River and the Lahontac. 

system. The presence of SipJiateles mohavensis in Mohave River, 

raises the question as to how members of the genus reached that 

stream. The solution of the problem perhaps depends on the solujtion of the physiographic history of the Mohave Desert region. 

{See pp. 566-568.)

»Vorhies, C. T., op, cit., pp. 380-386,387-388.

 » Snyder, J. O., The fishes of Mohave Etver, Calif.: U. S. Nat. Mus. Proc., vol. 64, pp. 297-289,1918.
60 THE MOHAVJ1 DESERT EEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Fish are found in a number of the larger springs in the desert. 

Cyprinodon macularius was found in Saratoga Springs by membeJs 

of the Death Valley expedition in 1891, and fish seen in those springs 

by the writer in 1918 were probably of the same species. The presence of fish in these springs, many miles from any other body of 

water, raises an interesting question as to how they reached that

place.

SOILS

GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF DESERT SOILS

Soil surveys have been made only of the portion of the region south 

of latitude 34° 30' and between longitudes 116° 30' and 118° 30',4 of 

an area around Victorville,5 and of part of Antelope Valley.6 Somje 

general statements in regard to soil conditions in the region can be 

made, however, based on published studies of the soils of desert 

regions as a whole and on observations of the writer during the 

field work.

Some of the principal characteristics of soils of the desert are

abundance of soluble mineral matter, low content of organic matter, gray or 

light color, great depth with little change in character or depth, small quantity 

of clay, unless formed from older clay deposits, relatively nonsiliceous nature of 

the sand, and marked productiveness when irrigated. 7

These characteristics are nearly all interrelated, and they are largely 

dependent upon the factors that operate in the desert regions to form, 

soils.

The principal constituents of a soil have their source in the rocks 

which originally existed in the region. Soils are formed by the 

action of two general kinds of processes mechanical and chemical. 

The mechanical processes, which include the action of heat and cold, 

wind, and moving water, break the rocks up into small particles, 

which are composed of the minerals that existed in the original 

rocks. The chemical processes result in the decomposition of most of 

these minerals and frequently in the formation of new chemical 

compounds.

The chemical processes are most rapid in soils that have an abundant supply of moisture. In humid regions the moisture supply is 

sufficient to enable the chemical processes to play a notable part in 

the formation of the soil, but in arid regions the soil is formed for the 

most part by the mechanical disintegration of the rocks. In humid 

regions the rainfall is, however, sufficient to leach out most of the

«Dunn, 3. E., and others, Reconnaissance soil survey of the central southern area, California: U. 8. 

Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Field Operations, 1917, advance sheets, 1921.

1 Soil Survey of the Victorville area, California: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Field Operations, 1921, 

advance sheets, 1924.

 Carpenter, E. J., and others, Soil survey of the Lancaster area, California: IT. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils 

Field Operations, 1922, advance sheets, 1926.

' Coffey, G. N., A study of the soils of the United States: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Bull. 85, p. 38,1912.
SOILS 61

soluble material, whereas in the arid regions more of the soluble 

material remains in the soil and is available to plants. For this 

reason soils in arid regions ar^ generally highly productive when 

irrigated. Because chemical decomposition is relatively slight in 

arid regions less clay is formed tihan in humid regions.

Humus gives the dark color to most soils hi humid regions. Because 

of the lack of humus in the desert soils, these soils are generally not 

dark but rather of a grayish or buffish color. In humid regions the 

humus is concentrated near the surface, and the soil below a depth 

of a few feet is generally of a different color and of different chemical 

composition, forming what is known as the subsoil. Because of the 

lack of humus in the desert soils there is no sharp contrast in them 

between the surface soil and the underlying material.

In many of the desert basins water that contains substances 

dissolved from soil on the uplands collects on the lowest land, and by 

long-continued evaporation produces a concentration of soluble salts, 

either in salt lakes or in the soil of the lowlands. Dissolved mineral 

matter is also deposited in other places where the ground water is 

near enough to the surface to evaporate.

ALKALI IN SOILS

Some of the substances deposited hi the soil are injurious to plants.* 

These substances are commonly called alkali, although they are not 

all alkalies hi the chemical sense. Unfortunately alkali is usually 

most abundant in places where ground water for irrigation is most 

easily obtained. Many settlers, unaware of the harmful effects of 

alkali, have taken up land affected by it, only to find their time and 

money spent hi vain. For tljiis reason it is considered advisable 

to give some of the principal facts concerning alkali in desert soils.

Alkali includes the chlorides, sulphates, and nitrates of sodium, 

potassium, and magnesium, the carbonates of sodium and potassium, 

and the chloride and nitrate of calcium. The sulphate and carbonate 

of calcium are not sufficiently soluble to be injurious to plants. The 

most common of these salts are sodium carbonate (sal .soda), sodium 

chloride (common salt), and sodium sulphate (Glauber's salt). 

Sodium carbonate is commonly called "black alkali" because it acts 

on vegetable matter in such a way as to produce a black stain on the 

ground. Sodium carbonate itself is white, and as there may be no 

black stain the term may be misleading. The other salts are commonly called "white alkali."

8 Much work has been done on the study of alkali in soil and many reports have been published, botb 

by the United States Department of Agriculture and by State and other organizations. For some of thd 

more comprehensive discussions see Hilgard, E. W., Soils, their formation, properties, composition, and 

relations to climate and plant growth in the humid and arid regions, pp. 422-484, New York, Macmtllan 

Co., 1908. Harris, F. S., Soil alkali, its origin, nature, and treatment, New York, John Wiley & Sons 

(Inc.), 1920. Dorsey, C. W., Alkali soils of thfc United States: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Bull. 35,19Q6,
62 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CAUFOE3STIA

Practically all plants can withstand small quantities of alkali, but 

if the alkali exceeds certain limits the plants can not live. The quantities that produce toxic or harmful effects are different for the different 

salts and for different plants. Furthermore, they differ according to 

other conditions, such as the porosity of the soil, the moisture supply 

as affected by the rainfall or irrigation, the position of the water table, 

and the distribution of the alkali in the soil. It is therefore very 

difficult to set any definite limits as to the quantities of the different 

salts that produce harmful effects.

Scofield 9 states that

It is the consensus of opinion among investigators that the roots of ordinarycrop plants can not tolerate concentrations of mixed salt in solution much above 

1.5 per cent. * * *

While many crop plants may obtain water from a soil solution which contains 

more than 1 per cent of dissolved mineral matter, it would appear to be advisable 

generally to keep the solution below that degree of concentration. In order ta 

do this it follows that in applying irrigation water it should be the aim to use 

enough so that the proportion lost by percolation is large enough to offset the 

concentration due to evaporation and transpiration. Thus if the irrigation water 

contains 1,000 parts per million of salt, enough should be used so that 10 per cent 

of the quantity applied may percolate below the root zone.

The most harmful alkali is sodium carbonate. Sodium chloride iff 

less harmful than sodium carbonate, and sodium sulphate is less 

harmful than sodium chloride. Kearney 10 gives a list of plants that 

are likely to succeed in the presence of different amounts of alkali. 

In this list alfalfa is shown as being likely to produce a fair to good 

crop only if the total alkali is not more than 0.4 per cent. Young 

alfalfa is easily affected until a good stand is obtained. Some of the 

common crops which are more resistant are rye, barley, oats, wheat, 

asparagus, cotton, timothy, redtop, sorghum, and sugar beets. The 

limits given are not hard and fast, but they may vary according to the 

factors mentioned above. The only sure test in soils where the alkali 

content may be near the limit is the actual trial of crops in the ground.

Some soils impregnated with alkali may be improved by various 

methods adapted to special conditions. The harmful effects of black 

alkali (sodium carbonate) may be counteracted by the addition of 

gypsum or land plaster (calcium sulphate) to the soil, provided the 

quantity of alkali is not too great. The gypsum reacts with the 

sodium carbonate and changes it to sodium sulphate, which is less, 

harmful. No substance has been found which can be added to the 

soil to neutralize white alkali.

Several methods of removing the alkali in soils have been developed* 

In some places the greater part of the alkali that accumulates at the 

surface may be scraped off. If drainage conditions are favorable the

 Soofleld, 0. S., The movement of water in irrigated soils: Jour. Agr. Research, vol. 27, No. 9, pp. 636,. 

681-682.

J* Kearney, T. H., The choice of crops for alkali land: U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers Bull. 4*6, p. 15,1917..
SOILS 6§

alkali may be leached out of the soil by flooding it with water and 

then drawing it off, either on the surface or by subsurface drainage, 

after the alkali has been dissolved. Certain plants assimilate larg«t 

quantities of salts, and if they are grown and removed from the laad 

the alkali is accordingly reduced. Each of the methods of reducing the 

alkali requires careful consideration as to local conditions, and th®' 

farmer should be well informed on the proper procedure. Method* 

of eradication of alkali are described in numerous publications of the 

United States Department of Agriculture and other institutions."

Not only is it often necessary to find some means of removing alkali 

from the soil in order to grow crops on it, but in many places where 

apparently no alkali occurs in the soil it is necessary to take precautions in irrigating to prevent the appearance of alkali. In some places 

the water used for irrigation is so highly mineralized that when 

applied to the land and evaporated it will deposit salts in such quantities that within a few years so much alkali has accumulated as to 

endanger the usefulness of the land. In othe* places the water may 

not be highly mineralized, but irrigation on near-by lands may cause 

the water table to rise so close to the surface that an increasing: amount 

of alkali is deposited as the result of evaporation, and the alkali 

content may be increased to the danger point. This condition is 

especially common in places where the water table is not far below 

the surface before irrigation is begun. After heavy rains the alkali 

may not show at the surface, having been temporarily dissolved, but 

it reappears as the soil dries out. Certain native plants are adapted 

to alkali soils and may show the presence of harmful salts when there 

is no other indication. (See pp. 53-54.)

DISTRIBUTION OP SOILS

With respect to soil conditions the lands in the Mohave Desert 

region that are level enough to be cultivated may be divided into three 

types lands of the alluvial slopes, lands in the lowest parts of the 

closed basins, including the playas and lands along Mohave River, 

Colorado River, and other large streams.

SOILS OF THE ALLUVIAL SLOPES

The lands of the alluvial slopes coyer by far the greatest area and 

have as a whole the best soils in the region, but unfortunately no 

water is available for most of them. In general the soils of these 

lands are composed of small particles of rock of different sizes formed 

by mechanical disintegration. They contain sufficient soluble min~

u In addition to the papers alieady cited the following are of special interest: Dorsey, C. W., Reclamation 

of aUeaU soils: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Bull. 34,1906. Brown, C. F., Drainage of irrigated lands: tLS* 

Dept, Agr. Farmers Bull. 371,1809. Fortier, Samuel, and Cone, V. N., Drainage of iirigated lands to ta« 

San Joaquto Valley, Calif.: U. S. Dept. Agr. Office Esper. Sta. Bull. 217,1909. Scofleld, C. 8W The alkali 

proUem to irrigation: Smithsonian Inst. Ann. Kept, for 1921, pp. 213-223,1923. '' '
L,

64 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

eral matter,for plant food but generally not enough to be harmful* 

These soils are generally productive when irrigated but probably require fertilizer. The water table lies so far beneath most of the alluvial slopes that there is no danger of alkali appearing after the land 

has been irrigated, but on lands on the lower parts of some of the 

alluvial slopes the water table is so near the surface that alkali may 

appear after irrigation has been practiced for some time. Such 

areas include a large tract that extends several miles south and west 

of Rosamond, Buckhorn, and Rogers Dry Lakes in Antelope Valley; 

and smaller tracts around such playas as El Mirage, Harper, China, 

Searles, Soda, Mesquite, Bristol, Cadiz, and Danby Dry Lakes.

In some places on the alluvial slopes a layer of hard material, commonly called caliche, is found at depths of a few inches to several feet 

below the surface. It consists of cemented alluvium, in which the 

cement is principally calcium carbonate. The caliche layer is generally only a few inches thick. In some places it is as hard as limestone, but in other places it is only a little harder than ordinary soil. 

Where it is very hard plants may have difficulty in pushing their 

roots through it, but it may be broken up by blasting. Although 

caliche was found at several places it did not, with minor exceptions, 

seem to be troublesome in the parts of the region where conditions 

are favorable for agriculture.

SOILS OF PLAYAS AND ADJOINING LANDS

Land of the second type lies in the lowest parts of the numerous 

closed basins that exist in the region. The very lowest parts of these 

basins are generally occupied by playas or expanses of clayey soil 

which are barren of vegetation and which range in area from a few 

acres to several square miles. The playas are of three general types. 

Some of them are characterized by a hard, smooth surface with practically no surface indication of alkali. Playas of this type are found in 

Antelope Valley, Superior Valley, Ivanpah Valley, and elsewhere. 

Some of them have a rougher surface which is somewhat soft and is 

generally covered with more or less alkali. The soil of such playas 

is often called "self-rising ground." (See p. 148 and pi. 34.) Playas 

of this type include China Dry Lake, in Indian Wells Valley, and 

Bristol, Cadiz, and Danby Dry Lakes. Two or three of the playas, 

notably Searles Lake, contain thick bodies of crystalline salt in the 

middle and on the edges have "self-rising ground."

Playas with a hard, smooth surface have ground water at considerable depths, and the soil within a few feet of the playa is generally o: 

good quality unless the playa deposits extend beneath it. Where tin 

playas are of either of the other two types the water table is generally 

close to the surface for some distance away from the playa, and mor<
SOILS 65

or less alkali has accumulated in the soil as the result of long-continued 

discharge of ground water by evaporation. The distance from the 

playa at which alkali may be found differs in different places. In 

the vicinity of Lancaster, in Antelope Valley, where the ground water 

is under artesian pressure and the grade of the alluvial slope is very 

gentle, alkali is found as far as 10 miles from Rosamond Dry Lake. 

At other places where the alluvial slope rises more steeply from the 

playa and the depth to ground water increases greatly in a short 

distance the alkali extends only a few hundred feet.

In some places near the playas the alkali content is high. In 

samples of the crust analyzed it has been more than 50 per cent of 

the total air-dried material. The alkali content is generally greatest 

near the surface and decreases downward. A sample of the surface 

crust one-sixteenth to one-eighth of an inch thick, collected on the 

alkali-covered moist land near Newberry Spring contained 58.33 per 

cent of soluble mineral matter. A sample from the depth of 1 foot at 

the same place contained only 0.44 per cent of soluble material, and a 

sample from a depth of 2J^ feet contained only 0.23 per cent.

Attempts have been made to cultivate crops on a number of the 

barren playas, but so far these attempts have been unsuccessful. 

The facts that the playas are so level and have no brush and that in 

some places ground water for irrigation is so close to the surface have 

proved strong incentives to attempt to cultivate these barren tracts. 

The most notable project has been on Rosamond Dry Lake, where 

since 1919 several hundred acres of the clay flat has been plowed 

with the purpose of sowing rice. Many of the playas contain a very 

large percentage of clay, which bakes so hard on drying that the roots 

can not penetrate it, and playas in which the soil is loose enough to 

be penetrated by plant roots generally contain too much alkali.

Samples of the clay from several playas were analyzed to determine 

their content of total alkali, and the results are given in the table on 

page 67. A sample (No. 1706) taken from the surface of Rogers Dry 

Lake contained 1.21 per cent of total alkali and more than 0.2 per 

cent of sodium carbonate. The surface was baked hard and was 

smooth, and from the appearance of the surface the alkali content at 

this place is not higher than that at the locality where it was proposed to grow rice on Rosamond Dry Lake. A sample (No. 1704) 

collected from a depth of 1 to 2 feet on the middle one of three 

playas in Superior Valley contained 1.52 per cent of total alkali, 

mostly sodium chloride and sodium nitrate. The surface of this 

playa is hard and smooth. A sample (No. 1702) taken at a depth 

of 1 to 3 inches on El Mirage Dry Lake contained 3.45 per cent of 

total alkali, mostly sodium sulphate and sodium chloride. The 

surface was much like that of Rogers Dry Lake and that of the playa
06 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

in Superior Valley. A sample (No. 1703) taken at-the same place 

15 to 18 inches below the surface, contained only 0.79 per cent of total 

alkali. A sample (No. 1694) of soil from the East Cronise Dry Lake 

contained 0.69 per cent of total alkali, of which a little more than 0.1 

per cent was sodium carbonate. This sample was taken by scraping 

down the side of a hole 2 feet deep and accordingly represents the 

average mineral content to that depth. The playa surface at this 

place was hard and broken into blocks by cracking. An attempt 

had been made to grow fruit trees here, but when visited they were 

dead. A sample (No. 1693) of the crust to a depth of about 4 inches at 

the northwest side of the same playa contained 1.76 per cent of total 

alkali.

All the samples just mentioned were taken at places where there was 

no evidence that there was alkali in the soil, but the analyses show that 

in each place there is sufficient alkali to kill all except the most resistant 

plants. Analyses from other playas, given on page 67, show much 

higher contents of alkali. There seems to be little hope, therefore, 

that any of the playas can be successfully cultivated. Probably the 

most significant fact in this connection is that the native plants which 

can resist considerable quantities of alkali and have had the best 

opportunity to become adapted to the conditions are almost entirely 

lacking on these clay flats.
Analyses o/ water-soliMe constituents in softs front playdis in the M

[Margaret D. Foster, analyst. Per cent of air-dried s

Laboratory 

No.

1680

1682 

1681 

1683

1684

1685 

1690

1691 

1692 

1693

1694 

1697

1698 

1699

1702

1703 

1704

1705 

1706

Name of playa

Harper Dry Lake.

 - .do ... - 

.....do. .... ... 

.....do -

.....do .....

.....do. .... 

West Cronise Dry 

Lake.

.....do - 

..... do ......

East Cronise Dry 

Lake. 

.... .do 

Epsom Dry Lake.

- do ... 

.....do .

El Mirage Dry 

Lake. 

.....do ..... - 

Crutts Dry Lake .

China Dry Lake.. 

Eogers Dry Lake.

Location 

Section

30?

30? 

30? 

30?

30?

30?

11?

11? 

11?

8?

17 

21

21 

21

7

7 

17

31 

25

Township

UN.

UN. 

UN.

UN.

UN.

UN. 

12 N.

12 N. 

12 N. 

12 N.

12 N.

UN.

UN. 

UN.

6N.

6N. 

31 S.

25 S.

9N.

Range

3W

3W. 

3W. 

3W.

3W.

3W. 

6E.

6E. 

6E.

7E.

7E. 

8E.

8E. 

8E.

6W.

6W. 

46 E.

40 E. 

9W.

Character of surface

Hard, mad cracked; 

no alkali visible. 

...-do - . .

._ do 

Soft and powdery; 

" self-ris ing 

ground" covered 

with alkali. 

... ..do. ... ..... ...

.....do. . __

Soft and powdery; 

"self-rising 

ground" with a 

little alkali. 

 do 

.....do 

Black, hard, and 

mud cracked, 

.--..do ... ....

Alkali-covered surface near Epsom 

Spring. 

 do 

 do 

Hard and smooth; 

no alkali. 

.....do- .... 

.....do ____ . .....

" Self-rising ground " 

with ridges an 

inch or two high. 

Hard and smooth; 

no alkali.

Depth of 

sample 

(inches)

0-2

2-6 

12 

0-1

2-12

Below 12 

0-6

15 

24 

4

0-24 

0-1

6 

15

1-3

15-18 

12-24

0-2 

0-2

Calcium 

(Ca)

Tr.

Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr.

.05

.05 

Tr.

Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr.

Tr. 

.13

Tr. 

Tr.

.54

Tr. 

.08

Tr. 

Tr.

Sodium 

and 

potassium 

(Na+K)»

0.87

 2.82 

.97 

<«3.10

<*6.99

<«2.43 

*4.7

1.61 

1.85 

.63

.23 

 «16.68

.11 

 .20

.63

.26 

.44

 5.20 

.42

Carbonate 

radicle 

(C0»)

0.10

.72 

.17 

.06

.81

.78 

.11

.23 

.23 

0

.01 

2.08

.03 

0

0

0 

0

.01 

.02

Bica

bona

radic

(HCO

0.2

.3

.3

.1

.5

.2

.1

.0

.1

.1

.1

2.6

.0

.1

.0

.0

.0

.1

.2

* AH south township numbers refer to Mount Diablo base and meridian: all north township numbers refer to J

* Calculated as sodium, except as otherwise stated in footnotes. * 

« Potassium determined, 0.01 per cent. 
68 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

SOILS ALONG THE PRINCIPAL EIVEES

The soils along the principal rivers in the region are of two general 

types, according to the ground-water conditions. In most of its 

length Mohave River is a river in name only, for except at times of 

flood its channel is entirely dry. In most places there is a distinct 

channel which is sandy and generally not fit for agriculture. There 

is also generally a flood plain a few feet above the channel, which 

extends from a few feet to half a mile or more on either side of the 

channel. In some places this flood plain is sandy, like the river channel, and not fit for agriculture. In other places, where the depth to 

ground water is not great, vegetation has gained a strong enough 

hold to prevent the sand from blowing, and sufficient humus and clay 

have accumulated to make a soil of fair quality. In such places the 

water table is generally so close to the surface that there is some 

alkali in the soil, although crops can be grown. Some of these lands 

require very little if any irrigation. One difficulty on such lan^s is 

that salt grass usually grows abundantly and is hard to eradicate. 

Even when entirely cleared out it soon reappears. In a few places 

the soil on the river flood plain contains much clay and bakes when 

it is dry. Such soil would probably be unfit for cultivation.

Flood plains of greater extent occur along Colorado River, but 

these were observed at only one or two places. The water table 

beneath these flood plains is generally close to the surface, and they 

bear a luxuriant vegetation. Sloughs exist at a number of places. 

The soil of the flood plain is probably fertile, but in places some 

alkali is present.

Lands along Amargosa River were seen only in the vicinity of 

Saratoga Springs, where the soil contains much alkali. It is probable 

that the soil along other stretches of the river contains alkali.

CLIMATE

CLIMATIC RECORDS

Climatic records have been kept at about 20 stations in the Mohave 

Desert region for periods that range from a few years to 40 years. 

More than half of these stations are in the part of the region that lies 

south and west of Barstow. Only two of the others, Bagdad and 

Needles, have records of sufficient length to be of much value. However, the records for six stations from 1 to 35 miles beyond the border 

of the region covered by this report are of value in the study of the 

climate of this region and are therefore given in part in the tables on 

the following pages.

These stations outside of the Mohave Desert region are Keeler, in 

Owens Valley, 35 miles north of the northwest corner of the region; 

Greenland ranch, also called the Furnace Creek ranch, in Death
CLIMATE 69

Valley, 33 miles north of the north border of the region shown on 

Rate 11; Las Vegasj Nev., 15 miles northeast of the northeast corner 

of the area shown on Plate 12; Mohave City, Ariz., formerly called 

Fort Mohave, on the east side of Colorado River about 12 miles north 

of Needles; and Parker, Ariz., on the east side of Colorado Eiver at 

the southeast corner of the region. The records of precipitation at 

San Bernardino cover a period of more than 50 years (pp. 85-86) 

and are included for comparison. Most of the data given in the 

tables are compiled from published records of the United States 

Weather Bureau or from unpublished data which the Weather Bureau 

has kindly furnished for this report. Some data, not collected by 

the Weather Bureau, were furnished by the observers or were taken 

from previous reports on the region. Unless otherwise stated, the 

data in the tables are taken from the records of the Weather Bureau.

GENERAL CONDITIONS

The climate of the Mohave Desert region is characterized by slight 

annual precipitation, low humidity, comparatively high temperatures 

hi both summer and winter, great daily ranges in temperature, and 

strong winds at certain seasons of the year.

Although the annual precipitation is generally very small, single 

storms may be very intense and may do great damage. Different 

parts of the region differ greatly in precipitation. Thus Bagdad has 

an average annual precipitation of only 2.28 inches, and in 3 of the 17 

years for which records have been kept it had no precipitation. On 

the other hand, parts of the San Bernardino Mountains have an 

average annual precipitation of 30 to 35 inches, and in some years 

they have as much as 50 inches. Although the relative humidity is 

generally low, yet at the Greenland ranch, in Death Valley, which is 

supposed to be the hottest and driest place in the United States,12 

a humidity of more than 90 per cent was recorded for several days in 

1912. The highest temperature officially recorded in the United 

States, and so far as is known in the whole world, 134° F., was reported 

from this station, and yet it has also had a temperature as low as 

15° F.18

Topography and altitude cause great local differences in climate, 

and hence the prospective homesteader should not jump to the conclusion that a certain locality has a favorable climate because the 

records show^that conditions at some point 15 or 25 miles away are 

favorable.

i* McAdie, A. Q., Relative humidity in Death Valley: Monthly Weather Review, vol. 41, No. 6, p. 

031,1913.

" Palmer, A. H., Death Valley, the hottest known region: Monthly Weather Review, vol. 50, No. 1, 

pp. 10-13,1922.

5631 29 6
70 THE MOHAVE DE8EBT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

TEMPEBATUBE

A summary of the records of temperature at 12 stations in and 

near the Mohave Desert region is given in the following table. 

The Mohave Desert region has high temperatures in both summer 

and winter. Except at high altitudes temperatures of 100° F. are 

common in summer and may be expected during five to eight months 

of the year. The temperature of 134° F. at the Greenland ranch in 

Death Valley is the highest natural-air temperature that has been 

recorded on the earth's surface by means of a tested standard thermometer exposed in a standard ventilated instrument shelter.

Temperatures at stations in or near the Mohave Desert region

Keeler, Calif.

[Altitude 3,620 feet]

Mwui

'S

|f

S

14

&

1

41.6

P

£

46.6

ja

1

53.6

a

62.5

I

71.4

1

78.6

3

85.1

~

1

84.6

1

I

76.2

1

O

65.0

|

i

52.8

1

I

44. 1

1

g

63.5

Mojave, Calif.

[Altitude 2,751 feet]

Moan 4

Highest

37

18

18

460

82

10

49.0

90

15

52.2

95

20

I%Q f,

100

24

68.0

102

32

77.4

112

42

85.5

117

51

83.7

118

48

76.8

110

31

66.7

99

28

54.6

96

20 .

47.2

78

15

S3.?

HR

10

Tehachapi, Calif.

[Altitude 3,964 feet]

Mean. -._._ _ 25 38.2 39 3 44.1 50.2 59.2 69.4 76.4 74.5 66.1 66. 1 46.5 39.5 54,9

Monterio, Calif.

[Altitude 4,500 feet]

Highest.. _ ....

15

14

14

45 fi

76

4

46.2

78

14

48.6

80

26

51.8

on

28

56.4

100

30

66.6

104

34

76.4

106

44

76.0

102

34

69.7

100

36

60.0

92

32

53, A

90

n

47.8

78

18

68.2

106

4

Greenland Ranch, Calif.

[Altitude 178 feet]

Mean _____

Mean maximum. 

Mean minimum. 

Highest _ .....

ft

9 

9 

9

9

52.9

64.3 

39.8

85

15

58.2

71.0 

45.3 

90

28

65.5

79.5 

51.5 

98

30

75.3

90.5 

60.2 

109

36

82.6

98.2 

67.0 

120

48

94.5

111.1 

77.9 

124

55

101.2

115.8 

86.6 

134

67

99.0

114.2 

83.8 

126

68

89.7

106.0 

73.4 

118

54

74.8

88.8 

60.5 

106

40

fiO. 9

75.2 

48.8 

91

27

52.1

64.9 

40.4 

82

21

7BJ

90. ( 

61.5 

134

15

Barstow, Calif.

[Altitude 2,105 feet]

Mean ...........

Mean maximum. 

Mean TniTiiTniim

17

13 

13

17

17

46.3

59.4 

30.9

m

12

50.4

63.5 

34.0

86

16

56.4

70.8 

40.6 

94

21

61.8

77.2 

45.6 

99

30

67.4

83.6 

50.4 

111

34

77.8

95.8 

60.1 

113

40

83.6

101.2 

63.2 

114

50

82.4

100.0 

64.6 

112

48

74.2

91.8

57.3 

111

39

64.0

80.7 

47.6 

97

27

542

70.2 

37.8 

90

14

45.9

60.2 

30.2 

8T

12

68.7

78.5 

46.8 

114

12
CLIMATE! 71

Temperatures at stations in or near the Mohave Desert region Oontinued 

San Bernardlno, Calif. '

[Altitude 1,054 feet]

T^Tftftn nudri-TBinni.,

JV£G&Q lUJlliOHlTn _

"si

28

22 

22 

23

23

1

51.fi

66.2 

36.8 

90

18

i

53.4

68.1 

39.5 

90

22

|

65.9

70.6 

41.5 

97

26

I

59.8

75.9 

44.2 

103

29

&

63.4

78.5 

48.0 

108

33

1

70.1

89.3 

51.4 

116

37

I

75.6

95.8 

56.0 

111

42

,

75.7

96.0 

56.0 

111

.42

September

71.4

91.9 

51.6 

111

38

io 

64.4

82.8 

46.0 

106

31

November

57.5

75.7 

39.9 

99

24

A

52.0

68.6 

35.8 

89

19

,

62.6

80.0 

45.6 

116

18

Bagdad, Calif.

[Altitude 784 feet]

Mean maximum. 

Mean minimum. 

Highest. ___ ..

17

14 

14 

17

17

53,8

63.1

42.8 

7R

10

57.1

67.5 

47.4 

83

25

63.8

75.0 

53.6 

95

33

72.8

83.0 

61.0 

103

40

79.1

90.6

67.7 

117

40

89.1

101.7 

77.4 

119

57

95.2

106.0 

84.4 

119

60

93.8

103.8

82.9 

116

68

84.2

96.8 

71.9 

116

56

65.9

84.8 

59.0 

102

40

61,1

72.8 

49.7 

95

30

52.6

62.7 

42.0 

82

25

78.8

84.0 

61.6 

119

10

Las Vegas, Nev. 

[Altitude 2,033 feet]

Mean maximum. 

Mean minimum 

Highest.. _ ....

Lowest __ ....

13

13 

13 

13

13

42,0

64.8 

29.7

77

8

45.5

59.3 

31.8

78

10

51.9

66.9 

37.5 

96

16

60.1

77.2 

45.9 

102

26

66.9

84.0 

50.9 

114

28

76.0

93.7 

58.3 

112

35

81.9

98.4 

66.2 

115

40

80.3

97.2 

64.7 

IIOi

47

72.3

89.2 

55.9 

108

38

61.1

76.5 

45.9 

97

29

49.8

64.5 

36.1

87

14

40.8

64.6 

26.9 

91

12

60.7

78.4 

45. S

m*

Fort Mohave (Mohave City), Ariz. 

[Altitude 604 feet]

\

Highest. 

Lowest ....-.--.

s

51.3

81 

18

56.0 

92 

25

63.7 

101 

31

71.4 

110 

35

80.1 

109 

43

89.0 

123 

53

95.1 

124 

64

93.6 

124 

54

85.3 

117 

49

73.4 

104 

38

60.2 

94 

24

53.1 

81 

18

72.7 

124 

18

Needles, Calif.

[Altitude 477 feet]

Mean

Mean maximum. 

Mean niinimum. 

Highest _ __

38

18 

18

23

23

52.0

63.6 

39.3 

83

23

57.2

69.2 

44.6 

90

23

63,6

76.6 

49.6 

96

28

71.2

85.2 

56.2 

105

33

78.6

92.0 

63.6 

118

39

87.6

102.8 

71.8 

122

46

93,8

106.0 

80.8 

118

60

91.9

104.0 

77.8 

119

60

83.0

96.7 

67.5 

11?

40

70.8

83.4 

55.4 

112

36

59.4

71.0 

45.8 

on

25

51.fi

62.4 

38.6

flfi

23

71.7

844 

67.6 

122

28

Parker, Ariz.

[Altitude 353 feet]

MOMI , , .

Mean maximumMean minimum

16

16 

16 

20

20

50 0

68.2

32.8 

85

10

55.7

74.4 

37.0 

96

13

62.3

80.4 

44.2 

100

24

69.8

88.9 

50.2

30

76.0

96.3

55.7 

117

38

84.6

105.3 

64.6 

126

42

92.2

109.2

74.6 

127

43

90.9

108.2 

73.5 

126

53

82.0

102.9 

63.1 

120

41

71.4

92.0 

50.8 

117

27

59.1

79.8 

38.5

08

18

50.2

69.0 

31.4 

92

9

70.4

89.6 

51.4 

127

Other high temperatures recorded are 127° at Parker, 124° at 

3?ort Mohave, 122° at Needles, and 119° at Bagdad. All tike$e 

places are located in valleys at low altitudes. The air temperature in
72 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFOENIA

unshaded places is undoubtedly considerably higher than the temperatures recorded above.

Winter temperatures are generally higher than those in regions of 

the same latitude farther east. They frequently reach 60° in the 

daytime and seldom fall below 20°. The lowest temperature recorded is 4° above zero, at Monterio, which is 4,500 feet above sea 

level and considerably above most of the desert. Except in the 

mountains the minimum temperature for most of the region is probably not below 10°. Very low winter temperatures are rare, and on 

many nights the thermometer does not go below freezing.

As a result of the relatively high winter temperatures the length of 

the growing season in most parts of the region is long, as shown in the 

following table:

Frost record in the Mohave Desert region

Stations

Tehachapi, Calif _________

Bagdad, Calif...................

Las Vegas, Nev

Needles, Calif. ..................

Altitude 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

2,751

3,964

4,500

2,105

1,054

784

2,033

2,864

fifU

477

353

Length 

of record 

(years)

8

8

12

14

21

11

13

8

8

14

14

Average 

date of 

last killing frost 

in spring

Feb. 27

Apr. 7

Mar. 6

Mar. 8

Jan. 12

Apr. 4

Mar. 27

Feb. 16

Feb. 5

Mar. 8

Average 

date of 

first killing frost 

in 

autumn

Nov. 18

Nov. 14

Nov. 18

Nov. 9

Nov. 22

Dec. 24

Nov. 4

Nov. 21

Nov. 22

Average 

length of 

growing 

season 

(days)

263

220

228

247

258

345

214

221

277

298

258

Latest 

recorded 

date of 

killing 

frost in 

spring

Apr. 1

May 8

Apr. 18

Feb. 3

May 12

May 16

Mar. 8

Mar. 27

Earliest 

recorded 

date of 

killing 

frost in 

autumn

Sept. 30

Oct. 19

Oct. 10

Oct. 19

Oct. 23

Dec. 6

Oct. 16

Sept. 9

Oct. 22

Nov. 8

Oct. 26

The rifean of the average length of the growing season at the 

11 stations given in the table is 257 days. The average length of the 

growing season of 345 days at Bagdad is probably exceeded at few 

stations in the United States. It is greater than the growing season 

at three stations in Imperial Valley for which Weather Bureau records 

are available, and it is exceeded by only four other stations in southern 

California, all of them south of the San Gabriel Mountains. The 

long growing season is of importance to the irrigation farmer, for it 

means that his crops are less liable to damage by frost, and in such 

crops as alfalfa the yield per acre is greater than where the growing 

season is short. Although the average growing season is long, frosts 

occasionally occur late in the spring or early in the fall.

In all the temperature records the influence of altitude is noticeable 

to some extent. In general, the temperature, both summer and 

winter, is higher at stations situated at low altitudes than at those 

at high altitudes. Thus the mean annual temperature at Tehachapi 

and Monterio is lower than at Mohave, Las Vegas, and Barstow, 

and it is lower at those places than at Greenland ranch, Bagdad, 

Fort Mohave, Needles, and Parker, which are only a few hundred
CLIMATE 73

feet above sea/level. There are, however, some anomalous conditions. For instance, the mean annual temperature at Parker is 

lower than that at Needles or Fort Mohave, although Parker is 

farther south and at a lower altitude than either of the other two 

stations. Strangely enough, so far as the records show, Hie highest 

temperature at Parker has been exceeded only at Greenland ranch, 

and the lowest only at two stations, both of which are at much 

higher altitudes. The mean annual temperature is only 0.3° lower 

at Keeler than that at Mohave, although Keeler is much farther 

north and almost 1,000 feet higher. Although the growing season is 

much longer at Bagdad than at Fort Mohave, Needles, and Parker, 

the mean annual temperature is higher at Fort Mohave and only a 

little lower at Needles and Parker. Doubtless some of these anomalous conditions are due to differences in the length of the records and 

in the periods covered by them, but they are doubtless due in part 

to local topographic differences. One place may be so situated that 

cold air can drain down from the mountains, and another place may 

be so sheltered that the air after being heated in the daytime is not 

disturbed by winds.

The daily range of temperature in most parts of the region is large. 

On many days it is more than 30°, and sometimes it is as high as 45°. 

In summer the temperature frequently falls from above 100° in the 

daytime to below 75° or 70° at night, and in winter it frequently rises 

from below the freezing point in the early morning to 65° or 70° at 

midday. The daily range is probably a little less in winter than in 

summer. Because of the great daily range one generally needs a 

sweater or other light garment in summer and an overcoat in winter, 

to be discarded as the day grows warmer and put on again in the 

evening.

Although the daily range is generally great in the desert, probably 

considerably greater extremes in a single day have been recorded at 

other places hi the country. Such extremes, however, are of irregular 

occurrence and are generally due to the sudden approach of warm or 

cold winds, as the warm chinook wind in the Northwest and the cold 

"northeasters" in Texas and Oklahoma.

The difference between the highest and lowest recorded temperatures in the region are not as great as in many other parts of the country. Thus the total range is 119° at the Greenland ranch, 118° at 

Parker, and less than 110° at each of the other stations, whereas in 

the Dakotas and Montana differences of 150° have been recorded, 

and differences of 100° to 120° are fairly common in many other parts 

of the United States.

HUMIDITY

The only records of humidity in or near the Mohave Desert region 

are some for short periods at the Greenland ranch, also called the
74 THE MOHAVE DESEET BECKON, CALIFOENIA

Fumace Creek ranch, in Death Valley, where daily readings were 

made from May 1 to September 30, 1891." Observations were also 

made in 1912 and 1913.16 A summary of the data for 1891 is given 

in the following table:

Summary of record of relative humidity at Greenland ranch (Furnace Creek ranch), 

Calif., May 1 to September SO, 1891 a

Per rant of saturation:

TVTiijimiiTTi _, ,

Number of days with relative humidity 

20 per cent or more... _________

Number of days with relative humidity 

30 per cent more. .....................

Number of days with relative humidity 

40 per cent or more. ...................

May

a.m.

34 

62 

9

29 

19 

9

p.m.

18 

48 

7

8 

5 

1

June

a.m.

27 

48 

13

23 

9 

4

p.m.

14 

26 

8

3 

0 

0

July

a. m.

27

72 

13

23 

10 

4

p.m.

13 

23 

6

3 

0 

0

August

a.m.

29

75 

16

25 

12 

5

p. m.

13 

29 

5

5 

0 

0

September

a. m.

34

74 

19

29 

20

7

p.m.

20 

46 

10

13 

3 

1

« Compiled from table given by Mark W. Harrington in Notes on the climate and meteorology of Death 

Valley, Calif.: U. S. Weather Bur. Bull. 1, p. 45,1892. Observations were made at 5.13 a. m. and 5.13 p. m. 

local time, which corresponds to 8 a. m. and 8 p. m. seventy-fifth meridian time.

The record shows that the relative humidity is generally rather high 

in the morning and low in the late afternoon. The high relative humidity in the morning is due to the great daily range of temperature. As 

the temperature is somewhat lower at about 5 p. m. than in the middle 

of the day, the minimum relative humidity was doubtless a little 

lower than recorded.

The detailed records for 1912-13 have not been published. In 

summarizing the results of these observations McAdie 16 says:

While humidities are low, as might be expected, there are periods when a high 

degree of saturation prevails. A notable instance of this was from the forenoon 

of October 2 until the forenoon of October 18, 1912, when during the night hours 

the relative humidity frequently exceeded 90 per cent, while .during the midday 

and afternoon hours the humidity did not fall below 50 per cent during most of the 

period. Taking the year's records as a whole it appears that the humidity is 

not much below that of the Great Valley of California and closely resembles conditions in the San Gabriel Valley. These records would appear to uphold the 

belief that the dreaded terrors of heat and dryness in Death Valley have been 

exaggerated, and that it is quite possible, if proper care be taken in the matter of 

supplies and provision for physical comfort, to live and work in this section.

A comparison with other stations in the United States shows that 

the relative humidity in Death Valley is considerably lower than 

that at places in more humid parts of the country. Thus at Chicago 

during the period 1889-1913 the lowest average relative humidity at

" Harrington, M. W., Notes on the climate and meteorology of Death Valley, Calif.: U. S. Weather 

Bur. Bull. 1, p. 45,1892.

'«McAdie, A. O., Relative humidity in Death Valley, Calif.: Monthly Weather Review, vol. 41, No. 

6, p. 931,1913.

« Op. cit., p. 931.
CLIMATE 75

8 a. m. (seventy-fifth meridian time) was 74, and the lowest at 8 p. m. 

was ^6.1? These figures were recorded in July.

WINDS

Data on the prevailing direction of the wind at several stations are 

given in the table below. These data show that at Barstow the wind 

is prevailingly from the west and that at San Bernardino it also 

generally has a westerly component. It is probable that throughout 

the western part of the region the wind is generally from the west. 

The winds at the stations in the eastern part of the region show considerable variation, but in the summer at least there is a prevailing 

southern component. These southerly winds are sometimes accompanied by rains. The direction of winds in some parts of the region 

is influenced by the local topography. Thus at certain times strong 

winds blow down Cajon Pass. Thus also the direction of the winds 

in Death Valley is doubtless affected by the deep troughlike character 

of the valley.

Prevailing direction of wind at stations in the Mohave Desert region

Station

Barstow, Calif.

San Bernardino, CalifLas Vegas, Nev. 

Fort Mohave,

Ariz..........

Parker, Ariz _

of record i

rears)

"S'"'

1-3

17

28

14

12

12

i5

w.

N.

W.

N.

SW.

1

fe

W.

SW.

w.

N.-S.

S.

1

i

w.

BW.

w.

fl.

SW.

t-4

W.

RW.

w.

S.

SW.

Sf

^

w.

SW.

S.

S.

SW.

8

£

w.

RW.

S.

S.

SW.

t5

w.

SW.

N.-S.

8.

8.

1-4

W.

SW.

S.

8.

8.

1

ft

&

W.

RW.

8.

R,

SW.

&

1

O

W.

SW.

w.

N.

SW.

1

t>

fc

w.

SW.

w.

N.

SW.

1

ft

w.

N.

W.

N

SW.

1 0

w.

SW.

w.

R,

SW.

During the period of the observations at the Greenland (Furnace 

Creek) ranch, May 1, to September 30, 1891, the highest average 

velocity recorded for any one day was 25.9 miles an hour and the lowest was 2.3 miles an hour.18 Calms were recorded only four times, 

all in-the morning. In general, the velocity is less in the day than at 

night. Doubtless velocities of wind greater than those recorded at 

the Greenland ranch occur in the region, especially in the winter, but 

the force of the wind in the desert has probably been considerably 

exaggerated.

EVAPORATION

Observations on evaporation have been made from a pan floating 

in the Harold Reservoir, near Palmdale, during part of one year;

" »? Day, P. 0., Relative humidities and vapor pressures over the United States, including a discussion 

of data from recording hair hygrometers: Monthly Weather Review, Suppl. 6, p. 21,1917.

u Harrington, M. W., Notes on the climate and meteorology of Death Valley, Calif.: U. 8. Weather Bur. 

Bull. 1, pp. 27-29, 3fr-37, 4fr-49,1892.
76 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

at Pahrump, Nev.,19 about 15 miles north of the northwest corner of 

the area shown on Plate 12, during parts of two years^ and at Independence, in Owens Valley, Calif.,20 about 65 miles north of the 

northwest corner of the area shown on Plate 10, during parts of four 

years. The monthly evaporation at these stations is shown in the 

accompanying table:

Evaporation from free water surfaces at stations in or near Mohave Desert region

Station

Harold Reservoir, Calif. 0 ___________

Pahrump, Nov.* ________________

Independence, Calif.: c

Do _

Do...................................

Do .. . ....._ ..

Do...................................

Do..... .. .. _ . .

Do.. _______.. __ ........ ___ ......

Do.. ..............................

Station

Pahrump, Nev.* _____________

Independence, Calif.: 0 

Pan in water ________________

Do .......... ......................

Do... ................................

Do... ...............................

Do.................................

Do.... ............ ...............

Do................... .............

Do..................................

Year

1898

1920

1921

1908

1909

1910

1Q11

lorto

1910

1911

1909

1910

1911

July

11.20

12.13

12.10

10.40 ft fin

12.55

7 on

8.30

Jan.

9 9O

1.60

1.75

1.65

2.25

2.00

2.30

Aug.

10.00

11.90

9 40

 «4.90

ft fiA

8.20

10.70

11.80

ft Oft

8.80

Feb.

2.89

2.40

2.50

2.35

2.25

2.~90

2.55

Sept.

11.80

8.52

8.82

5.30

6.60

6.30

8.50

8.80

7.20

7.30

Mar.

6.04

5.25

4.70

5.15

3.70

 4.25

4.80

5.60

3.95

Oct.

6.50

5.40

5 04

3.50 i on

420

5.80

5.60

5.00

5.15

Apr.

8.60

7.30

7.05

6.25

9.50

8.12

/2.90

7.40

6.80

Nov.

3.25

2.24

2.84

2.50

2.60

2.36

3.80

2.85

3.30

3.10

May

9.45

10.38

9.60

8.29

8.01

10.61

10.25

7.50

7.21

7.90

Dec.

2.95

1.71

2.12

1.50

(1.85)

1.24

1.60

(2.20)

2.15

June

10.70

12.54

10.86

10.10

9.90

11.96

7.80

8.60

Total 

for 

season

69.06

65.44

69.01

0 Record furnished by Mr. Burt Cole, engineer for the Palmdale Water Co. 

' From records of U. S. Weather Bureau.

 Lee, C. H., An intensive study of the water resources of a part of Owens Valley, Calif.; U. S. Geol. 

Survey Water-Supply Paper 294, pp. 118-122,1912. 

d Aug. 10-31. 

«Mar. 14-31. 

/Apr. 16-30.

The records at the different places are not fully comparable because 

different types of pans and tanks were used in the different places, 

and furthermore they were made in different years. The records for 

Pahrump and Independence show that even in the same month in 

different years the evaporation differs so much that definite comparisons can not be made. The data for Independence give three complete annual records, representing two years for a pan in water and 

one year for a deep tank in soil. During January, February, March, 

and April the average of the three records at Independence is 24.3

i> Observations and lecords furnished by U. S. Weather Bureau.

» Lee, C. H., An intensive study of the water resources of a part of Owens Valley, Calif.: U. S. Geol* 

Survey, Water-Supply Paper 294, pp. 48-63,118-122,1912.
CUMA1® 77

per cent of the annual totals. If the evaporation is in the same proportion as at Independence, the total evaporation at Harold Reservoir in 1898 was about 87 inches. That year was one of the driepfr'dn 

record. The evaporation at Independence during January ana February averaged 6.4 per cent of the total, and on this basis the total 

evaporation at Pahrump in 1920 would be about 85 inches. The 

.evaporation at Independence for April and May averaged 22.8 per 

cent of the total annual evaporation', and on this basis the total 

evaporation at Pahrump in 1921 would be about 80 inches.

The evaporation at Harold Reservoir and Pahrump estimated in 

the above manner is somewhat higher than at Independence. It is 

believed, however, that the estimates are not far wrong. The evaporation at different places varies in accordance with the mean annual 

temperature and is greatest where the mean annual temperature is 

the highest, other conditions being constant. The mean annual temperature is about 57° at Independence, about 61 ° atLas Vegas, the nearest station to Pahrump, and about 64° at Mojave, the nearest station 

to Harold Reservoir. Although the altitudes of Las Vegas and 

Mojave are silghtly different from the altitudes of Pahrump and 

Harold Reservoir, respectively, the differences are not great, and the 

mean annual temperatures are probably not greatly different. On 

this basis it would be expected that the evaporation would be greater 

at Pahrump than at Independence and greatest at Harold Reservoir.

In most of the region that is adapted to agriculture the evaporation 

is probably at least 6 feet annually, and in some places it is even 

greater. Because of the great evaporation a large proportion of the 

scanty rainfall is quickly disposed of before it can form large streams 

or lakes, or before it can reach the water table, and therefore large 

amounts of water are required in irrigation.

PBECZPITATION

Records of precipitation for periods of 1 to 36 years have been kept 

at more than 25 localities in or near the Mohave Desert region. 

About half of these localities are south and west of Barstow. The 

. annual precipitation at 11 stations where the record has been kept for 

10 complete years or more is given in the table on pages 90-91. The 

monthly records for these stations have been published by the United 

States Weather Bureau or other organizations and are readily available. The yearly rainfall at nine of these stations is shown graphically in Plate 6. Some of the. records for stations where the observations have been made for only a few years have not been published. For this reason the monthly records for all stations where the 

period of observation is less than 10 years are given in the table on 

pages 78-82. The yearly totals for eight stations are given on pages 

85-86. Some of the records have not heretofore been published, tod
78 THE MOHAVE DESBBT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

in order that they may be available to engineers who may have use 

for them all of them are given in the table. Unless otherwise specified the records are compiled from data furnished by the United States 

Weather Bureau.

In California most of the annual rainfall comes in the winter. 

The rainfall year is generally considered as extending from July 1 

of one year to June 30 of the following year in order that the precipitation of the entire rainy season may be shown as a total, and this system 

is used in the records given in this report. In some of the records 

the figures for certain months have been interpolated by the United 

States Weather Bureau on the basis of records at near-by stations. 

In a few records figures have been interpolated by the writer if the 

records at near-by stations indicated that the precipitation was zero 

or only a small fraction of an inch. Blanks indicate that the record is 

lacking, and "Tr." (trace) means less than 0.01 inch.

Monthly and annual precipitation at stations in Mohave Desert region for which 

record covers period of less than 10 years

[Authority, U. S. Weather Bureau except as otherwise stated] 

Fairmont, Calif.

{From July, 1914, gage located at Los Angeles Aqueduct Reservoir, about IJ-g miles south of Falrmont, 

altitude 3,036 feet; before that time it was probably nearer the town, at an altitude of about 2,800 feet]

Year

1908-fl ...... 

1900-10-- 

1910-11.............. 

1911-12 ...... ......

1912-13........ _ ...

1913-14 

1914-15 

1915-18 ...... ......

1916-17 _ ...........

1917-18-.. ... .

1918-19- 

1919-20 __ .........

1920-21 _

Per cent of mean annual precipitation .

July

Tr.

0.03 

Tr.

.00

».oo

.00

.00

.06

.26

Tr.

.00

.03

0

Aug.

0.12

.00 

.00

.00

.00

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

.18

.00

.00

.03

0

Sept.

0.24

.03 

.80

.00

Tr.

Tr.

.36

.02

1.82

.35

.00

.40

2.7

Oct.

0.65

1.37 

.45

.75

.43

00

1.38

Tr.

Tr.

.13

.11

.35

2.4

Nov.

1.37 "."6T

Tr,

1.22

.71

.11

.44

1.41

.40

.78

5.3

Dec.

5.46

"."99"

.00

4.83

2.40

4.33

Tr.

2.75

1.22

.52

2.50

17.1

Jan.

4.47

10.50 

.15

3.10

11.73

7.16

11.59

3.85

.28

.17

.82

4.27

3.64

24.9

Feb.

5.99

Tr.

2.25 

Tr.

8.80

6.32

1.74

2.97

6.79

1.42

4.27

1.20

2.72

18.6

Mar.

5.96

3.47

9.50 

5.83

.70

.75

1.08

1.66

.38

6.52

2.32

4.01

.43

2.85

19.5

Apr.

0.00

.55

.00 

1.80

1.60

.37

.40

Tr.

.07

.29

.23

.59

40

May

0.00

.00

.00 

1.35

1.94

.07

.22

.09

.14

Tr.

2.10

.66

4.5

June

Tr.

0.00

.00 

.10

Tr.

.00

.00

.11

.00

.00

.00

.02

0

Total

(«)

w.m iftl

ss

18.54

14.00

14.31

10.54

11.49

10.23

14.69

Valyermo, Calif.

[Authority, L. F. Noble. Altitude 3,800 feet]

1911-12 ............

1912-13- ..........

1913-14 __ . _ ......

1914-15 ..............

1915-16 _ ... __ ....

1916-17- 

1917-18- 

1918-19 _ ...........

1919-20 _ .... _ ....

9-yw TO W > , Per cent of mean annual precipitation..

0.01

.15

.83

.06

.00

.00

.83

.64

.57

.34

2.8

0.00

.00

3.21

.06

.00

.06

Tr.

Tr.

.00

.37

3.1

1.75

.00

.00

.01

.00

.37

.00

1.41

.49

.45

3.8

Tr.

3.00

.03

.19

.00

.05

.67

.09

.57

4.8

Tr.

.12

1.76

.28

00

.00

.80

1.10

.47

3.9

1.00

.00

.12

4.2fi

3.06

3.43

.00

1.11

1.52

1.61

13.5

0.01

1.30

7.32

4.98

6.68

1.48

.75

.50

1.03

2.67

22.3

0.10

4.71

5.57

4.95

.41

.50

5.67

1.36

3.10

2.93

24.5

5.80

.13

.35

.10

1.38

.33

4.53

2.25

2.51

1 03

16.1

1.10

.06

.87

.62

.00

Tr.

Tr.

.40

.00

.34

2.8

0.35

.00

.38

.25

.08

Tr.

Tr.

1.10

.00

.24

2.0

0.00

.00

.00

.02

.00

.00

.30

.00

.00

.03

.2

10.12

9.47

20.44

15.71

11.89

7.25

12.13

10-24

10.41

n flft

 Record for 1 or more months in the year lacking.

* Interpolated by the author.

«Record for 1 or more months in the year interpolated.
CLIMATE

Monthly and annual precipitation at stations in Mohave Desert region far which 

record covers period of less than 10 years Continued

tmch, Calif.

[Authorities: 1807-1809, TJ. 8. Weather Bureau; 1014-1019, J. G. Knecht. Located approxtoaWT^n sec. 

16, T. 8 N., R. 17 W. San Bernardino meridian, unsurveyed. Altitude 3,170 feet]

Year

1896-97 __ ..........

1W6HW.. ............

1898-99 

1899-00 

1900-1914 ».... 

1914-16 ............

1915-16 ............

1916*17 ______ . ...

1917-18 _ ...........

1918-19 

1919-20 

7-year mean.. .......

Per cent of mean anJuJy

0.00

.00

.00

'.66

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

0

Aug.

0.00

.00

.00

*.oo

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

0

Sept.

0.00

.20

.05

».oo

.00

.00

.00

1.65

.65

.26

o a

Oct.

0.05

.00

1.47

.17

.66

1.25

.00

.00

.00

.30

3.4

Nov.

0.00

.00

.90

.28

.05

.00

.00

1.53

.40

.26

2.9

Dec.

0.40

.66

.46

1.88

1.60

2.30

.00

2.25

1.97

1.30

14.6

Jan.

3.67

.53

1.79

4.74

5.38

2.50

55

.30

C)

2.26

OR Q

Feb.

4.01

.as

.04

2 OS

1.10

.59

8.59

1.62

C)

2.18

Oi fi

Mar.

2.30

.81

2.26

......

.00

1.97

.06

5.40

1.86

C)

1.76/ 

10 A

Apr.

0.10

.00

.09

1.40

.12

.30

.00

.00

C)

.27

3.0

May

0.00

.45

.04

1.24

.08

.00

.00

.00

0)

.26

2.9

June

0.00

.00

.27

.00

.00

.00

?00

.00

0)

.04

.4

Total

(«)

2.62

5.35

C)

'12.66

10.96

6.99

14.54

9.21 («)

8.90

Manama, Calif.

[In sec. 24r T. 8 N., R. 16 W. San Bernardino meridian. Altitude 2,870 feet]

1894-95--.. ..-...

1895-96 

1896-97. 

1897-98 _

1898-99 

1899-00 

1900-01 

19JH-02 

1902-03 

8-year mean

Per cent of mean annual precipitation..

0.00

.00

Tr.

Tr.

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

net

0

0.10

.00

1.04

.28

.00

.00

.08

.65

.00

.19

2.5

0.49

.00

.00

.00

Tr.

.00

.10

Tr. '.00

.07

.9

0.00

.40

.61

.21

.00

1.27

no

2.02 '.03

.33

4.3

0.00

.48

.30

Tr.

Tr.

.71

2.55

.30

'l.flp

.75

9.9

3.60

.18

1.46

.14

.50

90

.00

Tr.

1.78

99

13.0

9 TO

1.09

2.70

1.70

1.15

1.11

3.20

.67

.60

1.79

23.6

0.00

.00

3.04

.02

Tr.

.10

6.68

1.52

.96

1.35

17.8

1.86

1.70

1.71

.47

1.35

.93

.25

1.14

3.02

1.35

17.8

O.OS

.68

.04

.00

.04

.42

.61

3.46

.66

8.7

Tr.

1 Tr.

.01

.25

.09

.38

.12

.00

.10

1.3

0.00

.00

Tr.

.00

.04

.00

.00

Tr. ».oo

.01

.7

8.42

4,48

10.91

3.07

3.17

5.21

13.68 («>

"11.84

7.60

E. T. Earl ranch 

[In sec. 36, T. 7 N., R. 13 W. Record furnished by E. T. Earl estate. Altitude about 2,450 feet]

1913-14. ...

1914-15 . 

1915-16 __ . __ . ...

1916-17 __ . ____ 

1917-18 ______ ....

1918-19 

1919-20 

Per cent of mean 

annual precipitation ...........

0.13

.02

.00

.00

.55

.04

.00

.12

1.4

0.10

.00

.00

.00

.00

.97

.00

.18

2.0

0.00

.00

.00

.12

.00

1.75

.00

.31

3.5

0.00

.15

.00

.31

.00

.00

.00

.08

.9

0.35

.12

.47

.06

.05

.79

.17

.31

3.5

1.07

3.24

1.17

2.86

.00

1.39

.93

1.62

18.4

4 40

4.' 10

4.62

1.88

.06

.22

1.13

2.55

28.9

3.53

3.55

1.04

.43

3.10

.84

2.55

2.08

23.6

0.12

.45

.98

.15

3.66

1.83

1.88

1.20

13.6

0.12

.46

.15

.10

.00

.15

cx

.16

1.8

0.15

.76

.00

.00

.02

.04 ( )

.16

1.8

0.00

.00

.00

.00

.31

.00

C>

.05

.6

9.97

12.86

8.43

5.91

7.78

8.02 ( >

8.82

Lancaster, Calif.

[At Southern California Edison station, record furnished by Mr. J. R. Haskin. Altitude about 2,360 feet]

1918-19 

1919-20 .

1920-21 

0.00

.00

0.00

.00

0.00

.00

0.00

.00

0.23

.57

0.55dn

0.25

1.00

1.53

0.25

1.07irt

1.23

1.44

48

0.00

.00

.07

0.00

.00

1.39

0.00

.00 4.29

9 Record for 1 or more months in the year lacking.

* Interpolated by the author. '

* Record for 1 or more months in the year interpolated.

* No record.

* Record for 1920 not available.

f In Water-supply Paper 278 an error exists in the record for 1902-3. The figures tor September were 

omitted and those for October, November, and December were each pushed forward l month, according 

to the Report of the Chief of the Weather Bureau for 1902-3, p. 192.
80 THE MOHAVE DESEET EEGIONf CALIPOENIA

Monthly and annual precipitation at stations in Mohave Desert region for which 

record covers period of less than 10 years Continued

Palmdale, Calif.

[Authorities: 1895-1901, Hurt Cole; 1903, U. S. Weather Bureau. Altitude 2,657 feet]

Year

1895-08. ..............

1896-47 ............

1897-98 ...........

1898-99 .......... 

1899-00.... ......i.

1900-01 

1901-02 __ . ..........

1902-03 __ . ..........

1903-04 __ . .......

Per cent of mean anJuly

*0.00

.00

.98

.00

.00

» .00

.00

.25

5.1

Aug.

»0.00

.09

.38

.00

nn

» .00

.00

.12

2.4

Sept.

ffl.OO

.00

.00

.00

Tr.

* 00

.00

nn

0

Oct.

1.20

.16

.00

.8210

.00

.55

11.1

Nov.

0.05

.33

.00

.02

.22

2.10

.00

.14

2.8

Dec.

0.18

.86

.00

1.40

.16

.00

 ...

.61

12.3

Jan.

0.60

3.00

.48

.94

.50

.92

.36

1.23

3d O

Feb.

0.05

3.72

.15

.16

.00

3.80

.65

1.01

20.5

Mar.

1.43

1.26

.63

.84

.49

2.58

.81

16.2

Apr.

0.08

.00

.00

.00

.30

2.00

.08

1.6

May

0.12

.01

.24

.00

.43

.00

.17

3.4

June

0.00

.00

.00

.00

* .00

Tr.

.00

0

Total

(°)

10.47

3.02-

3.3fr "2.92-

a< )

4.94

Palmdale head works on Little Rock Creek

[Authority, U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 278, p. 15. Altitude 3,299 feet]

1896-97.-... ......

1897-98...-...-....-..

1898-99 .... 

1899-00.. ..........

1900-01. ...........

1901-02 ______ . ...

Per cent of mean an0.25

.03

.02

.00

.00

.00

.06

.8

1.35

1.57

.05

.00

nn

.33

.59

8.2

0.32

Tr.

.00

.00

nn

Tr.

.06

.8

1.42

.86

.00

1.28

.20

.32

.75

10.3

0.43

.00

Tr.

.27

1 70

.04

w>

6.9

0.98

.14

.87

.32

00

.00

.46

6.3

3.78

2.38

1.00

.65

1.34

1.83

25.2

3.71

.07

.31

.00

4.50

1.72

23.7

1.31

on

.97

.80

.38

.87

12.0

0.04

.00

.00

.57

.15

.15

2.7

0.32

.21

.00

.76

Tr.

.26

3.6

0.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

0

13.91

6.18-

3.22-

4.65

8.3$ ( )

7.26

Llano, Los Angeles County, Calif.

[Altitude about 3,200 feet]

1917-18...............

1918-19 ..........

1919-20. ...........

1920-21 ____ .. .....

Per cent of mean an0.10

.04

.00

.05

.8

0.30

00

.05

.12

1 9

0.85

.26

.00

.37

5.7

0.16

.03

.0»

.06

1.0

0.75

1.20

.20

.72

11.1

0.80

1.45

.40

.88

13.6

0.30

.15

1.20

2.70

1.35

W> 0

2.55

.80

1.21

1.00

1.00

15.5

2.08

1.05

.98

1.05

1.03

15.9

Tr,

0.10

.00

.10

.07

1.1

Tr.

1.00

.00

1.44

.81

12.4

0.40

.00

.00

.00

.00

0

ifi*

6.37

6.94

6.4ff

Gray Mountain, Calif.

[In or near sec. 10, T. 6 N., R. 7 W. San Bernardino meridian. Altitude 3,000 feet]

1914-15. ..............

1915-16 ________ .

1916-17- .............

1917-18...............

1918-19 ____ . ......

1919-20 _______ ..

1920-21 ..........

3-year mean.. ........

Per cent of mean anTr.

Tr.

0.82

.00

0

.00

0

Tr.

0.37

.12

.00

.12

3.0

Tr.

0.17

Tr.

.00

.00

.06

1.5

0.00

.10

.05

.30

.00

.03

0.25

.00

Tr.

.04

.15

.13

S Q

0.80

1.25

.00

.00

.25

.68

17.0

2.32

2.00

.25

Tr.

.90

1.45

1.74

43.5

0.50

Tr.

1.02

.90

.64

.71

.38

9.5

0.08

.40

.15

.17

1.88

.81

20.2

0.00

.00

.07

.00

.00

0

Tr.

.00

.01

.12

.04

1.0

Tr.

0.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

0

004.27

4.04

n36ft ( )

4,00

Camp Cady, Calif. 

[Latitude 34° 58'; longitude 116° 32'. Altitude about 1,800 feet]

1867-68 .

1868-69... ............

1869-70.... ......

1870-71.... ........

0.69

.00

1.00

.30

.58

0.00

.00

.00

6.16

.50

0.20

.60

.00

0.30

.00

.18

0.55

.00

.00

1.00

.00

0.00

1.00

.12

0.50

.00

0 00

.16

0.00

.66

n(°)

128

C)

o Recori for 1 or more months in the year lacking. 

& Interpolated by the author.

» As a precipitation of more than 1 inch is recorded at several near-by stations it is believed that thisrecord is incorrect.
GLTMAT® 81

Monthly and annual-precipitation at stations in Mohave Desert region for which 

record covers period of less than 10 years Continued

Daggett, Calif.

[Authority, Southern Pacific Co. Altitude about 2,000 feet]

Year

1883-84.... __ ......

1884-85 ...........

July

0.00

Aug.

0.06

Sept.

0.00

Oct.

0.00

Nov.

0.00

Dec.

0.29

Jan.

0.48

Feb.

1.44

Mar.

1.17

Apr.

0.10

May

0.49

June

0.00

Total

0

( )

Fenner, Calif.

[Authority, Southern Pacific Go. Altitude 2,096 feet]

1883-84 ..........

1884-85 ... ......... 0.00

0.00 

.00

0.06 

.00

0.00 0.00 2.40 0.15 1.30 1.25 0.15 1.09 0.05 a

Goffs, Calif.

[Altitude 2,584 feet]

1915-16 . _____ .

1916-17 __ . __ ......

1917-18 __ ......

1918-19 ...........

1919-20 ... .

1.17

.48

.40

0.13

.43

.80

0.27

.10

l.fiO

0.17

.10

0.00 090 1.22

.89

0.25

.87

0.03

1.08

0.73

.03

0.00

.67

.09

0.00

0

.00

<«)

/5.S4

W

(na)

Greenland ranch, Inyo County, Calif.

[In Death Valley, also called Furnace Creek ranch. Altitude 178 feet below sea level]

1911-12.. . __ .....

1912-13 ..........

1913-14 ............

1914-15 ________

1915-16 .. __ .....

1916-17..... __ ......

1917-18 __ ......

1918-19 __ ......

1919-20. . __ .....

1920-21 .... ....

9-year mean ____ 

Per cent of mean annual precipitation.

0.10

.60

.00

.07

.00

.06

.00

.01

.00

.09 

5.3

0.00

.01

.00

.00

.00

.00

.01

.00

.10

.01 

.6

0.00

.30

.00

.00

.00

.01

.00

.00

.00

.03 

1.8

0.20

.00

.00

.00

.10

.00

.01

.00

.20

.06 

3.5

0.00

1.61

.00

.00

00

.00

.00

.20

.00

.20 

11.7

0.00

.00

.60

.00

.00

.00

.00

.30

.00

.10

5.8

0.00

.01

.67

1.10

1.51

.04

.00

.00

.60

.40

.48

28.1

0.00

1.90

.21

.02

.20

.00

.30

.00

1.00

.00

.40 

23.4

1.10

.10

.00

.02

.02

.00

.75

.01

.30

.00

.13 

7.6

Tr.

0.00

.12

.08

.00

.01

.05

.00

.00

.00

.03

1.8

Tr.

0.01

.00

.02

.40

30

Tr.

.00

.10

.00

.09 

5.3

0.00

.00

.05

.00

.00

.00

.00

.00

.60

.00

.07 

4.1

<»>

2.32

3.57

1.84

2.20

.45

1.17

.03

3.11

.70

1.71 

<«)

Pahrnmp, Nev. 

[Altitude 2,668 feet]

1913-14..... __ ......

1914-15 _______ .

1915-16 <« ____ .....

1916-17 __ ..... 

1917-18 _____ ..... 

1918-19 ____ ......

1919-20.. . __

1920-2] __ . __ ......

0.64

.21

0.02

.42

.40

0.42

.00

.00

0.05

 

.00

1.25

0.00

.00

.12

1.01

.58 

"2!" 25"

.35

1.20

1.13 

.13

.94

1.27

1.40

.13 

1.15

1.31

.25

0.14

.16 

1.83

.72

.42

1.56

.49

.07

Tr.

~<X37"

.79

0.09

.00

1.10

.00

(

(

Jean, Nev. 

[Altitude 2,864]

1907-08..............

1908-09 _ ...........

1909-10 ...........

1910-11..............

1911-12 ________ 

1912-13 __ .. _ .....

1913-14..... ___ ...

1914-15 _ ...........

1915-16 ____ . __ .

0.10

.03

2.06

Tr. 

.46

.03 

.29

0.06

.12

1.13

.00 

.20 

.52

.00 

Tr.

2.71

2.03

.40

.00 

.00 

.23

.65

1.00

.00

.60

".16" 

Tr.

0.00

.67

.90

.00 

.00 

1.25

6.66

1.59

Tr. 

.00 

.00

1.30

.09

.00

.44

.00 

.30 

1.50

1.25

0.10

.00

.75

.00 

.40 

.05

1.00

0 20

1.32

.00

1.00

"Tr~~

.20

0.00

.30

.00

.00

.27 

.25 

1.25

Tr.

Tr.

0.00

.00

.00

.10 

.00 

.00

Tr.

0.00

.00

.00

Tr. 

Tr. 

Tr.

Tr.

(

(

4

.

')')

.44 i

> 

> 

>

i 

i

* Record for 1 or more months in the year lacking.
82 THE MOHAVB DESBBT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Monthly and annual precipitation at stations in Mohave Desert region for which 

record covers period of less than 10 years Continued

Lanfair, CWHf.

[Authority, E. L, Lanfair. Altitude about 4,010 feet]

1911-12 ___ ...... _

1912-13..............

1913-14 _ ...__?___..

1914-15.......... ....

July

0.60 

1.29 

1.05

Aug.

0.25 

1.43 

.19

Sept.

(*) 

0.63 

2.29

Oct.

1.28 (*) 

3.16

Nov.

(*) 

1.56 (*)

Dec.

0.10

(3

Jan.

0.39 

2.32 

.30

Feb.

<2.98 

3.39 

5.70

Mar.

3.60

%

Apr.

0.68

(0 

1.01

May

0.13

8

June

0.00 

(0 .46

Total

\

Searchlight, Nev. 

[Altitude 3,445 feet]

1913-14__.....____...

1914-15.. ........... .

1915-16.___-._.......

1916-17 ______ ....

1917-18 ________

1918-19.. ............

1919-20 ________ .

1920-21 ________

1921-22 ________

8-year mean .........

Per cent of mean annual precipitation.

1.10

.10

.66

.50

2.03

4.01

.34

.96

1.21

12.9

0.42

.99

.22

2.49

.57

.98

1.20

3.25

1.26

13.4

0.82

.09

.23

.07

1.65

.86

.00

2.02

.72

7.7

0.22

.00

.13

00

.51

.79

.65

1 Ol

.53

5.6

0.02

.65

.00

.04

.15

.41

.05

.00

.16

1.7

0.51

.31

.47

.00

2 25

.42

04

3.68

.96

10.2

2.00

2.46

3.73

1.36

.00

.50

1.48

2.01

2.36

1.74

18.5

2.57

2.14

.71

.26

.55

.78

3.39

.04

.77

1.08

11.5

0.25

.45

.48

.04

3.71

.48

.81

.47

.86

.91

9.7

1.79

1.35

.00

.47

Tr.

.17

.00

.00

.03

.25

2.7

Tr.

.13

.16

1.09

.07

.09

.70

.88

.22

.42

4.5

0.48

Tr.

.00

.00

.33

.00

.85

.00

.16

.17

1.8

(«)

9.62

7.22

4.93

7.76

9.18

14.70

5.68

16.22

9.41

« Record for 1 or more months in the year lacking.

* It is not clear from Mr. Lanfair's record whether an absence of data for certain months indicates no 

precipitation or a suspension of observations; probably no precipitation.

< Does not include a 6-ineh fall of snow on Feb. 22, which was not measured in inches of rain.

' It is not clear whether the absence of data for the months of March, April, May, and June, 1913, indicates no precipitation, but the nature of the record suggests that no observations were made during these 

months.

The records show that' the precipitation in any one year may vary 

considerably from the mean, and at most of the stations observations 

have not been made during long enough periods to give reliable figures 

for the mean. The longer the record the more likely is the observed 

mean to be near the true mean. Lee, in studies of the precipitation 

in the San Diego region, found that the average departure of 5-year 

means from the mean annual precipitation for a period of 65 years 

was 15 per cent.21 The departure for 10-year means was about 10 

per cent, for 25-year means about 5 per cent, for 40-year means 

about 2 per cent, and for 60-year means only about 1 per cent.

The records given in the table are not all for the same years, and 

hence, as they stand, they are not all comparable. For instance, 

the mean annual rainfall for the station at the Palmdale head works 

on Little Rock Creek for the 5-year period from July 1, 1896, to June 

30, 1901, was 7.5 inches, and the mean annual rainfall at the E. T. 

Earl ranch, in sec. 36, T. 7 N., R. 13 W., for the 6-year period from 

July 1, 1913, to June 30, 1919, was 8.8 inches. At first glance it 

would seem that the mean annual precipitation is greater at the 

Earl ranch than at the Palmdale head works. But a study of the 

records from several stations within a radius of 70 miles for which

21 Ellis, A. J., and Lee, C. H., Geology and ground water? of the western part of San- Diego County, 

Calif.: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 446, pp. 82-83,1919.
83

data are available for 20 years or more reveals the fact that three 

of the five years during which the record was kept at the Palmdftle 

headworks were the driest ever recorded in that part of the region. 

On the other hand, three of the six years covered by the record at 

the Earl ranch were among the wettest years on record in this region.

Obviously to obtain an adequate idea of the precipitation in different parts of the regipn the relative wetness or dryness of the years 

of record must be taken into consideration. A method for estimating the mean annual' precipitation at stations for which only short 

records are available 22 is based on the assumption that the yearly 

rainfall of neighboring stations shows more or less close relations. 

If the annual precipitation is greatly below normal at one point it is 

likely to be below normal at neighboring points. Accordingly if there 

is a record covering a long period at one station (which may be called 

a control station) and a short record at a point not too far away, an 

approximation of the true mean annual precipitation at the shortperiod station may be estimated by assuming that the ratio of the 

precipitation in the observed years to the mean annual rainfall is 

the same for both stations.

The procedure is as follows: First, the ratio of the observed precipitation for each year at the control station to the mean annual precipitation at that station is determined. This ratio may be called 

the precipitation index, or coefficient of wetness. Second, the 

observed precipitation for each year recorded at the short-period 

station is divided by the precipitation index of the control station for 

the corresponding year. Third, theoretically the results thus 

obtained for each of the several years at the short-record station 

should be equal, but as the departure from normal at any two stations in a region is never always in exactly the same ratio it is necessary to average the computed normal precipitation. If long-time 

records are available at several control stations the computed normal 

for the short-period station ordinarily will be more accurate if the 

average of the precipitation indices of all the control stations is used.

By this method it was determined that the mean annual precipitation at the Palmdale headworks is more nearly 9.7 inches than 7.5 

inches and that at the Earl ranch is more nearly 7.8 inches than 8.8 

inches. As the headworks are in the mountains, about 800 feet 

higher than the Earl ranch, and as the precipitation in the mountains 

is generally greater than in the valley it is believed that the corrected 

results show more nearly the true conditions.

a On working up precipitation observations (translated from Meyer, Hugh, Quid* to the working up 

of meteorological observations for the benefit of climatology); Monthly Weather Review, vol. 45, pp. 

164-165, April, 1917. See also Ellis, A. J., and Lee, C. H., op. cit., pp. 77-85. The precipitation indices 

or eoefflcients of wetness, referred to below, for many stations in California, including several in the Moaave 

Desert region are given in Calif. Dept. Public Works, Bull. 5, Flow in California Streams, 1923.
84 THE MOHAVE DE8EET BEGION, CALIFORNIA

The method just described was employed to determine the corrected average precipitation over a long term of years at several 

stations in Antelope Valley, in the southwestern part of the Mohave 

Desert region, and others just beyond the borders of the region. 

The stations having long records which were used as control stations 

in the calculations are Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Barstow, 

Mohave, Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Tejon ranch, and Newhall. The 

observed yearly precipitation records and computed precipitation 

indices or coefficients of wetness for the control stations are given 

in the table on pages 85-86, and in the table on page 87 is given the 

corrected long-time average of those stations and other stations for 

which shorter records are available.23

»In order to bring the table on pp. 85-86 up to date at the time the report is ready for press, new means 

and all the precipitation indices would have to be recomputed, a task for which time is not available. 

The following supplemental table, giving the annual precipitation, with precipitation indices based on the 

1020 means, for the only four stations of those used on pp. 85-86 for which records are available, will give 

some idea of the trend of conditions of precipitation from July 1,1920, to June 30,1927:

Year 

/

1920-21 .........

1921-22.........

1922-23- 

1923-24.... .

1924-25.........

1925-26 .........

1026-27 .........

Los Angeles

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

13.65 

19.66 

9.59 

6.68 

7.94 

17.56 

17.76

Precipitation 

index

Percent 

86 

126 

62 

43 

51 

113 

114

San Bernardino

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

16.46 

27.75 

11.04 

11.34 

10.89 

20.40 

20.55

Precipitation 

index

Per cent 

102 

172 

68 

70 

68 

127 

127

Bakersfield

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

7.02 

8.88 

5.95 

3.68 

4.62 

5.02 

6.20

Precipitation 

index

Per cent 

126 

159 

107 

66 

83 

90 

111

Tejon ranch

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

10.46 

11.48 

6.83 

10.40 

12.60 

7.90 

9.51

Precipitation 

index

Percent

87 

96 

57 

87 

105 

66 

69

Average 

index 

of 4 

stations

Per tent 

100 

188 

78 

68 

76 

100 

105
»»*««*««»*>**<]

i?if|fflllf|]

III? If

TT a a 

Sfig,

cop, pi.

I?

Ja 1 

5S a ttIII?
Observed annual precipitation and precipitation indices for 8 stations ne

Year

1906-7_.__________

1908-4

1909-10...........

1911 12

1912-13...........

1913-14 _ .__.____

1914-15 _ ........

1915-16 ____ ....

1916-17...........

1917-18 .. --_

1918-19.. .______._

1919-a> ........

Observed means.. 

Number of years

Los Angeles

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

19.30 

11.72 

19.18 

12.63 

16.18 

11.60 

13.42 

23.65 

17.05 

19.92 

15.26 

13.86 

& 58 

12.52

15.56 

43

Precipitation 

index

Percent 

124 

78 

123 

81 

104 

75 

86 

152 

110 

141 

98 

89 

55 

81

100

San Bernardino

Observed 

precipitatioQ

Inches 

23.17 

15.62 

17.36 

15.02 

16.34 

13.84 

11.08 

21.45 

20.34 

24.72 

13.79 

13.33 

13.62 

19.28

16.12 

50

Precipitation 

index

Per cent 

144 

97 

108 

93 

101 

86 

69 

133 

126 

153 

85 

83 

84 

120

100

Barstow

Observed 

precipitation

Inches

7.03 

4.81 

4.16 

2.90 

3.67 

3.28 

7.51 

5.08 

5.30 

3.85 

7.65 

7.03 

2.94

4.29 

22

Precipitation 

index

Per cent

164 

112 

97 

68 

86 

76 

175 

118 

124 

90 

179 

164 

69

100

Mojave

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

9.09 

 4.28 

7.13 

2.97 

9.12 

6.50 

1.10

4.99 

36

Precipitation 

index

Percent 

184 

86 

143 

60 

183 

130 

22

100

Tehachapi

Observed 

precipitation

Inches 

 11.29 

"7.08 

 10.98 

"6.43 

9.21 

9.35

10.55 

35

Precipitation 

index

Percent 

107 

67 

104 

61 

87 

88

100

p

, 

 Record for 1 or more months in the year interpolated.
CLIMATE

Summary of precipitation records at stations in and near Antelope Va$$y, Calif., 

i calculated to 1920

1

11 

Station

Los Angeles.. ______________

San Bernardino _____________

Barstow . ......... ______

Moijave

Teaaehapi ... ....... _ ......

Newhall

Fort Tejon ________________

Manzana

Palmdale.. _______________

Palmdale headworks ....................

Altitude 

above sea 

level 

(feet)

293

1,054

2,106

2^751

3,964

404

1,600

V200

3,245

4,500

3,170

2,870

3,036

2,450

2,657

3,300

3,760

3,250

3,000

Number 

of years 

of record

43

50

22

36

35

27

32

38

5

13

7

8

8

6

4

6

9

2

3

-

Observed

average

annual 

precipitation

(inches)

15.55.

16.12

4.20

4.99

10. 5£

5.57

11.97

17.88

13.70

17.56

9.34

7.60

15.14

8.82

4.94

7.48

11.96

6.22

4.00

Correction 

factor

. _ _ _

-., -XOO.

1.00

.99

.99

.99

.99

1.01

1.01

.64

.97

.91

.79

1.01

1.13

.66

r .77

1.05

,92

1.03

Corrected!

long-term 

average 

precipitation

(inches)

i

.. -15*58']

16.12

4.30

5.04

lOrflf

5.63

11.85

17.70

'21.40

18,10

10.26:

9.62

14.99'

7.80

7.48

9.71

11.39

6.76

3.96

Batio of

corrected

aver age annual precipitation

(in inches) 

to altitude-

(in feet

above mi

tend)

. * ft 0633

,»153.

.0020

.0018.

.002T

.0139

.0079

, .0147

.0066

.0040

.0032

.0034

.004ft

.0032

.0028

.0029

.0030

.0821

i .001$ 1 :^T

Similar corrected long-term averages might be obtained for the 

other stations in the eastern part of the region, but it is .(believed 

that the same control stations should not be used, because, a$ pointed 

out below, rainfall conditions in the eastern part of the region are 

somewhat different from those in the western part. Pressure of 

other work prevented the writer from making the many computations needed to get the corrected averages for the stations in tlie 

region-uot listed in the accompanying table.

A study of the data on precipitation given above and of general 

conditions of rainfall in southern California shows certain dominant 

features. There is a distinct seasonal distribution of rain, most of 

it coming in the winter, but in the eastern part there is a minor 

rainy season in the late summer; the precipitation varies in different parts of the region, but in general it is least in the low valleys 

and greatest in the high mountains. The mean annual precipitation in most of the region is less than 10 inches, an amount s& small 

that irrigation is-necessary, for successful agriculture. , ,1.,

The seasonal distribution of the rainfall at 12 stations is shown 

graphically in Figures 1 and 2, which are drawn in part from data 

given in the table on pages 90-91.
THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

INCHES

HEELER

TEHAGHAPI

Jfe

MOJAV

FAIRMONT

III II

HES

GREENLAND RANCH

'...II.

BAGDAD

i II

BARSTOW

...l.llll...

SAN BERNAf

.ill

NO

I.

INC

0 

3

2 

t

0

'

4 

3

 :

HES

LAS VEGAS

l.lllll.ll,

FORT MOHAVE

.1 lllllll.

NEEDLES

lll.lllll..

PARKER

. Mean momthly precipitation at stations tn or near the Mohave Desert region
CLIMATE

PER CERT

301 

HEELER

TEHACHAPI

MOJAVE

PER CENT PER CtNT

Illlllllll,

EENLAND RANCH

'20

111

LASVEGAS

Illll Itlii

BAGDAD

nil Ill

BARSTOW

11

SAN BEBNAROINO

PORT MOHAVC

l.llllll,

20

NEEDLES

 Illll,.

PARKER

tiajflj *'«:> «£ > « £ K.a:

Illlllln.

FIGUBK 2, Fercentage of precipitation in each month at stations in or near the Mobeve

Desert region
THE MOHAVB DESERT? BEGION, CALIFORNIA.

Maximum, minimum, and mean monthly precipitation in inches and percentage of 

mean annual precipitation at 11 stations in and neor Mokave Desert region. 

Calif.

[Compiled from records of U. S. Weather Bureau]

Keeter, Calif _, Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Minimum monthly .precipitation ____

Tehaehapi, Calif _ .................. _ . ....

Mean monthly precipitation _______

Per cent of annual precipitation . .........

Mojave, Calif. ________________

Maximum monthly precipitation ____

Minimum monthly precipitation .........

Mean monthly precipitation .............

Monterio, Calif, (Kneeht's ranch) ............

Minimum monthly precipitation _ . ......

Mean monthly precipitation _______

Barstow, Calif ................................

Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Mean monthly precipitation ..............

Per cent of annual precipitation _____

San Bernardino, Calif.. ____________

Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Per cent of annual precipitation. .........

Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Minimum monthly precipitation .........

Per cent of annual precipitation ........

Las Vegas, Nev. _______________

Minimum monthly precipitation .........

Per cent of annual precipitation ...... .....

Mohave City, Ariz ______________ .

Needles, Calif................................

Minimum monthly precipitation .........

Per cent of annual precipitation. _........

Parker, Ariz. .................................

Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Minimum monthly precipitation . ____ 

Mean monthly precipitation ..............

Number of 

years of complete 

record

24

37

36

13

23

51

17

13

22

30

21

July

0.52 

.00 

.10 

3.3

2.00 

.00 

.06

.6

1.75 

.00 

.05 

1.0

.65 

.00 

.07 

.4

1.35 

.00 

.24 

5.6

.34 

.00 

.04 

.2

1.29 

.00 

.16 

7.0

1.88 

Tr. 

.55 

12.4

1.80 

.00

.21 

3.5 -

1.45 

.00 

. 41-' 

9.6

2.82 

.00 

.51 

9.6

Aug.

1.42 

.00 

.24 

7.9

1.70 

.00 

.15 

1.4

1.75 

.00 

.09 

1.8

1.91 

.00 

.13

.7

.87 

.00 

.16 

3.8

2.16 

.00 

.17 

1.1

2.20

.00 

.31 

13.6

1.78 

.00 

.36 

8.1

4.42 

.00 

.61 

10.2

7.21 

.00 

.78 

18.2

4.64 

.00 

.52 

9.7

Sept.

2.75 

.00 

.26

8.7

1.95 

.00 

.14 

1.3

.87 

.00 

.08 

1.6

- 1.00 

.00 

.25 

1.4

1.50 

.00 

.23 

5.4

2.37 

.00 

.22

1.4

1.00 

.00 

.09 

3.9

2.00 

.00 

.17

3.8

1.31 

.00 

.08 

1.3

1.47 

.00 

.31 

7.2

1.96 

,00 

.38 

7.1

Oct.

1.94 

.00 

.25 

8.3

2.70 

.00 

.40 

3.7

2.21 

.00 

.23 

4.6

3.60 

.00 

.88 

4.9

3.39 

. .00 

.39 

9.2

2.75 

.00 

.64 

4.0

1.86 

.00 

.13 

5.7

.95

 .00

.26 

5.9

2.60 

.00 

.44 

7.3

1.15 

.00 

.15 

3.5

1.81 

.00

.27 

5.1

Nov.

1.75 

.00 

.26

8.7

3.70 

.00 

.65 

6.1

2.18 

.00 

.37 

7.4

3.94 

.10 

1.67 

9.4

2.00 

.00 

.16 

3.8

7.50 

.00 

1.29 

8.0

1.50 

.00 

.13

5.7

1.09 

.00 

.30

6.8

6.16 

.00 

.63 

10.5

2.20 

.00 

.40 

9.3

4.49 

.00 

.55 

10.3

Dee.

1.05 

.00 

.24 

8.0

5.52 

.00 

1.68 

15.7

7.30 

.00 

1*.02 

20.4

4.02 

.10

2.12 

11.9

3.87 

.00 

.55 

12.9

10.86 

.00

2.41 

15.0

1.33 

.00

.14 

6.1

1.35 

.00 

.31 

7.0

11.17 

.00 

1.25 

20.8

3.30 

.00 

.37

8.6

1.86 

.00 

.41

7.7
 . CLHOOT " >. ' ! rr" 9U

Maximum, minimum^ and mean monthly precipitation in inches and percentage of 

mean annual precipitation at 11 stations in and near Mohave Desert region,. 

Calif, Continued . ,

[Compiled from records of U. S. Weather Bureau] ' | f

1

Keeler, Calif. ________________

Maximum monthly precipitation ____

Tehachapi, Calif..... ._._.........--. -......

Per cent of annual precipitation.... ___

Mojave, Calif..............:.......... .......

Mean monthly precipitation _ .. ........

Minimum monthly precipitation ____

Barstow, CaHf.. .......... ...... .............

Bagdad, Calif....................... _ ......

Maximum monthly precipitation .........

Needles, Calif............... .................

Maximum monthly precipitation. __ ....

Jan.

1.55 

.00 

.41 

13.6

4.90 

Tr. 

1.55 

14.6

3.27 

.00 

.96 

19.2

6.50 

.70 

2.63

14.7

3.39 

.00 

.84 

19.8

15.51 

.00 

3.52 

21.8

2.40 

.00 

.37 

16.2

4.67 

.00 

1.09 

24.5

4.15 

.00 

.78 

13.0

3.36 

.00 

.65 

15.2

3.64 

.00 

1.01 

18.9

Feb.

1.21 

.00 

.44 

146

8.88 

.00 

2.54 

23.7

5.69 

.00 

.99 

19.8

7.05 

.34 

3.19 

17.9

2.47 

.00 

.60 

14.1

12.20 

.00

a 01

18.7

3.20 

.00 

.43 

18.9

1.70 

.00 

.44 

. 9.9

6.00 

.00 

.96 

16.0

4.50 

.00 

.50 

11.7

3.67 

.00

.78 

14.6

Mar.

3.30 

.00 

.39 

13.0

7. OS 

.00 

1.84 

17.2

5.00 

.00 

.91

18.2

9.60 

.48 

4.02

22.5

3.50 

.00 

.61 

14.4

9.95 

.06 

2.89 

17.9

2.30 

.00 

.19 

8.3

2.63 

.00 

.20 

4.5

3.00 

.00 

.43 

7.2

2.31 

.00 

.41 

9.6

1.77 

.00 

.47

8.8

Apr.

1.25 

.00 

.18 

6.1

457 

.00 

1.20 

11.2

1.50 

.00 

.22 

4.4

3.53 

.25 

1.60 

8.9

1.20 

.00 

.16 

3.8

5.68 

.00 

1.19 

7.4

1-.57 

.00 

.14 

6.1

1.42 

.00

.28 

. 6.3

4.50 

.00 

.37 

6.2

1.00 

.00 

.16 

3.7

.89 

.00 

.19 

3.6

May

1.10 

.00 

.16 

5.0

1.73 

.00 

.40 

3.7

.50 

.00 

.05 

1.0

3.25 

.00 

1.10 

6.7

.99 

.00 

.14 

3.3

3.34 

.00 

.68 

3.9

1.75 

.00 

.20

8.8

1.40 

.00 

.33 

7.4

1.20 

.00 

.19 

3.2

.78 

.00 

.10 

2.3

3100 

.00 

.16 

3.0

June

 L60

»m.08' 

18

1.06 

.00 

.09 

.8

1.05 

.00 

.04 

,8

,99 

.00 

.12

.7

2.97 

.00 

.16 

3.S

1.03 

.00 

.09 

.6

.00 

.00 

.00 

.00

.67 

.00 

.14 

3.2

1.00 

.00 

.05

.8

.88 

.00 

.07 

.16

.50 

.00 

.07 

1.3

Ytar-'

, 8. 60

- .m lot

100 '

ax 89 

a. TO

10.72 

100

12.47 

Tr. 

499 

100

26.84. 

11.08 17. sr;

180 

: »

4.25 

109 '

sr.sf

7.49 re. it100

10.20 

.00 

2.28 

100

8.46 

.76 

444 

100

10.37 

.98 

6.00

too

12.48 

.60 

429 

100

9.12 

.84 

5.34 

100
92 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

From 50 to 85 per cent of the average annual precipitation fan's 

in the five winter months November to March. The greatest precipitation usually occurs in January, February, and March. The 

records for Bagdad, Las Vegas, Fort Mohave, Needles, and Parker 

show that a secondary rainy season of less magnitude occurs in the 

eastern part of the area in July and August. The average monthly 

precipitation during these two months at the places mentioned 

ranges from about 19 to nearly 28 per cent, whereas at all the other 

stations^ with the exception of Keeler, it is less than 10 per cent. 

At Needles the mean monthly precipitation has been greater in 

August than in any other month, although the total for the six 

summer months is much less than the total for the winter.

The winter precipitation comes from storms that cover large areas. 

These storms move in general from the Pacific Ocean eastward. 

The rainfall from such storms is more or less steady, continuing 

from several hours to a day or two, and an inch or more of rain may 

fall during a storm. The winter precipitation over most of the 

region usually comes in the form of rain. Occasionally sfiow falls, 

but it usually melts within a few hours. In the high San Bernardino, 

San Gabriel, and Tehachapi Mountains much of the whiter precipitation occurs as snow, which remains on the ground for longer perio'ds. 

The relative amount of snow that may be expected in different parts 

of the region is shown in the following table by records at five stations, the only places for which data are available.

Mean monthly snowfall at stations in the Mohave Desert region (in inches) *

Station

Bear Valley Dam, Calif Holoomb, Calif .' . ...

Las Vegae, Nev ......................

J*ort Mohav*, Aria

Station

Bear VaHey Dam. Calif

Las Vegas, Nev... ....................

Parlrar, Aria. _ ......................

Altitude 

(feet)

6,700

7,800

2,033

604

353

Length 

of 

record

(years)

9

7

14

U

11

January

26.1

on i

.1

Tr.

Tr.

July

0.0

.0

.0

February

28.1

10 3

.2

.0

Tr.

August

0.0

.0

.0

March

21.9

16.2

Tr.

.0

.0

September

0.0

.0

.0

April

L7

9.9

.0

.0

.0

October

a?

.9.0

.0

.0

May

2.7

2,9

.0

.0

.0

November

8.6

6.1

.0

.0

.0

June

0.0

.0

.0

Deaember

me

17.8 1.8 Tr.

. .0

Seasonal

117.2 101. r

2.1

Tr.

Tr.

 Compiled from records of U. 8. Weather Bureau.

The precipitation is more irregular during the summer than during 

tile whiter. It usually occurs in thunderstorms in which the fall may 

be only a fraction of an inch, but sometimes the fall is very great 

in a short time. The slightly greater precipitation in the eastern 

part of the region in July and August comes from thunderstorms
tr. s. oiotoatdAt stravsit WAtBE-StJPPLT PAPEB SK PLATE 6

INC 

20

IS 

10

5

O 

55

50 

45 

40 

35

30

25 

20

15 

10

5

25 

20

IS

10

S

0

HES

KEELER

?

i

M> O O 

«p O> Q

^

FORT MOHAVE ^

BARSTOW ^ "2 ^

-o

1^/ No record

si J § 55 § 5

^ ^3 H K^i: ^ No record p;

O) t*O ^O f*,

co oo co 5 

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ANNUAL PRECIPITATION AT NINE CONTROL STATIONS IN OR NEAR THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION

mov©~u|j from the south. The stations ia this part:oC^ere^MQ 

aye on the western border of an area that is affected by st&rms thafc 

strike Ariaona and reach northward into Nevada. This area 

not have any sharp boundary, but Bagdad seems to fie within i$.>

Although the precipitation in a single storm occasionally 

to an inch or more, a very large percentage of it in most &t tae r^oii 

conies in small amounts of less than half an inch. Under such eoaditions the mokture is quickly evaporated and is of little value to 

growing crops or in replemshing the ground-water reservoirs,,

As shown in the diagrams on Plate 6 and by the tables on pages 

78-91, the distribution of the rainfall from year to year rftnd for till* 

same months in different years is very irregular and uncertain. 

departure from normal in successive years at a station 

differs by 50 per cent and occasionally as much as 100 or 150 

cent. Although it is true that several wet years may be followed 

by several dry years, there is no evidence of any definite periodic 

fluctuation of wet and dry years.

It may be pointed out that in the region there are generally mem 

seasons when the rainfall is below the average than season® when 

it is above. This relation is due to the fact that an occasional 

unusually wet season may give an excess of precipitation equal to or 

greater than the whole amount of the average, but there can be mo 

seasons with an equally great deficiency. Thus at several of the 

stations there have been one or more years when the precipitation 

has been more than 100 per cent in excess of the longtime average, 

but the deficiency in a dry year can never be more .than 100 per cent. 

It would take two years without rainfall to equal a year with 100 

per cent above the normal. In estimating the rainfall available for 

agricultural use it is therefore necessary to make some allowance for 

the unusually wet years of rare occurrence. The normal year is 

really one in which the rainfall is somewhat below the mathematical 

average annual rainfall.

The winter rainfall generally comes when crops in the region ?teri> 

dormant. The summer rainfall is generally of little value to caropa 

because it is small in amount and quickly evaporated. These conditions, together with the irregular and uncertain distribution &t -jpi»* 

cipitation from year to year, make it necessary that storage ol some 

kind be provided if 'the rainfall is to be useful for irrigation. -Eba 

storage may be accomplished in artificial reservoirs or da the natural 

underground reservoirs composed of the water-bearing sand and 

gravel that underlie the valleys in the region. Storage in the gr0ui«i*» 

water reservoirs is considered further on pages 124 and 315^320. ;

The records show that, although the mean annual precipitation 

differs considerably at different points, it is generally* greater-a* 

stations high above sea level than at lower stations. , Tiie moisture*-
94 THE MOHAVE DESBBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

laden winds from the ocean in approaching mountains rise to higher* 

levels and become cooler. Cool air can not hold as much moisture 

as warm air and accordingly the winds must drop some of their 

moisture if they become saturated. After passing over the mountains the winds descend to lower levels again. They become warmer 

and can absorb more moisture, so that evaporation rather than 

precipitation takes place, or, if the air is still oversaturated the rain' 

fall becomes less and less at successively lower altitudes.

The winter storms move eastward from the Pacific Ocean. Before 

reaching the desert they encounter the high San Bernardino, San 

Gabriel, and Tehachapi Mountains and the Sierra Nevada, which 

present an almost unbroken barrier. For the reasons just mentioned 

the rainfall on the southwest and west sides of these ranges is relatively heavy, but on the northeast and east sides it decreases rapidly, 

as is shown by a comparison of the rainfall at stations between San

3

I I |

_ Profile of surface 

>f Mo/lav* ff/ver ~

Approximate scale

5 10 !5 SO zs Miles

FIGURE 3. Relation of mean annual precipitation (heavy vertical lines) to altitude between San

Bernardino and Barstow

Bernardino and Barstow. The mean annual rainfall at San 

Bernardino, altitude 1,054 feet, is approximately 16 inches; at Bear 

Valley Dam, altitude 6,500 feet, near the summit of the San 

Bernardino Mountains, it is approximately 35 inches; at Little Bear 

Valley, altitude 5,200 feet, it is approximately 32 inches; at the Forks 

of Mohave River, altitude 3,000 feet, it is approximately 13.5 inches; 

at Hesperia, altitude 3,190 feet, it is approximately 7.75 inches; at 

Rancho Verde, altitude 2,760 feet, it is approximately 6 inches; at 

Victorville, altitude 2,726 feet, it is approximately 5 inches; and at 

Barstow, altitude 2,150 feet, it is approximately 4 inches. These 

relations are shown graphically in Figure 3.

Although the mean annual precipitation is generally greater at 

high altitudes than at low altitudes the relation between altitude 

and precipitation is not uniform throughout the region. Thus 

Tehachapi, at an altitude of nearly 4,000 feet^ should hat© a mean
CLIMATE! 95

annual precipitation of approximately 22 or 23 inches if the relation 

between precipitation and altitude were the same there as in the San 

Bernardino Mountains, but it is actually only about 10.5 inches. 

Also, the rainfall in the New York Mountains, which reach altitudes 

of 5,000 to 7,000 feet, should be from 30 to 35 inches. There is no 

evidence of such heavy rainfall in these mountains. It is nevertheless 

true, according to the testimony of local inhabitants, that the precipitation is somewhat greater in these mountains than at lower 

altitudes a few miles distant. The difference in the relation between 

the altitude and precipitation is due in part to topographic situation 

with respect to the rain-bearing winds. Thus the precipitation in 

in the vicinity of Cajon Pass apparently is affected by the fact that 

winds blowing through the pass do not rise as high as those that 

cross the mountains on both sides. Data on rainfall in Antelope 

Valley show that there is considerable difference in the rainfall at 

places at about the same altitude, apparently owing to local topon 

graphic features that influence the course of the winds.

The data are not sufficient to allow definite conclusions to be 

drawn in regard to the mean annual precipitation throughout the 

area. Probably, however, in most of the area, except at higher 

altitudes, the precipitation does not exceed 5 inches. The records 

at Bagdad and Greenland ranch show that in some of the valleys it 

is less than 3 inches. Further information in regard to precipitation 

in individual valleys is given in the detailed descriptions of those 

valleys.

INFLUENCE OF CLIMATE ON HUMAN ACTIVITIES

The climate of an arid region like the Mohave Desert has certain 

features which are considerably different from those in a more humid 

climate and which are supposed by many persons lo be detrimental 

if not dangerous to human beings. Brief consideration may be given 

here to the influence of the arid climate on human activities.

The most marked feature of desert climate is the unusually high 

summer temperature and the low relative humidity. In humid 

regions high temperature frequently causes deaths from sunstroke^ 

but in the desert sunstroke is almost unknown. The high temperature 

alone does not seem to cause any noticeable discomfort. Loew 24 

found that after marching 20 miles over the desert on a day when the 

air temperature was 110° to 116° F. the body temperature at the 

most rose only 1° or 2° above the normal of 98.5°. The pulse was 

generally much increased, but the respiration showed little or no 

increase. The low humidity and consequent high evaporation 

probably produces the most harmful effects in the desert, and yet 1$

 u.y-^ij

M Loew, Oscar, On the physiological eflects of a very bot climate: IT. 6. Geag, Surveys W, J90tbM«r. 

Ana.' Bfepfr. j&r 1876,' Appfllttffic H 15, pp. 828*330,1876.
96 THE MOHAVE DESERT EE<HON, CAMFOBNIA

is of value in making the high temperatures bearable. Because Of 

the dryness of the air the moisture given off by the body quickly 

evaporates and there is no visible perspiration, but the evaporation 

produces a cooling effect. Hence one :.s seldom affected as long as 

he can drink sufficient water to make up for the rapid loss through 

the skin. It is usually only when a person can not get water that 

there is any harmful effect. One should never go far from a source

of water even in winter, and much less in summer, without enough

water to last until another supply can be reached. From a series 

of observations on days when the temperature was as high as 108° 

to 114° F. Loew concluded that the evaporation from a human body 

in,half a day amounted to about 2 quarts, and if the person did 

heavy work, as climbing mountains, it was nearly double this quantity. 

To provide for emergencies travelers should carry at least 2 to 4 

gallons of water per 24 hours for each person. A Geological Survey 

party of two men used in September for all purposes, including drinking, cooking, washing, and filling the automobile radiator, from 3 to 

13 gallons a day.

Advantage is taken of the great evaporation for cooling water and 

foodstuffs. Thus water is cooled by being kept in porous earthen 

jars or water bags through which the water slowly seeps to the outside, where it evaporates. The refrigerator of many a desert home 

consists of a vessel wrapped in gunny sacks, which are kept moist by 

water dropping from holes in a can. The cooling effect is greatest 

where there is a current of air.

The winds of the desert cause trouble because of the sand which 

they carry. The sand is often driven with sufficient force to cut off 

young plants and trees unless they are protected by windbreaks. In 

some places it is difficult to prevent railroad tracks from being 

buried by wind-blown sand. As a whole, however, there is less 

difficulty from wind-blown sand in the Mohave Desert region than in 

some other arid parts of the country.

The influence of precipitation is naturally of great importance, for 

if it were not for the low rainfall throughout the region 2,000,000 

acres or more that will probably never be of any value could be used 

for agriculture. Wherever sufficient water is available for irrigation, 

either from streams or from underground sources, the land is productive, but because of the irregularity and uncertainty in the supply it 

is necessary that the water be stored, either in artificial reservoirs or 

in the natural underground reservoirs. The evaporation of water 

from the natural or artificial reservoirs and from the distributing 

systems constitutes a serious waste, part of which can be prevented 

by the installation of expensive pipe lines and other works but a large 

part of which can not be prevented.

Storms, especially those occurring in the summer, frequently do 

great damage. At several places the crops of entire ranches have
been washed, away or buried by debris in a single storm. Large 

sums of money have been expended in protecting railroads from the 

floods that rush down from the mountains. Large drainage channels 

several thousand feet long are constructed to lead the floods to speeiftlly 

protected culverts, and concrete walls have been built at a number 

of places to protect the Atchison, Topeka & Santft Fe Railway. Iw 

spite of all these protective works sections of track are 

every few months. Considerable damage is also frequently 

highways. Strangely enough, in this land of little rain the 

losses due to excessive rainfall probably exceed those due to all ottiei*

climatic conditions.

DRAINAGE

ihc

of

A belt along the east side of 

but all the rest of the region 

about 50 closed basins, each 

"dry lakes," in its low central 

mountains and uplands drain. 

shown on Plate 7. The largest 

rises in the relatively well-watered 

in occasional wet years receives 

miles of desert country and to 

part of the basin. Another large 

that of Antelope Valley, in the 

but very dry basin is that occupied 

A still larger basin, intensely 

t River, which drains into Death 

which is described in this report and 

San Gabriel and San Bernardina 

of the region, there are only a 

entire region. The surface waters 

occur at" long intervals. Some 

are entirely devoid of springs 

described in detail. (See pp. 1

In the Pleistocene epoch 

Wells, Salt Wells, Searles, and 

of lakes in these valleys and a 

Death Valley. (See pp. 110-11 

River for a time raised the 

toward the north into Death Valley 

of other lakes that existed in 

in other parts of the region, 

and Cronise Valleys. (See pp.

very

Owens 

Pan*

level

the 

not

region drains into Colorado River, 

has an interior drainage. There are 

which has one or more play as,, or 

part, toward which the surrounding 

The boundaries of these basins are 

is the basin of Mohave River, wM0^ : 

San Bernardino Mountains and 

-nough water to persist through many 

discharge into Silver Lake, in the lowest 

and relatively well watered basin is 

southwest corner of the region. A huge 

by Bristol and Cadiz Dry Lakes, 

id in most parts, is that of Amargosa 

Valley, only the southern part of 

shown in Plate 7r Except in £he 

Mountains, in the southwest corner 

few tiny perennial streams in the 

come chiefly from freshets that 

if the smaller basins shown in Plate 7 

or streams. Each of the basins is 

:4-747.)

River flowed through Rose, Indian 

amint Valleys. It formed a chain 

.pparently discharged for a time into 

.) In the same humid epoch Mohave 

of Silver Lake until it overfto^d 

(See pp. 563-568.) Evidence 

Pleistocene epoch has been found 

tabiy in Antelope, Lower Mohave, 

302-303, 450, and 538.) :
98 THE MOHA.VE DESERT EEaiON, CAUFOBNIA.

GEOLOGY 

PREVIOUS LITERATURE

Descriptions of the geology of parts of the Mohave Desert region 

are scattered in a large number of reports. Most of the work has 

been of a reconnaissance nature, and such detailed work as has been 

done has been confined to small areas, as around some particular 

mine or mineral deposit. On account of the inadequate knowledge 

and scattered distribution of the localities studied little has been done 

in correlating the rocks in different parts of the region.

The first geologic information of any value was collected by geologists attached to the exploring parties that were seeking a railroad 

route between the Central States and the Pacific coast. (See p. 

17.) Jules Marcou served as geologist with the party under 

Lieutenant Whipple, who crossed the region from the Mohave 

villages to San Bernardino in 1854. On the basis of his scanty notes 

W. P. Blake prepared a brief description, a geologic map, and a 

cross section of the region traversed.25 Blake accompanied the 

expedition in charge of Lieutenant Williamson which traveled along 

the north foot of the San Gabriel Kange from Tejon Pass to Mohave 

Kiver and down that river to Soda Lake. He prepared a more 

satisfactory description of the geology of this part of the region.2* 

In 1871 G. K. Gilbert 27 crossed the region from Owens Valley to 

Camp Mohave on Colorado River by way of Pilot Knob, Saratoga 

Springs, and Ivanpah. His notes are good, but the points of observation were very few. Notes on the geology of the Mohave Desert 

region are included in a report by Loew.28

A report by Spurr M covers that part of the region lying north of 

an east-west line drawn a mile or two south of Randsburg and Pilot 

Knob. His notes on the geology close to the route he followed are 

good, but his geologic map is inaccurate in parts of the region which 

he did not visit. The entire range of mountains on his map called 

the Leachs Point and Burnt Rock Mountains is shown as composed 

of Tertiary sedimentary and volcanic rocks, whereas at least the 

north side of the range between longitude 116° 30' and 117° is composed of granitic rocks, and sedimentary and intrusive rocks of 

Paleozoic age or older, form a large part of Avawatz Mountain, at

» Whipple, A. W., Report of explorations for a railway route near the thirty-fifth parallel of latitude: 

U. S. Pacific R. R. Expl., vol. 3, pp. 51-56, 161-164, Washington, 1856.

M Blake, W. P., Geological report in Williamson, R. S., Report of explorations in California for railroad 

routes to connect with the routes near the 35th and 32d parallels of north latitude: U. 8. Pacific B. R. 

Expl., vol. 5, pt. 2, pp. 52-88,198-227, geologic map, 1856.

» Gilbert, O.K., Report on the geology of portions of Nevada, Utah, California, and Arizona examined 

in the years 1871 and 1872: U. S. Qeog. and Geol. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Rept., vol. 3, Geology, pp. 25, 

32, 34,42,124,128, 135,143,170, and other scattered references, 1875.

2».Loew,, Oscar, -Report^ on: the'geological, and mineralogical character of southeastern California and 

adjacent regions: U. S. Oeog. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Ann. Rept. for 1876, Appendix H2, pp. 173-188,1876.

* Spurr, J. E., Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of 

California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 208, pp. 187-218,1903.
GEOLOGY 99

the east end of .the range. A paper by Hershey w contains a somewhat detailed geologic map of the southwestern part of the region.

In two other papers he gives notes on the old crystalline rocks** and 

Tertiary rocks 82 in the same area. Baker 33 has described briefly the 

geology of part of the same region with special emphasis on the 

Cenozoic sedimentary rocks and the erosional history. Darton 3* 

mapped the geology of that part of the region that lies from 5 to 

25 miles on each side of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

between Colorado River and the city of San Bernardino.

The most useful reports which describe the geology of certain 

other localities in the region are as follows:

Campbell, M. R., Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death VaHey and 

Mohave Desert: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 200, 1902. , ' . Hess, F. L., Gold mining in the Randsburg quadrangle, Calif: U. S. Geol. 

Survey BulL 430, pp. 23-47, 1910. ;

Baker, C. L., Physiography and structure of the western El Paso Range and 

the southern Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, 

No. 6, pp. 117-142, 1912.

Hill, J. M., The Yellow Pine mining district, Clark .County, Nev.: U. S. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 540, pp. 223-274, 1914.

Pack, R. W., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, Calif.: U., S. 

Geol. Survey Bull. 541, pp. 141-154, 1914.

Noble, L. F., Mansfield, G. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa 

region, southeastern California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 724, vn, 99 pp., 35 

pis., 1922.

D. F. Hewett has been engaged for several years in mapping the 

geology of the Ivanpah quadrangle, which covers the north half of 

the area shown on Plate 12, but his report is not yet ready for 

publication.

A great amount of information is scattered through the reports of 

tihe California State Mining Bureau,35 and it is not possible to list all 

of them. Reference is made to these reports as well as to other reports 

of less value at appropriate places in the descriptions of the individual 

drainage basins.

Geologic maps covering the entire region have been poor. Marcou 36 in 1855 published a geologic map of the United States, on which

» Hershey, 0. H., The Quaternary of southern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 3, 

No. 1, p. 2,1902.

M Hershey, O. H., Some crystalline rocks of southern California: Am. Geologist, vol. 28, pp. 27a-280, 

1902.

M Hershey, O. H., Some Tertiary formations of southern California: Idem., pp. 349-872.

M Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoie history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California.' California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, No. 15, pp. 33-383,1911.

* Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa JTe Route: U. S. Geol. 

Su. vey Bull. 613, pp. 143-169, 1916; Some geologic features of southeastern California: Washington Acad 

Scl. Proc., vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 23-24,1916. , . M Boalich, £. &., Catalogue of the publications of the California State Mining Bureau: California State 

Min. Bur. Bull. 77,1917. Vogdes, A. N., A bibliography relating to .the geology, paleontology, and mineral 

J«il^c»tftJ^fornia: California State Miri;Bur. Bull. 10,1896;revised*d,BQll. 30,190*1 

> ,» Marcou, Jutes, Besum$ esplicatif d'une carte gfiologique des fetats-Unis fit des provinces angjaises.tfe 

FAmMque da Noril: Soo. g«ol. France Bull,, vol. i2, pp. 813-936, pi. 20 ;(gso]ogjp map)* 1865. , t
100 THE MOHAVE DEgSHT REGION, CALIFORNIA

hie showed practically all of the Mohave Desert region and all of the 

Great Basin as being underlain by eruptive and metamorphic rodks, 

but made no attempt to show any of the alluviums-filled valleys. He 

showed a belt of Tertiary rocks as extending approximately from 

Cajon Pass northwestward to ttye El Paso Mountain area. In 1883 

he published a geologic map of California.87 On this map he left blank 

the entire area of the Mohave Desert region except two areas of volcanic rocks near Soda Lake and the southwestern and western part of 

the region, including the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Ranges and 

the Sierra Nevada. Apparently the first attempt to show the large 

areas of Quaternary alluvium in the desert region was on a geologicf 

map of the United States and part of Canada, compiled by Hitchcock 88 in 1886. ;

On the preliminary mineralogi^ and geologic map of California, published in 1891 by the State Mining Bureau, the geology is shown only 

for the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Ranges, the Sierra Nevada, 

the Calico Mountains, and the Coso Mountains hi the northwest 

corner of the area. The geologic map of North America published 

by the United States Geological Survey inlQll^isa great improvement over previously published maps, although several large areas of 

Tertiary volcanic rocks are omitted. The geology of the region is 

shown in much more detailed and accurate manner on a lithologic map 

of California compiled by Waring.40 This map is considerably in 

error in local details, especially in showing such large areas of granitic 

rocks. In 1916 the California State Mining Bureau published a 

geologic map of the State based on all data then available.41 The map 

shows fairly accurately the general distribution of geologic formations 

in the desert region, but in some places it is very inaccurate. One of 

the principal errors is that Quaternary alluvium is shown in several 

areas where there are large mountains composed of rocks of Tertiary 

age or older. This map is not to be depended on so far as roads and 

watering places in the desert are concerned.

PRESENT CONTRIBUTION

The observations of the writer on geology, except in regard to the 

Quaternary deposits, were incidental to the study of ground-water 

conditions in a few of the valleys or to work connected with the placing of signposts directing to watering places and were made at many 

scattered localities. The occurrence of ground water in large quantir

» Marcou, Jules, Note sur la gfelogie de la Californie: Soo. gfiol. France Bull., 3d ser., vol. 11, pj^ $J]W85 

pi. 9 (geologic map), 1883.

M Hitchcock, C. H., The geological map of the United States: Am. lost. Min. Eng. frans., vol. 15, pp. 

m-m, 1887.

-» Wfflis, Bailey, Index to the stratigraphy of North America, accompanied by a geolpgio map of North 

America: TJ. S. Geel Survey Prof. Paper 71, Iftll. ,

* Waring,». A.i Springs of California: U. 8. Oeol. Surrey Water-Sapply Paper 338, pi. $, #15. 

« Smith, J. P., The geologic formations of California, with reoonnftlssanee geologic map: California State 

Min. Bar. Ball. 72,1910.
;, GEOLOGY , i ,

ties in the region is closely related to the Quaternary deposits, and 

accordingly most attention was given to those formations. The 

geologic map (pi. 8) hag been compiled from a number of sources but 

contains much information that has not heretofore been published, 

Many of the new data have been furnished by geologists to whom the 

writer is greatly indebted for their kindness in permitting the use qf 

unpublished material. (See inset map in pi. 8.)

The data credited to C. A. Waring are taken from a geologic map of 

Inyo County, published by the California State Mining Bureau.^ 

The geology of this county is described very briefly in. a report by 

Waring in which it is stated that the map is partly a compilation with 

additions and alterations from personal observations,48 The data 

that are credited to L. F. Noble, except those from the extreme southwestern part of the region, were collected by him in connection with 

his investigations for the United States Geological Survey of deposits 

containing nitrate of potash. The data which Noble has kindly fopr-f 

nished for the southwestern part of the region are based on a detailed 

study, principally of the region along the San Andreas rift zone, over 

a period of several years. The small scale of the map (pi. 8) necessitates the omission of many details shown on his maps. The geology 

in the vicinity of Randsburg is copied from an unpublished large-scale 

geologic map of the Randsburg quadrangle made by F. L. Hess, of the 

United States Geological Survey, between 1908 and 1910, but many 

details have necessarily been omitted.44

The geology of the region in the vicinity of Barstow and for some' 

distance northwest of that town is copied from a map that accompanies 

a report by Pack.46 The geology of the region along the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway has been taken chiefly from the maps 

by Darton.46 The geology of the region south of Goffs is taken from 

a map that accompanies a manuscript report by Leroy A. Palmer, 

field examiner of the United States General Land Office. The geology 

of part of the San Bernardino Mountains, credited to W. C. Mendeahall, is based on reconnaissance work by him in connection with 

investigations of the hydrology of San Bernardino Valley.47 The 

geology in the area along the south border of tihe region which is

« Geological map of Inyo County, Calif., with1 notes on geology by C. A. Waring, California State Min, 

Bur., 1917.

° Waring, O. A., and Huguenin, E., Inyo County, in Mines and mineral resources of Alpine County, 

Inyo County, Mono County: California State Mineralogist Kept. 1915-16, California Bar. Mines, pi 25, 

1917.

« Since Plate 8 was prepared a geologic map of the Randsburg quadrangle has been published by 0. IX 

Eulin in Geology and ore deposits of the Randsburg quadrangle: Calif. State Mining Bur. Bull. 93,1925. ! 

- « Pack, R. W., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, Calif.: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. Mlyppi 

MI-154, pi. 7,1913. »,{ T

« Darton, N. H., and others, Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, T,he Santa Fe R<wte: 

tT. S. Gteol, Surrey Bull. 613, map sheets 21-24,1816. ''" ** : ' :' 

<« since Plate $ was prepared a detailed geologic map of this part of the region has besn puHfeh^t by 

F. E. Vaughan in Geology of the San Bernardino Mountains north of San Goigonio Pass: California 

Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13^ No. 9, pp. 31&-411,1922. . - j

6631 29 8
102 THE MOHAVE DESEKT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

credited to J. S. Brown was mapped by him in connection with a 

survey of desert watering places in the region adjoining on the south, 

This work was of a reconnaissance nature. Where there is no 

indication on the inset map (pi. 8) as to the source of the data1, the 

geology has been compiled largely from observations of the writer, 

with reference to other available sources, including short reports on 

mining districts.

The boundary of the Quaternary alluvium has been drawn largely 

on the basis of the contour maps by assuming that the relatively 

level land is underlain by unconsolidated alluvium. Where there 

were no topographic maps the boundaries are based on plane-table 

and compass sketches, and in places where the mountains were not 

seen or only observed at a great distance the only information available consisted in the township plats of the General Land Office. 

These give a fairly accurate location of the boundary between the 

Quaternary alluvium and the older rocks. In such places the boundaries are broken on Plate 8. In some places lands that have the 

appearance of being underlain by Quaternary alluvium are in reality 

underlain by hard rocks and form what has been called a "mountain 

pediment."48 In such places it is very difficult to locate the boundary 

of the rock formation except by careful observation, and there also 

the boundaries are broken on Plate 8.

STRATIGRAPHY

GENERAL FEATURES

For most of the region the data from which the geologic map has 

been compiled are so meager that they do not warrant the use of more 

than a few very general units.

The map brings out several features that have not heretofore been 

shown so clearly. One of the most marked features, which is brought 

out by the distribution of the Quaternary deposits, is the much 

scattered arrangement of the older rocks. Especially noticeable is 

the absence, except along the northern border, of any linear arrangement of the mountains, such as is so characteristic of the Great 

Basin farther north. As shown in the section on structure (p. 120), 

however, there is; some indication of linear trend lines in a 

large part of the area. Another feature is the occurrence of small 

isolated areas of pre-Tertiary sediments where they have not been 

previously recorded, especially in the western two-thirds of the area. 

Future detailed work will doubtless show them to be more abundant. 

The Tertiary volcanic rocks are also shown to be somewhat more 

widely distributed than they are shown on previously published 

geologic maps. The widespread diat^ibtttioii of intruiiive and

"Bryan, Kirk, Erosion and sedimentation in the Papago country: U. S. &eol. Survey Bull. 730, p. S2, 

1922.
GEOLOGY 103

metamorphic crystalline rocks is very noticeable, but as granitic 

rocks i of pre-Oambrian and Mesozoic age and metamorphic rocks of 

unknown age are shown by the same symbol this distribution may be 

of no special significance.

The principal features of the units shown on the map are described 

briefly below. Further details are given in the descriptions of the 

individual drainage basins.

SEDIMENTABY BOOKS 

PEE-TEBHAEY SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

The sedimentary rocks of pre-Tertiary age in the Mohave Desert 

region are nearly all Paleozoic, mostly either Cambrian or Carbon* 

iferous. The largest areas of these rocks occur in the northern and 

northeastern parts of the region. The exposures found elsewhere in 

the region are scattered and small. Some of these exposures are 

shown on the geologic map for the first time. Others are mentioned 

in the literature, but the information is not sufficient to locate them 

accurately. The presence of these scattered exposures in .nearly all 

parts of the region suggests that detailed work may reveal others 

which may be of value in the correlation of the rocks.

Cambrian rocks. Rocks definitely known to be of Cambrian age 

have been found in the Marble Mountains, near Cadiz station on the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.19 Here Lower Cambrian and 

Upper Cambrian fossils have been found.

Rocks that contain Cambrian fossils were found by Rowe in the 

vicinity of Resting Springs, in the northeastern part of the region, 

and in the Kingston Range, east of those springs.60 Other sediments 

of presumably Cambrian age are shown on Waring's geologic map of 

Inyo County in the part of the area considered in this paper, extending from the .Argus Range (near Trona) eastward to the State line. 

Spurr 51 states that rocks of presumable Cambrian age occur in the 

Panamint Range as far south as Wingate Pass, but the correlation 

is based on lithologic grounds and not on fossils. Cambrian fossils 

are found hi the Argus Range,52 some distance north of the limits of 

the area covered by this report. Rocks at Saratoga Springs mayrbe 

Cambrian, but no fossils have been found in them, and they may be 

pre-Cambrian.63 A series of quartzite and metamorphosed limestone

49 Barton, N. H., Discovery of Cambrian rooks in southeastern California: Jour. Qeology, vol. 15, No. 5, 

pp. 470-474, 1907. Clark, C. W., Lower and Middle Cambrian formations of the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept. Qeology Bull., vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 1-7, 1921. The range in which the rocks were found 

is called the Iron Mountains by Darton and the Bristol Mountains by Clark. On Plate 12 in this paper 

it is called the Marble Mountains, & name that is in common use according to residents at Amboy . The 

name Bristol Mountains is applied to a range that lies north of Amboy and Bristol Dry Lake.

* Spurr, J. E., Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of 

. &. Geel. Survey Bull. 208; pp. 136-197, . 1903. The Kingston Range as referred to by. Spurr

ttldtai, p. 202. 

» Idem, p. 212.

» Idem, p. 188. Campbell, M. R., Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death Valley and MoAaV* 

Desert: U. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 200, p. 14, 1902.
104 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

east of Oro Grande is considered by Hershey to be of Cambrian, age. 

His correlation is based entirely on Kthologic grounds. Hewett** 

reports Cambrian^ocks in the Spring Mountain region.

Ordovician rocks. So far as the writer is aware no rocks which 

have been definitely determined as Ordovician have been found in 

the region. About 3% miles east of Twelvemile Spring (about 12" 

miles north of Resting Spring, just north of the area shown on themap) Rowe found trilobites which he believed to be "somewhere 

between the Trenton and the Lower Cambrian," so that Ordovician 

rocks may be present.

Silurian rocks. On the geologic map of Inyo County compiled byWaring the first range east of Shoshone and Zabriskie is shown as. 

consisting of Silurian rocks, but the basis of this correlation is not 

known.

Devonian rocks. Rocks that contain fossils which are regarded a& 

of Devonian age have not been found in the region but are known to 

occur about 15 miles north of Shoshone, at the north border of the 

region, and on the basis of lithologic resemblances to these rocksSpun- M believes that some of the rocks of Clark Mountain may be* 

Devonian. Darton 66 states that Devonian rocks are found in the 

Providence Mountains. Hewett 87 has found Devonian rocks in the 

Spring Mountain range.

Carboniferous rocks. Rocks that contain fossils of Carboniferous 

age are found at a number of places in the region. They are nearly 

all in the eastern part, but small areas have been found elsewhere.

Part of Spring Mountain is composed of rocks of both MississippiaL. 

and Pennsylvanian age,68 and on lithologic similarities Spurr .*" 

believes some of the sedimentary rocks of Clark Mountain to be oi 

the same age. Larsen w has found fossils in the New York Mountains which he believes to be of Carboniferous age, and Darton flt 

states that Carboniferous rocks occur in the southern extension 

of that range known as the Providence Mountains. Darton M haa 

also found rocks containing Carboniferous fossils in the MarbleMountains, near Cadiz station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa F& 

Railway. During the present field investigation the writer collected, 

two specimens of fossiliferous limestone from an outcrop in a hUl

« Hewett, D. F., Structure of the Spring Mountain Range, southern Nevada: Geol. Soc. America Bull.,, 

vol. 84, No. 1, pp. 89-90, 1923.

M Spurr, J. E., op. cit., pp. 197, 200.

M Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Route: U. 8. QeoL 

Surrey Bull. 613, p. 149,1915.

w Hewett* D. P., op. oit., pp. 89^90.

« Hill, J. M,, The Yellow-Pine.mining district, Clark County, Nev.: IT. S. Geol. Surrey Boll, MO, pp~ 

230-232-andmap, pi. 4,19U. .Hewett, D. F., op. cit,, pp. 89-90.

» Spurr, J. E., op. dt., p. 200,

<* Larsen, E. S., personal communication.

« Darton, N. H., op. oit., p. 150.

M Clark, C. W., Lower and, Middle Cambrian formations of the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept_ 

Geofeigv Boll., vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 1-7,1921.
SEOLOGY ' 1

about half a mile southwest of Baker station, on the Ton0pah & 

Tidewater Kailroad, which G. H. Girty considers are probably tf

 Carboniferous age, possibly Mississippian. (See p. 557.) limestone 

and other sedimentary rocks were observed at several places irtlhe 

Mils west of the two playas between the north end of Silver Lake 

and Soda Lake station, and it is probable that a careful search will 

reveal better fossils. In the El Paso Range, northwest of Randsburg, 

Hess 63 found specimens, resembling fossils which Girty believed 

might be of Carboniferous age.

No fossils that could be identified with sufficient certainty to permit 

the determination of the age of the rocks have been found in tbe 

region west of a line extending from Cadiz northward to the vicinity

 of Goodsprings and south of the south end of Death Valley. Small 

outcrops of limestone and other sedimentary rocks have been found 

at a number of places. Some of these are highly metamorphosed 

and may be of earlier Paleozoic age or even pre-Cambrian. Others 

are less metamorphosed, and a careful search may reveal more fossil 

evidence. The finding of fossils of probable Carboniferous age at 

Baker station and in the El Paso Mountains suggests very strongly 

that these rocks may have once been much more widespread but 

were removed by erosion.

Mesozoic rocks. Sedimentary rocks of Triassic and Jurassic age 

have been found near Goodsprings,6* and these are the only known 

sedimentary rocks of Mesozoic age in the region. Their presence in 

this vicinity and farther north suggests that other areas may be 

found in the northeastern part of the region.

TERTIARY SEDIMENTARY ROCKS

Tertiary sedimentary rocks are found in a number of places in 

the region. On the geologic map (pi. 8) some of the areas shown 

as comprising Tertiary sediments also contain Tertiary volcanic 

rocks, but the sedimentary rocks predominate. Tertiary sedimentary rocks also occur in minor amounts in some of the areas 

shown as comprising Tertiary volcanic rocks.

No distinction is made on the map between marine sediments and 

continental sediments, as only two small areas of marine sediments 

are known. Dickerson 6S has described marine beds in a small area 

near Valyermo post office, on the north slope of the San Gabriel 

Mountains, which he correlates with the Martinez formation, of 

Eocene age. These beds are overlain by land-laid or lacustrine 

beds, which Dickerson believes to be of Miocene age. Marine 

beds of middle Tertiary age have been found near Quail Lake, 35

 > Hess, F. L., Gold mining in tbe Randsburg quadrangle, Calif.: U. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 430, p. 30,1319.

H Spun-, J. E., op. tit., pp. 173-174. HOI, 3. M., op. tit., pp. 232-238. Hewett, D. F., Structure of tt» 

Spring Mountain Range, southern Nevada (abstract): Oeol. 800. America Bull., vol. 84, N°-*t PP. 89-W, 

1928.
106 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA.

or 40 miles west of Lancaster, at the extreme southwest corner of 

the Mohave Desert region.66 No marine Tertiary beds are found in 

the interior of the region. (

The principal areas of nonmarine Tertiary beds which have been 

studied so far are five in number the Rosamond area, near Rosamond station on the north side of Antelope Valley 87 ; the Ricardo 

or Red Rock Canyon area, 25 to 30 miles northeast of the town 

of Mojave (see p. 204) 68 ; the Barstow area or Barstow syncline and adjacent territory, several miles north of Barstow (see p. 442) 69 ; an area 

that extends from the vicinity of Cajon Pass northwestward along the 

San Andreas fault zone on the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains (see pp. 38 and 305); and an area in the vicinity of Tehachapi, in 

the Tehachapi Mountains or southern Sierra Nevada (see p. 205).70 

The rocks of the Rosamond area are principally a series of volcanic 

rocks, but as they have been correlated with the rocks in the Barstow and Ricardo areas they are considered with them.

Beds of nonmarine origin near Valyermo post office have been 

described by Dickerson,71 who believed them to be Miocene and 

identical with rocks exposed hi Cajon Pass. The rocks along the 

San Andreas fault zone have since been studied in considerable 

detail by L. F. Noble, of the United States Geological Survey, but 

his results have not yet been published.

The information in regard to the correlation of the Tertiary beds 

of the Rosamond, Ricardo, and Barstow areas has been summed 

up by Merriam.72 The beds at Rosamond were first described by 

Hershey, under the name "Rosamond series." He also considered 

the Tertiary rocks in the Barstow area to belong to the same formation. Baker followed him in this correlation, and also correlated 

the Ricardo formation with the "Rosamond series." This correlation of the rocks in the three areas as all belonging to the "Rosamond series" was based on the assumption that the beds all represent a single period of accumulation. More recently mammalian

66 Dickerson, R. E., The Martinez Eocene and associated formations at Bock Creek, on the western 

border of the Mohave Desert area: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 8, pp. 289-298, 1914.

» Merriam, J. C., Tertiary mammalian fauna of the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept. Geology 

Bull., vol. 11, p. 445, footnote 186,1919.

** Hershey, O. H., Some Tertiary formations of southern California: Am. Geologist, vol. 29, pp. 366, 

869, 1902.

M Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, pp. 354-357,1911; Physiography and structure of the 

El Paso range and the southern Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, pp. 117-142, 

1912.

* Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, pp. 342-353,1911.

** Lawson,«A. C., The geomorphogeny of the Tehachapi Valley system: California* Univ. Dept. Geology 

Bull., vol. 4, pp. 431-432, 1906. Buwalda, J. P., New mammalian faunas from Miocene sediments near 

Tehachapi Pass in the southern Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 10, pp. 75-85, 

1916.

» Dickerson, R. E., op. cit., p. 296.

" Merriam, J. C., Tertiary mammalian fauna of the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept. Geology 

Ball., vol. ll,.pp,437a-S§5,1019.
GEOLOGY 107

remains have been found in the Ricardo and Barstow formations, 

by which the relative age of these beds has been determined more 

accurately. On the basis of these remains Merriam 73 considers the 

Ricardo formation to be lower Pliocene and the Barstow formation 

to be upper Miocene. No fossils have been found in the "Rosamond series," and it has not been possible to trace the lithologie 

units from the type locality to the other areas. Merriam H states 

that "the Rosamond series of Hershey may include beds containing 

the older fauna of the Barstow, but it is doubtful whether it comprises sediments of the stage represented at Ricardo." On the 

basis of lithologie similarities the1 name "Rosamond series" has 

been applied by some geologists to the Tertiary rocks in other parts 

of the region.

Two distinct faunas have been found in the Tertiary beds near 

Techachapi. One of these faunas, the Cache Peak fauna, which is 

found along Cache Creek, about 12 miles northeast of Tehaehapi, 

is considered by Buwalda 75 to be probably late middle or upper 

Miocene and of about the same age as the fauna of the Barstow 

formation. The other fauna from the Phillips ranch, about -3^4 

miles west of the Cache Peak locality, he believes to be somewhat 

older, although possibly middle Miocene.

Tertiary sedimentary rocks are found at a number of other places 

in the region, but there is no evidence on which to base definite 

iorrelations. The most notable of these areas lie in the southern 

oart of the Death Valley and Amargosa Valley regions. The beds in 

this area have been studied in connection with the search for nitrate 

leposits during the World War, but no evidence was found bearing 

on their age.78 On the basis of lithologie similarities and general 

relations of Tertiary rocks in surrounding areas it is believed that 

the beds a few miles west of Saratoga Springs are more probably 

late Miocene or Pliocene than early Tertiary.77 Other areas of 

Tertiary sedimentary rocks have been reported from the south end 

of the Slate Range extending southwestward nearly to Johannesburg, in the vicinity of Twenty-nine Palms, along Colorado River 

near Beal station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, and 

near West Well in Chemehuevis Valley. It is probable that other 

areas that may yield fossil evidence will be found. The knowledge 

obtained by a study of the Tertiary sediments already observed in 

the region has been of considerable value in correlating the Tertiary 

rocks in other parts of the Great Basin.

» Merriam, J. C., op. cit., p. 454. 

w Idem, p. 441.

'* Buwalda, J. P., op. cit., p. 83. ', 

» Noble, L. F., Mansfield, G. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa region, southeastern 

California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 724,1922. '- 

n idem, p. 35. ,
108 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALTFOENIA

QUATERNARY DEPOSITS < -:

GENERAL FfiATUBES

Deposits of Quaternary age are widespread throughout the region 

and probably cover nearly as large an area as the rocks of all other 

ages except in the San Bernardino, San Gabriel, and Tehachapi 

Mountains and the Sierra Nevada. The Quaternary is subdivided 

into the Pleistocene and Recent; but in most places it is not possible 

to make any distinction between the deposits of the two ages, as they 

merge into each other. Furthermore, in some parts of the region the 

Quaternary deposits doubtless merge at a greater or less depth into 

beds of Tertiary age. The Quaternary deposits are the principal 

water-bearing formations in the region. For this reason they ar$ 

considered here in somewhat more detail than the older formations. 

On the geologic map (pi. 8) three units of Quaternary rocks are distinguished dune sand, playa and lake deposits, and alluvium deposited by perennial streams and by ephemeral streams in the form 

of alluvial fans. In general, the Quaternary; beds have been deposited in preexisting valleys cut in the more consolidated rocks, and 

accordingly they are frequently called "valley fill."

ALLUVIUM OF STREAM VALLEYS AND SLOPES

. The alluvium deposited along the streams and on the slopes covers 

the largest area. Most of it has been washed from the mountains by 

ephemeral streams and spread out on alluvial fans that reach from 

the mountains to the lowest parts of the numerous closed basins in 

the area.

The alluvium consists of a heterogeneous mixture of boulders, 

gravel, and sand, with only very small quantities of clay. The 

deposits are generally very coarse near the mountains and grade into 

finer materials in the lower part of the basins. Most of the material 

is angular or subangular, and except in the lower parts of the basins 

it is generally poorly sorted and stratified. Lawson 78 has used the 

word "fanglomerate" to designate the coarser parts of these deposits. 

The deposits as a whole are poorly consolidated. A typical example 

of the valley fill is shown in Plate 14, A. The photograph was taken 

in a cut on the south side of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, 

about 23^ miles east of Daggett, on the lower part of a long alluvial 

slope, and shows a finer phase of the valley fill, than is found on the 

upper parts of the alluvial fans.

The thickness of the deposits differs considerably from place to 

place. In some places the alluvium is present only as a tnin veneer 

and the older granites or other hard rocks may be seen in arroyos 

only a few feet deep. In a few places, as along Mohave River between

A. 0., The petrographic designation of alluvial-fan formations: California TJnlv. Dept. 

Geology Baft., vol. 7, No. 15, pp. 325-334,1913.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 14

A. ALLUVIUM EXPOSED IN CUT ALONG ATCHISON, TOPEKA & SANTA FE 

RAILWAY 2% MILES EAST OF DAGGETT

B. PILOT KNOB, IN T. 29 S., R. 44 E. MOUNT DIABLO MERIDIAN 

Shows contact between Tertiary (?) volcanic rocks and older granite
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 15

A. LEACH SPRING AND PART OF GRANITE MOUNTAINS 

Photograph by H. S. Gale

B. INDIAN SPRING, IN SUPERIOR VALLEY
GtSOEOGY

Victorville and Helendale the alluvium is exposed to & depth of 100 

feet or more. The maximum thickness is unknown. A well in the 

SB. M sec. 15, T. 4 N., R. 6 W. San Bernardino meriakuvrnt tip* 

north base of the San Gabriel Mountains, which was drilled to a depth 

of 910 feet, did not strike bedrock. A wefl at Amboy is said tq>iiav8 

reached a depth of 1,500 feet without striking bedrock. A weU 

drilled to a depth of 2,000 feet near Lancaster, in Antelope ¥alley 

apparently did not strike material different from the alluvium near 

the surface, except that it was more consolidated. It is possible, 

however, that the lower deposits in these wells may be of Tertiary age.

The alluvium also includes some deposits laid down in perennial 

streams, chiefly Amargosa, Mohave, and Colorado Rivers^ They 

consist largely of sand and clay, with some gravel. Wherev.er obser* 

vations were made along Mohave River, however, gravel was sur* 

prisingly absent or occurred only in small amounts.

Practically no fossils have been found that are of value in determining the age of any of the beds that are exposed in cuts. Tbe 

writer found small molluscan shells in exposures along Mohave River 

2 miles west of Daggett and in an exposure in a cut between Soda and 

Silver Dry Lakes, near Baker station. The following species were 

identified by W. H. Dall: Anodonta nuUaUiana, Lea, Physa, elliptica 

Lea, Planorbis lentus Say, and P. parvus Say. The range of these 

species is through both the Recent and Pleistocene, and Anodonta 

extends back to Pliocene, so that they are not determinative.

Along Colorado River, where the alluvial deposits have been dissected by the river, Lee 79 has recognized two formations in addition 

to the Recent flood-plain deposits. The older of these he calk the 

Temple Bar conglomerate and correlates with the Lake BonneviUe 

beds of Utah.80 The younger, called the Chemehuevis gravel, is 

typically exposed in the Chemehuevis Valley. Both deposits ate 

now considered to be of early Quaternary (Pleistocene) age.

PLAYA AND LAKE DEPOSITS

. Beds deposited in perennial lakes or in playa lakes are found in all 

parts of the region.81 They consist principally of clay with minor 

amounts of sand and almost no gravel. In most places they include 

some chemically deposited salts, and in a few places these salts are of

f»Aee, W. T., Geologic reconnaissance of a part of western Arizona: TJ. S. Geol. Survey Boll, 362, pp. 

IT-1, 41-46, 6»-66,1908.

»Idem, pp. 18,64.

n The word "playa" is a physiographic term of Spanish origin, used in Spanish-American countries to 

designate beaches along lakes, seas, or large rivers. Most English-speaking geologists, however, use t&f 

term in a sense almost entirely different from the original Spanish meaning, to designate nearly level &j$8f 

of alluvium in the lowest part of closed basins in arid regions which in wet seasons may be covered with, 

temporary lakes and which are generally devoid of vegetation. Some persons have used tbe *&d ptlya1- 

to designate tbe temporary lakes, but the writer believes that tile term should be used to an aceaJtnoMk 

The temporary lakes may be more aptly called playa lakes, and the deposits laid down la them playft 

depwitfi. - 'Plajw «r« more oeiiii*M^?,«tJlMi<dm 

exprssslYe and always understood by the native. ,,::
110 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFOENIA

economic value. These deposits have been laid down either in 

perennial lakes that existed during the Pleistocene epoch or in temporary lakes which have covered playas for short periods, probably both 

in Pleistocene and in Recent time. They merge laterally into the 

deposits of the alluvial slopes. With a very few exceptions the 

deposits now occupy the lowest parts of the numerous closed basins 

in the region, and additional material is slowly being deposited on tjie 

playas. In most places they are not exposed to a depth of more than 

5 feet. Several of the more extensive areas may be briefly described.

Owens, Searles, and Panamint Lakes system. The most interesting 

and most noteworthy area of the playa and lake deposits is that 

commonly known as Searles Lake.82 Searles Lake is in reality a 

playa. It is covered with water to a depth of a few inches only 

during rainy seasons, and most of the time is dry. The central part 

of the deposit is composed of a body of nearly pure crystalline salts 

of different kinds, called the crystal body, which extends to a depth 

of 60 or 100 feet. The crystal body is commercially valuable because 

it is one of the few deposits in the United States that contain potash 

in workable quantities. (See pp. 175-176.) The crystal body merges 

outward from the center into clay and sand that contain less quantities 

of salts, and these in turn merge into the deposits of the alluvial 

slopes.

The deposits of Searles Lake, except the most recent, were laid 

down in a large lake that is known to have existed during the Pleistocene epoch. The evidence of the existence of this lake is the presence 

of beaches and wave-cut benches on the mountain slopes that surround the valley, the tufa deposits on the alluvial slope, and the thick 

deposit of unusually pure salts in the lower part of the valley. At 

its maximum extent the lake was at least 600 to 650 feet deep, and 

it covered an area of about 285 square miles. It filled not only most 

of Searles Basin but also extended westward and covered part of Salt 

Wells Valley and part of Indian Wells Valley.

The ancient Searles Lake formed part of a system of three large 

lakes that existed in Owens Valley and the northwestern part of the 

Mohave Desert region in Pleistocene time, when the climate was 

more humid than at present. The principal water supply that fed 

these lakes came from the high Sierra Nevada on the west side .of 

Owens Valley by way of Owens River. The first lake of the series lay 

in the basin now occupied by Owens Lake but was much larger than 

the existing Owens Lake. This lake rose until it overflowed a divide 

at the south end of Owens Valley and a stream poured into Indian 

Wells Valley, forming a small lake. In turn this lake overflowed 

into Salt Wells Valley and thence to Searles Valley. Eventually 

Searles Lake overflowed into Panamint Valley through an outlet at

« Gaie, H. S., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Basins, southeastern California: XT. S. Geol.

Survey Boll. 580, pp. 251-323 (especially pp. 265-312). 1915. 9t
its southeastern border, and for some time tnere was- a third lake* 

about 930 feet deep in Panamint Valley. It is probable that Pana* 

mint Lake overflowed through Wingate Pass into Death Valley, 

but this has not been definitely established. (See p. 180.) -Thechannels that connected the lakes are readily discernible at a number * 

of places, especially about 2 miles south of the Haiwee l)am of the 

Los Angeles aqueduct, in sec. 4, T. 31 S., R. 37 E. Mount Diablo 

meridian; south of Little Lake station, hi T. 23 S., R. 38 E.;'south-*

 east of Little Lake station, hi T. 24 S., R. 38 E., and the northern 

part of T. 25 £ >., R. 39 E.; and at the outlet at the southeast end of 

 hina Dry Lake (a playa), in sees. 7 and 8, T. 26 S., R. 41 E.

In addition to the deposits in Searles Lake, similar deposits were 

laid down in Indian Wells, Salt Wells, and Panamint Valleys. Theyare similar to those in Searles Lake, except that they do not contain

 such large quantities of salts. The salts were deposited principally' 

as the lakes dried up, when climatic conditions assumed their present 

arid aspect. The details of the history of these lakes are given m 

the report by Gale already cited. Brief notes in regard to them aregiven in the sections of this report on Indian Wells Valley (pp. 149^ 

150), Searles Valley (pp. 174-175), and Panamint Valley (pp. 185-187).

Manix lake beds. Another lake deposit of interest is found in the: 

northeastern part of the broad, flat valley east of Daggett, which in 

this report is called Lower Mohave Valley. The lake in which the 

beds were deposited has been called Manix Lake, from the name of a> 

station on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad near which they are 

well exposed.83 East of old Camp Cady the beds are well exposed 

where they have been cut through by Mohave River and dissected .to 

a depth of about 75 feet. (See pis. 26, A, and 27.) They differ 

from the deposits in the Searles, Indian Wells, and Panamint Basins 

in that they contain almost no saline minerals.

The beds consist principally of green clay, with very little coarse 

material. The greenish color is interpreted to indicate deposition 

in water. Toward the top of the series in the west end of the area 

the beds grade into slightly coarser buff material. This material is 

either alluvium washed in after the lake ceased to exist or material' 

deposited in a late stage when playa conditions prevailed. The dissection of the beds offers an excellent opportunity to study the relation1 

between the deposits of the alluvial slopes and the playa and lake 

deposits, for at several places the gradation from coarse fanglomerate 

through finer phases to the very fine lake clays can readily be traced, t 

(See pi. 26, A.} In places pebbles several inches in diameter &m 

seen to have been carried surprisingly far out into the fine sand .and 

clay that apparently was deposited in orulose* tcr tbe~ lake: The"

* Buwalda, J. P.. Pleistocene beds at Manix, In the eastern Mohave Desert region: California Haft. 

Dipt. Geology Boll,, vol. 7, No. 24, pp. 449-464,1914.
112 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

change from the grayish or buff beds to the greenish beds is almost 

imperceptible, (See pi. 27, A.)

The age of the Manix lake beds is'not definitely known. Buwalda 84 

found remains of mammals, including horses, camels, a mastodon or 

elephant, and an antelope, which J. C. Merriam considers is of Pleis^ 

tocene age. '

The conditions that brought Manix Lake into existence are not 

fully known, except that the precipitation must have been greater 

than now to cause a lake to form. The present course of Mohave 

Eiver is of comparatively recent origin, and it is possible that the 

ancient Mohave River was diverted from some other course by the 

formation of a dam through faulting, folding, the outpouring of lava, 

or in other ways. Buwalda 8S suggests that the stream originally 

may not have passed through the region, but entered the region by 

lengthening its course in a direction determined by the relief. In any 

event it is probable that Manix Lake existed during that part of 

Quaternary time when the precipitation was apparently greater than 

to-day, as shown by the existence of large lakes, now extinct, in other 

parts of the Great Basin.

Eventually the lake was filled up until it overflowed the barrier 

at its northeast end. The stream that flowed from it at that point 

gradually cut down the barrier until the lake was entirely drained. 

After that the stream continued to cut through the lake deposits, forming the canyon of Mohave River. The downward cutting was 

apparently halted at least two or three times, for well-developed 

terraces due to side cutting of the stream exist 3 or 4 miles northeast 

of .old Camp Cady. (See pi. 27, B.) The exact cause of the side 

cutting that caused the formation of the terraces has not been definitely established, but probably the stream encountered hard beds 

in some place which slowed the downward cutting, so that for a considerable time it cut laterally. A detailed study of the terraces will 

doubtless yield considerable information in regard to late Pleistocene 

and Recent conditions in the vicinity.

Other lake and playa deposits. A third extensive occurrence of 

playa and lake beds is in Amargosa Valley, in an area that extends 

for several miles in all directions from Zabriskie.88 The lake in which 

the beds were deposited probably was formed by the damming of 

Amargosa River, and the history of the beds has doubtless been much 

the same as that of the Manix lake beds. The precipitation in the 

region now tributary to Amargosa River is probably somewhat less 

than that of the area tributary to Mohave River, which includes 

the San Bernardino Mountains. As the same relative conditions

* Buwalda, J. P., op. eit., p. 451.

* Idem, p. 464.

i* Noble, L. F., Mansfield, O. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in tbe Amargosa region, southeastern 

; jGeoK.8tflH?ey.Bull.i'Z34vi>p. 6lr«?,'.lt22.
'-"'.V<3v , GEOLOGY - --: : ?Y 113

doubtless eaantsd in the Pleistocene epoch, during wMefa 4h« beds 

were deposited, it is probable that more of the beds are of playa 

origin than those in the Manix lake beds. The beds in the Amargoaa 

Valley are now greatly dissected, and they offer an opportunity for the 

study of lake and playa deposits.

The Manix and Amargosa Valley areas are the principal if m& 

tfaa only places where the Quaternary playa and lake beds are weH 

exposed. Similar beds underlie each playa, but in many of the basins 

it is not possible to state whether the beds are principally of playa or 

lake origin unless there is evidence that a lake has existed. There is 

evidence in the form of beaches and wave-cut terraces that lakes have 

existed, for short periods at least, in Antelope Valley, the valleys el 

Soda and Silver Lakes, East Cronise Valley, and probably West 

Cronise Valley. The presence of deposits of rather pure gypsum 

several feet thick in Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, and of salt 

deposits in Cadiz Dry Lake, south of Cadiz station, and in DanbyDry 

Lake, near Milligan station, suggests that lakes once existed in these 

basins. Definite evidence in the form of beach ridges, or waw*eut 

cliffs'has not been reported in these basins, but this may be due largely 

to lack of sufficient observation. Conditions in these localities are 

stated more fully under the regional descriptions.

DUNE SAND

Deposits of wind-blown sand are not widespread in the Mohave 

Desert region. Several areas of sand dunes occur, but with two or 

three exceptions none of them is of great extent. In many parts of 

the region wind-blown sand is mixed with alluvium washed from the 

mountains, but on the geologic map only those areas are shawn where 

sand dunes are well developed. The largest area lies several miles 

southwest of Kelso on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. (See 

pi. 8.) At this place an area of 20 to 30 square miles is covered by 

large dunes that have a maximum height of probably at least 500 

feet. A large part of the region northwest of this area, extending 

as far as Crucero station, southwest of Soda Lake, is covered With 

wind-blown sand. The Devils Playground, east of Soda Lake, apparently is a sand-covered alluvial slope, but on account of the sand, 

which makes travel by automobile impossible, it was not seen close? 

than from a distance of 5 or 10 miles. The patches of wind-blown 

sand in this locality are irregularly distributed, and for this reason 

the area is not shown on the geologic map as covered by wind4>lo$Hfr 

deposits.

Other areas which contain dune deposits of noteworthy size include 

several places in the sout^^jpart of £>eB^|7-flpe 

miles east of Saratoga Springs and west of Dumont station 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad,* around Cadiz Dry Lake; on the west 

side of Dale Dry Lake and of a small playa several miles north of
114 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Twenty-nine Palms; and in a belt that extends northwestward from 

.a place near Newberry Spring to Mohave River. Low dunes are 

scattered between Rosamond, Buckhorri, and Rogers Dry Lakes, and 

east of these lakes in Antelope Valley.

Wind-blown sand occurs as a mantle on the alluvial slopes on the 

east side of nearly every valley, and in some of the valleys it extends, 

some distance up the sides of the mountains. The .larg«f*t areaswhere sand occurs in this manner are on the east side of Soda Dry 

Lake and farther north on the alluvial slope built by wash from thewest side of the Kingston Range and the Shadow Mountains. Here a. 

very large percentage of the alluvium is apparently of wind-blown. 

origin.

The dune sand is probably mostly of Recent age. Where lakes, 

have existed the sand is possibly derived partly from beach deposits, 

formed by these lakes. The west face of the dunes on the east side 

of Rosamond Dry Lake has been cut by wind action or by waves in alake that covered the playa and the cross-bedding is exposed. These 

dunes may be older than most of the other dunes.

IGNEOUS AND MBTAMOEPHIC BOCKS 

FBI-TERTIARY IGNEOUS AND METAMOEPHIC ROCKS

All the intrusive rocks and undifferentiated gneisses and schists of 

pre-Tertiary age are included in one unit on the map. The intrusive 

rocks so mapped are of at least two different ages pre-Cambrian 

and post-Pennsylvanian. The age of individual masses of granite in 

most places is difficult to determine, except in a few> localities where 

they are seen in contact with other rocks. In the Marble Mountains, 

north of Cadiz, Darton 87 found Lower Cambrian beds resting unconformably on an erosional surface of granite. He has also mapped a 

number of other areas of pre-Cambrian granite in the region.88- Hershey 89 believes that a small area of spMstose andigneissic rocks 

near B>arstow is .pre-rCambrian. Vaughan M has described a large 

area of undifferentiated schists in the San Bernardino Mountains 

and smaller areas near Old Woman Springs. The age of these is 

uncertain, but they may in part be pre-Cambrian.

In some places the intrusive rocks are younger. Spurr fll states 

that granitic rocks in the south part of the Panamint Range are appar 

" Darton, N. H., Discovery of Cambrian rocks in southeastern California: Jour. Geology, vol. 15, No. 

5, pp. 470-474, 1907. Clark, 0. W., Lower and Middle Cambrian formations of the Mohave Desert:. 

California Untv. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 1-7,1921.

w Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Eoute:.TJi S. Geol.. 

S^efiJi^Mii?, Oaaekia}ltoto! ' 

 ^»v:Her^ey,'OfB.,aam«;cFy5talliaetrocks,of souther^ California: Am. Geologist, vol. 29, No, 5, p. 286,. :jm" ''' ',.. ',..,"-' . TV. ' ' "'" "

"*« Vaughan, F. E., Geology of the San Barnardino Mountains north of San drtrgonto Pass: California, 

tJfeiv. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 8, pp. 345-352, map, 1922. .

w Sgurr, I. E., Descriptive, gsology of Nevada south of the fortieth paralell and adjacent portions of: 

fcafttojrnia:'TT/fl. 'Glaol. Survey Bull. 208, p. 203,1903. - ' ,

U> U. j;J Ct..' .: ;. ; :-; .-, . ; , : ' : ..J ... ' '.,:"..
ent'y intrusive in post-Paleozoic rocks. Vaugfean 9* has described 

numerous areas of granite, which he believes to be of Jurassic age, 

in the San Bernardino Mountains and smaller isolated^moitnfaains in 

the near-by desert region. Hershey w considers mosfr of the granitic 

rocks in the San Gabriel Mountains and at other places in the south* 

western part of the region to be of Mesozoic age. The granitic rocks 

of'that portion of the Sierra Nevada within tjbe:aita considered in this 

report are doubtless of the same age as those a few miles farther 

north in Owens Valley. These rocks are of early Cretaceous agej 

according to Knopf,94 and the younger granites in the Mohave. Desert 

region have generally been assumed to be of about the same age i or 

at least to be Mesozoic. However, Finlay 9S has expressed the belief 

that the intrusive rocks of the San Gabriel, San Bernardino* and 

San Jacinto Ranges are of Permian age. He found Pennsylvanian 

fossils in Holcomb Valley in the San Bernardino Mountains,-and these 

established the post-Pennsylvanian age of the intrusion. His postulate of Permian age of the intrusive rocks rather than Mesozoic age, 

however, is based not on paleontologic or stratigraphic evidence but 

on a consideration of climatic .conditions farther ea/st rn.-Pe.rfoian 

time. He believes that by intrusion a great range of mountains, 

which he calls the Old Mohave Range, was formed and that this 

range produced arid conditions such as are known to have existed 

from Arizona to Kansas during the Permian.

Gneiss and schist occur at a number of places, but as a whole they 

apparently form a smaller proportion of the area shown as granite 

and metamorphic rocks than the granite. The largest areas are probably those found in the San Gabriel Range and its westward extent 

sion, the Sierra Pelona. Most of the extensive areas of gneiss and 

schist are generally believed to be of pre-Cambrian age,98 but some 

of them may be found to be younger. In some places the gneiss 

and schist grade into the intrusive rocks, of which they are a metamorphic phase. For this reason and because sufficient data are not 

available to separate them, they have been mapped as a unit with 

the intrusive rocks. So far as possible metamorphosed sedimentary 

rocks were not included in the unit. 

TERTIARY IGNEOUS ROCKS

Igneous rocks of supposed Tertiary age cover considerable areas 

in the Mohave Desert region. They are found in all parts of the 

region and are probably next in abundance to the pre-Tertiary igneous

M Vaughan, F.^-op,dt.epjM%374. , M Hershey, O. 'H^ofr'$i.,; p*p.ls»i-287. .. , «,.. ?

M Knopf, Adolph, A geologic reconnaissance of the Inyo Range and the eastern"'Slope Oltb&#tiiffiara 

Sierra Nevada, Oalit: U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Papar 110, pp. 61-62,W8. . ...,..{.

M Finlay, J. E.j The Permian revolution in North America: Ung. and Min.. Joajr., Vol. m. No. SfiT.'ifo. 

1058-1059,1921. .... , ""', . =i - - '

«* Hershey, O. H., Some crystalline rocks ef ^wmthern- California: Am. Geotogistr vat-8», N«r A PP* 

2^3-260,1902. Dftrton, N. H., Some geologic features of southeastern CaUtoraia (JBbstrtUSt)*! 

Aead. Sd. Jour., vol. 6, No. 1, p. 23,1916. ,- > «.< : "^ ,:-: .q ^s .'.wif
116 THE MOHAVE DESERT RKOION, CALIFORNIA

and metamorphic rocks and the Quaternary alluvium. The Tertiary 

rocks probably once covered a much greater area, for in some parts 

of the region where there has been little or no faulting there is evidence 

that masses now isolated were once connected. The rocks between 

these masses have been eroded away.

The Tertiary igneous rocks are practically all extrusive, and include 

andesite, latite, rhyolite, basalt, tuffs, and volcanic ash. Their age 

generally has not been determined, except that they are similar to 

igneous rocks of Tertiary age in other parts of the Great 1 Basin-. 

Darton 9T states that the largest bodies of lava were accumulated in 

middle and late Tertiary time and that in general the order of rocks 

erupted in Tertiary time has been latite, rhyolite, diabase rhyolite, 

and several varieties of basalt. ^ - On the geologic map the areas shown as containing Tertiary volcanic 

rocks may include some sedimentary rocks, but the sedimentary 

rocks are presumed to be present in only minor amounts.

QUATERNARY IGNEOUS BOCKS

Small flows of Quaternary basalt are found at several places in the 

region. The correlation as to age is made largely on their basaltic 

nature, their relatively uneroded surfaces, and their relation to alluvial 

deposits that are of Quaternary age.

There are at least three good examples of recently erupted lava flows 

in the region, all of which are within sight from the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway. One of these, known as the Pisgah flow, is near 

Lavic station, about 12 miles west of Ludlow (p. 652), and another is 

a mile or two southwest of Amboy (p. 693). At each place a rather 

perfect cinder cone lies on an extensive lava flow.. The third flow 

originated from a cone in the mountains southeast of Newberry 

Spring and flowed down a gravel-filled valley from the mountains to 

the lowland south of the railroad. The rock at the sides of the yaEey 

adjoining the lava has since been worn away by erosion, leaving the 

lava beds exposed in almost vertical cliffs. The other areas occupied 

by igneous rocks of Quaternary age in the region are all of smaller 

extent.

STBUCTTTBE

FOLDING

Deformation of the rocks in greater or less degree has probably 

occurred at one time or another in nearly all parts of the region, and 

the rocks of all ages have been affected. Faults have been recognized 

in many places, but folds have been reported from only a very few 

localities. Detailed studies will doubtless bring to- light, more folding 

than i& now-known, It is nevertheless true that in the deformation 

in tmVregion faulting has predominated .

S^debook of the w«stera; United, Stuk^ Part C,.Tbe Santa F» Route: U. 8, Q&A, 

Sumy Bun. ttS, p. 15^ footnote, l»ie. ; : ,., , : ., »,
GEOLOGY 117

One area in which folds are exhibited is in. the Tertiary beds 0£ 

Barstow where there is a well-developed syncUne that trends approsi* 

mately east.98 The beds are also faulted, and the faulting was 

probably later than the folding. Buwalda " states that the east ead 

of the Alvord Mountains, about 20 miles northeast of Barstow, shows* 

an anticlinal fold, the axis of which trends east. Keyes l states that 

the strike of the rock at Borate, on the east side of the Calico Mountains, is also approximately east. It is possible that these three 

areas are on the same line of deformation, although the rocks of ,th» 

Alvord Mountains are much older than those in the other areas, and 

the deformation may be older. Folding is reported locally in tb0! 

rocks of the Spring Mountains, near Goodsprings, in the northeagftera 

part of the region,2 in the Kingston Range,3 and in the Tertiary beds 

of South Death Valley.4

FAULTS

San Andreas rift. In contrast to the folds, some of the faults are of 

considerable linear extent and are easily traceable. The most notable, 

without doubt, is that known as the San Andreas rift, which lies at the 

foot of the north slope of the San Gabriel Mountains. It stands out 

very sharply on the relief maps (pis. 9 and 10), being shown by a 

series of almost continuous narrow valleys with a northwesterly trend. 

It is also well shown on the geologic map (pi. 8) by the distribution 

of the formations. The San Andreas rift may be traced southeastward beyond San Gorgonio' Pass and northwestward beyond San 

Francisco.6 Movement along this rift farther northwest, particularly 

near San Francisco, caused the earthquake of April 18, 1906, which 

did so much damage in that city and elsewhere. Apparently there 

was no movement along the San Andreas rift in the San Gabriel 

Mountains in 1906, but movement has occurred in that region at least 

as recently as 1857.6 Several other faults, approximately parallel

 > Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, No. 15, pp. 346-347,1911.

 Bawalda, J. P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, in the eastern Mohave Desert region: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 24, p. 445,1914. 

i Keyes, C. R., Borax deposits of the United States: Am. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 4% p. 694,1910.

 Hill, J. M., The Yellow Pine mining district, Clark County, Nov.: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 640, pp. 

233-236,1914. See also Hewett, D. F., Structure of the Spring Mountain Range, southern Nevada: GeoL 

fioc. America Bull., vol. 34, pp. 89-90,1923.

> Spurr, I. E., Origin and structure of the basin ranges: Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 12, p. 240,1901.

«Noble, L. F., Mansfield, G. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa region, southeaatccn 

California: U. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 724, p. 32,1922.

 Lawson, A. O., and others, The California earthquake of Apr. 18,1906; report of the State Earthquake 

Investigation Commission: Carnegie Inst. Washington Pub. 87, vol. 1, pp. 43-44, pis. 24-28; atlas, map* 

7-10,1908. Noble, L. F., The San Andreas rift and some other active faults in the desert region of sootheastern California: Carnegie Inst. Washington Yearbook 25, pp. 415-422, 1925.

 Lawson, A. C., op. cit., pp. 43, 52, 449.

5631 29 9
118 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

to the San Andreas rift, are found in the San Gabriel Range, but they 

are not as continuous as the San Andreas fault.7

Southeast of Cajon Pass the San Andreas rift lies along the southwest foot of the San Bernardino Mountains. Both the San Bernardino and the San Gabriel Mountains are believed to have been 

raised by faulting, but the faulting that formed them was probably 

much older than the San Andreas and associated faults. The age 

of the initial uplift of the San Gabriel and San Bernardino ranges is 

believed to be later than Miocene.8

The Garlock fault. Another very prominent fault line is one along 

the southeast face of the El Paso Range. This fault has been termed 

the Garlock fault because of its prominence near the town of that 

name in sec. 29, T. 29 S., R. 39 E. Mount Diablo meridian.9 Near 

Garlock the fault cuts a large alluvial fan, and 5 or 6 miles northeast 

of this place, near Goler Well, occur large depressions, formed by the 

dropping of blocks of ground. The escarpments are so fresh that the 

faulting must have been comparatively recent. Northeast of the 

El Paso Mountains the fault line may be traced along low hills on the 

south border of Searles Valley that are composed probably of Tertiary 

rocks to a long, narrow strip of Tertiary rocks at the south end of the 

Slate Range.

East of the Slate Range a long, narrow valley, with the Leach 

Point Mountains rising steeply from it on the south and a more gentle 

slope to the north, suggests very strongly that the fault continues 

eastward. These features show clearly on the relief maps (pis. 

10 and 11). The rocks on the north slope of Avawatz Mountain are 

also faulted, and the Garlock fault probably continues that far. 

It is possible, however, that the faulting in Avawatz Mountain may 

be, in part, related to a series of faults which has more of a northwestward trend and which affects Tertiary and other deposits in South 

Death Yalley. (See pp. 585-586.)

Southwest of the El Paso Range the relief map shows a marked 

escarpment on the southeast side of the Tehachapi Range, which is 

in almost perfect alinement with the southeast side of the El Paso 

Range, as if the Garlock fault continued along the front of the range. 

It is not known whether this relief feature is a continuation of the 

Garlock fault. The San Andreas rift and the fault along the front 

of the Tehachapi Range and El Paso Range produce a very marked

i Dickerson, K. E., The Martinez Eocene and associated formations at Book Creek, on the western border of the Mohave Desert area: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 8, No. 14, pp. 289-298, flg, 1, 

1914. Barton, N. H., Guidebook to the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Route: tT. S. Gaol. 

Survey Bull. 613, footnote p. 167, map sheet 24,1915.

' Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, No. 15, p. 368,1911.

»Hess, F. L., Gold mining in the Randsburg quadrangle, Calif.: U. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 430, pp. 25-26, 

1910. Baker, C. L., Physiography and structure of the western El Paso Range and the southern Sierra 

Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 129-132, 136, 1912. Noble, L. F,, op. 

cit.. pp. 423-425.
GEOLOGY 119

relief jfeature in the form of a letter V, or arrow head, the point of 

which is at the western edge of the desert. This feature is emphasized all the more by the* fact that in the area within the V there are 

only low scattered hills and no large mountains.

Sierra, Nevada faults. A third prominent fault marks the east side 

of the Sierra Nevada. 10 The evidence of faulting is well developed 

in Owens Valley, just north of the Mohave Desert region. 11 Lawson13 

considered the initial uplift of the Sierra Nevada to have occurred 

as late as the Quaternary, but Knopf,13 after a careful analysis of the 

evidence, considers that it began in the Tertiary, probably the late 

Miocene. Fossils found by Buwalda 14 in Tertiary deposits northeast of Tehachapi mdicate that the uplift of the southern Sierra 

Nevada began in late Miocene or post-Miocene time, thus confirming 

Knopf's conclusions for the Sierra Nevada farther north. Faulting 

along the Sierra Nevada, in Owens Valley at least, has continued 

into recent years. A violent earthquake occurred in 1872, and fault 

scarps were produced at that time near the town of Lone Pine.

Other faults. Hewett 16 has discovered numerous faults, of both the 

normal and thrust types, in the Spring Mountain Range, Clark 

Mountain, the Shadow Mountains and other mountains in the 

northeastern part of the Mohave Desert region. Vaughan le has 

mapped several faults, large and small, in the San Bernardino Mountains and in the desert lying to the north thereof.

In the northern part of the region there is a noticeable parallelism 

in the arrangement of the mountains and valleys. This parallelism 

continues northward for many miles in the Great Basin. It is generally believed to be due to a series of parallel faults, and the valleys 

then represent large blocks that have been lowered relatively with 

respect to the blocks that form the mountains, although some geolo*- 

gists have not held to this view.17

The parallelism is especially noticeable in the Slate, Panamint, 

and Amargosa Ranges, between which are Panamint and Death 

Valleys. Faulting on a large scale is known to have occurred in the 

mountains bordering the valleys, but further study is necessary to

» Baker, C. L., op. tit., pp. 137-140.

a Knopf, Adolpb, A geologic reconnaissance of the Inyo Range and the eastern slope of the southern 

Sierra Nevada, Calif.: U. 8. Oeol. Survey Prof. Paper HO, pp. 77-78, 1918.

» Lawson, A. C., Qeomorphogeny of the upper Kern Basin: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 

3, p. 364,1901.

» Knopf, Adolph, op. cit., pp. 87-88.

i* Buwalda, 3. P., New mammalian faunas from Miocene sediments near Tehachapi Pass, in the southern 

Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 10, No. 6, p. 85,1916.

" Hewett, D. P., Structure of the Spring Mountain Range, southern Nevada (abstract): Geol. Soc. 

America Bull., vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 89-40, 1923, and reports in preparation (personal communication).

» Vaughan, P. E., Geology of San Bernardino Mountains north of San Qorgonio Pass: California TJniv. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 319-411, 1922.

a Ransome, P. L., The Tertiary orogeny of the North American Cordillera and ite problems: Problems 

of American geology, pp. 339-343, Yale University Press, 1915. (Gives a brief review of the discussion of the 

origin of the parallel ranges of the Great Basin, with the principal references.)
120 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

determine the origin of the valleys.18 Nevertheless, the physio* 

graphic conditions at least strongly suggest a fault origin of the 

mountains and valleys. The conditions are especially striking in the 

relations between Panamint Valley -and the Slate and Panamint 

Ranges. Panamint Valley is very narrow, and the mountains rise 

steeply on each side of it. It seems possible that faulting may have 

occurred even in relatively recent times.19

South of an east-west line in about latitude 35° 30', or, more 

definitely, south of the Garlock fault described above, the parallel 

so-called "block-fault" ranges and valleys, which are characteristic 

of the Great Basin province, are not so marked as farther north. 

This fact is shown clearly by the relief map of the United States 20 

and to a less degree by the maps in this report and a relief map of 

California published by the Seismological Society of America,21 which 

shows the location of many important fault lines. There is, however, abundant evidence of faulting hi a number of places. Although 

many of the faults extend for short distances only, it is probable 

that some of them are of considerable magnitude.

In addition to the parallel ranges north of the Garlock fault, some 

of the places where it is believed major physiographic features 

suggest the presence of faulting are Lane Mountain and the connected 

hills, about 15 miles north of Daggett; the basin that Contains the 

playas known as Soda, Silver, and Silurian Dry Lakes, with the 

bordering mountains, extending from the Soda Lake Mountains 

northward to Avawatz Mountain; the New York-Providence Mountains; a series of short parallel ridges that have a northwestward 

trend north of Bagdad and Amboy, the highest of which is Old Dad 

Mountain; and a more or less continuous range of mountains south 

of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, extending from the 

vicinity of Daggett southeastward for many miles and including the 

Bullion and Sheep Hole Mountains, with marked depressions both 

to the north and south of this range. The significant facts in regard 

to these different areas will be discussed in the regional descriptions.

Sufficient evidence has not been obtained to determine very closely 

the age of much of the faulting in the region. It is worthy of note, 

however, that there is evidence in a number of places of faulting as 

recent as the Pleistocene and probably even hi Recent time. Movement has occurred along the San Andreas rift and along the Sierra 

Nevada within the last 100 years. The evidence of Recent faulting

" Keyes, C. R., op. tit., pp. 681-686. Campbell, M. R., Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death 

Valley and Mohave Desert: II. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 200, pp. 19-20,1902. Noble, L. F., op. cit., pp. 425-428.

M Campbell, M. R., op. cit.. Gales, H. 8., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Basins, southeastern California: TJ. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 580, pp. 317-818, 1915. See also Searles Lake and Ballarat 

topographic maps.

» Relief map of the United States, scale, 1 inch to 50 miles, TJ. S. Geol. Survey, 1920.

»» Fault map of the State of California, 1922, published as supplement to Seismol. Soc. America Bull, 

vol. 13, No. 1, March, 1923.
GEOLOGY 121

in other places is not so definite, but there is evidence of Pleistocene 

movement. The Manix lake beds along Mohave River, whidb M6 

believed to be at least as young as early Pleistocene, are cut by faults.® 

In several places, notably along the east foot of Avawatz Mountain 

and the west side of the Providence Mountains near Kelso, what 

appeared to be relatively fresh fault scarps cutting across alluvial 

fans were observed from a distance of several miles, but there was no 

opportunity to examine them.

GEOLOGIC HISTORY

The crystalline character of th<e pre-Cambrian intrusive granite 

and other rocks shows that these rocks must have been buried many 

thousands of feet deep in the earth, for such rocks are believed t© 

form only when cooling at great depths. Some of the ancient schist 

and gneiss doubtless formed the cover over the great intrusive masses. 

After the formation of the granite the thick cover of rocks was eroded 

until the granite was exposed hi some places. During this period of 

erosion all or most of the region must have been above the sea, 

During the early part of the Paleozoic era (hi Cambrian time) at 

least some parts of the region were submerged beneath the sea, as 

is shown by the presence of beds of limestone and other sediments 

that were deposited in marine waters. The time of the submergence 

is fixed as the beginning of the Cambrian period by the fossils in the 

rocks that have been found hi the Marble Mountains and at other 

places. It is not known whether the Cambrian sea covered the entire region. If so, the rocks that were deposited in it have been 

eroded from most of the region.

The sea in which the Cambrian rocks were laid down extended 

north and east of the Mohave Desert region. The presence of rocks 

containing marine fossils of Ordovician, Silurian, and Devonian age 

in the region north of that considered in this report shows that the 

sea covered that region during those periods. No fossils of these 

ages have been found in the Mohave Desert region except perhaps 

hi the extreme northeastern part. If the sea covered this region in 

Ordovician to Devonian time, the rocks deposited in it have been 

entirely eroded or the fossil evidence has been obliterated by metamorphism.

Small patches of rock that contain remains of marine animals ef 

Carboniferous age that have been found in different parts of the region 

show that during that period most if not all of the region was submerged. Eitherj toward the end of Carboniferous time (in the Permian epoch) or during the early part of the Mesozoic era most of the 

area probably einerged from the sea, for, except near Good Springs,

» Buwalda, J. P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, in the eastern Mohave Desert region: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 24, pp. 451-454,1914.
122 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

no marine fossils of this age have been found here. Nevertheless, 

as in the earlier periods, it is possible that marine formations were 

deposited during part of Mesozoic time, but if so they have mostly 

been removed. Large masses of granitic rock were intruded into 

the older rocks, doubtless distorting them in folding and faulting. 

It is likely that as a result of the intrusion and distortion the region 

was greatly uplifted, forming a high land mass.

During and since the Mesozoic era the region has been the scene 

of great erosion, which has carried away an immense volume of the 

older rocks until only remnants of the Paleozoic sedimentary rocks 

remain. During this long period of erosion the drainage of the region 

was doubtless different from what it is to-day, and the streams from 

all parts of it probably reached the sea instead of being confined to 

closed basins. During part of this period of erosion the region was 

doubtless one of great relief, perhaps comparable to the present-day 

Rocky Mountain region. Toward the end of Mesozoic time, however, the relief was considerably lessened, and it was perhaps even less 

than it is to-day, for in a number of places where Tertiary rocks rest 

on older rocks the contact between the formations, although irregular, 

shows the relief to -be measured in tens and hundreds of feet rather 

than in thousands. Such relations are found in many places but are 

especially well illustrated in Pilot Knob, hi the eastern part of T. 29 S., 

R. 44 E. Mount Diablo meridian; in Table Mountain, in T. 12 N., 

R. 15 E. San Bernardino meridian (unsurveyed); and in a low mass in 

T. 15 N., R. 11 E. San Bernardino meridian, on the north side of the 

road between Halloran Spring and Valley Wells, extending for several 

miles east of the spring. At each of these places volcanic rocks, presumably of Tertiary age, rest upon granitic rocks whose surface has 

relatively little relief. The relations at Pilot Knob are shown in 

Plate 14, E.

Our ideas of events in the Mohave Desert region during the Mesozoic era are largely conjectural. On the other hand, we have much 

more definite knowledge of events during the Tertiary and Quaternary 

periods, when notable changes occurred. In the Tertiary period, 

especially in the early part, great lava flows broke out and spread over 

large areas, and volcanic ash and similar deposits were laid down. 

The volcanic eruptions continued, but with diminishing activity. 

During both the Tertiary and Quaternary periods closed basins were 

formed, doubtless partly as a result of the blocking of the drainage by 

lava flows and ash deposits or by alluvial deposits washed from the 

mountains and partly as a result of faulting. Lakes and playas were 

formed in which sediments, in some places interbedded with volcanic 

ash, were deposited. The conditions were somewhat similar to those
GEOLOGY 123

in the region at the present time, although Merriam u considers 

that the faunas of the Barstow and Eicardo formations indicate somewhat moister conditions, similar to the semiarid climate of the Great 

Valley of California. All the evidence found so far indicates that the 

entire region was a land mass, with only inland bodies of water, exoept 

for a small area in the southwestern part of the region. Deposits 

that contain marine fossils on the north side of the San Gabriel 

Range, near Valyermo post office, show that the ocean reached that 

far during part of the Tertiary period.

At some time during the Tertiary, not yet fully determined, faulting 

caused very marked changes in the relief of some parts of the Mohav© 

Desert region. The greatest events were the uplift of the Sierra 

Nevada and the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains. The 

uplift of these ranges presumably began in the Miocene epoch, but it 

has continued in some places within the last hundred years. During 

all of the Tertiary and Quaternary periods erosion was active in the 

region. A large part of the Tertiary lava flows and other rocks were 

eroded until now there are only large remnants of once continuous 

areas. This erosion, together with the faulting that has been active 

from Tertiary to present time, has carved the present relief.

There is evidence that during the Pleistocene epoch the climate was 

somewhat more humid than at present. Lakes, some of them several 

hundred square miles in extent, were formed. The climate later 

became more arid until it reached its present state, and the lakes 

evaporated until now no permanent lakes remain except in the San 

Bernardino Mountains.

During the Tertiary and Quaternary periods the region was inhabited by a variety of animals, and some of the species were closely 

related to those now hi the region, but others have not been known in 

the North American continent within the memory of man. The 

Tertiary faunas include several species of horses, camels, wild pigs or 

peccaries, antelope or deer, mastodon, rabbits, several catlike animals 

including the saber-tooth tiger, members of the dog or wolf group, and 

tortoises.25 The Quaternary Manix lake beds have yielded remains of 

horses, camels, a proboscidean (probably an elephant), antelopes, and 

birds. The conditions that caused the extinction of the animals that 

no longer inhabit the region and the time of their extinction are not 

yet known.

M Merriam, J. C., Tertiary mammalian faunas of the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept. Geology 

Bull., vol. 11, No. 6, pp. 460,526,1919. ,

>* Merriam, J. C., Extinct faunas of the Mohave Desert, their significance in a study of the origin and evolution of life in America: Fop. Sci. Monthly, vol. 86, No. 3, pp. 245-264,1915; Tertiary mammalian faunas of 

the Mohave Desert: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 437a-685,1919.
124 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

GROUND WATER

Occurrence. The rocks that form the mountains contain 

meager amounts of water, although small springs may occur in rocks of 

all kinds.

By far the most notable water-bearing formation in the Mbhave 

Desert regions is the alluvium that underlies the valleys and fills the 

rock basins to considerable depths. This alluvial fill generally yields 

water to wells that penetrate below the water table, and in some 

places it includes beds of sand and gravel that yield very freely.

The bedrocks chiefly form more or less impervious basins that hold 

the water-bearing alluvium and separate the ground water in one 

basin from that in another. To the extent that they are permeable 

or contain fissures or crevices they may allow the ground water in 

one basin to percolate into an adjacent basin.

Source. The principal source of ground 'water is the run-off from 

the mountains, especially the perennial streams from the loftiest and 

best-watered ranges. When the mountain streams reach the alluvial 

slopes their water generally sinks rapidly into the gravelly alluvium 

and percolates down to the water table. The rain that falls on th& 

broad expanses of the desert valleys probably does not make any 

large contributions to the supply of ground water because it generally 

comes in small quantities and seeps only a short distance into the dry 

soil so that it is soon evaporated.

The water that percolates to the water table tends to build up 

the zone of saturation. Thus the alluvial fill is a great reservoir of 

ground water. As a rule the depth to the water table decreases 

from the upper parts of the alluvial slopes, near the mountains, toward 

the lowest parts of the valley, where it may be at or near the surface. 

Ground water, however, also lies near the surface in some high 

localities, where it is held up by some structural features in the 

rocks that may appear at the surface or may be entirely concealed.

Discharge. Where the water table is near the surface there are 

generally seeps and springs, and, moreover, ground water is discharged into the atmosphere by evaporation and by the action of 

certain plants, such as salt grass, rabbit brush, and mesquite. The 

ground water discharged by these processes is replaced by new 

supplies that percolate down from the streams and other surface 

sources. If the rock basin that contains the water-bearing alluvium 

is not impermeable the ground water may escape so rapidly to some 

adjacent basin at a lower level that the water table remains far below 

the surface, even in the lowest parts of the valley, and no ground 

water is discharged through springs and seeps or by evaporation or 

transpiration from plants. Thus there are two types of basins in 

the Mohave Desert region those that have areas of ground-water 

discharge and those that do not.
GBOUltD WATBE

\

The basins that have areas of ground-water discharge are generally

characterized by "moist" or "discharging" playas or dry lakes. In 

hese playas the water table is commonly within 10 feet of the surface, 

he soil is moist below a depth of a few inches, and there is more or 

ess continuous discharge of ground water by upward capillary moveiaent and evaporation. The surface generally exhibits puffy, "selflising" ground and is covered with more or less alkali. Adjacent to 

-he playas and on parts of the playas that are not bare the vegetation 

sonsists of plants that habitually depend for their water supply on 

ihe zone of saturation. Plants of this kind have been called phreatophytes, meaning "well plants," because, like wells, they draw water 

rom the zone of saturation. They are also known as "ground-water

plants." 26 Common "ground-water plants in this region are salt

, rabbit brush, and mesquite. (See pp. 51-54.) 

The basins that do not have areas of ground-water discharge 

contain only "dry" playas. In these playas the water table les

more than 10 feet below the surface and may be at a great depth. 

Ixcept during and after rains these playas are dry, hard, and smooth.

]jittle or no alkali is visible at the surface. In basins of this type 

ordinary desert vegetation generally extends to the borders of 

ihe playas, and the distinctive ground-water plants are absent. As

jnesquite and some other ground-water plants go to considerable

depths for water, these plants sometimes grow in localities where the

ground water is too far below the surface to be discharged by capillary

3ise and evaporation. 

On Plate 7 are shown the two types of playas that have been defjcribed those that discharge ground water into the atmosphere and 

ihose that do not. Basins of the latter type presumably lose water 

>y underground leakage. These properties of the basins are discussed

in the detailed descriptions.

Considerable evaporation takes place from the ground surface if 

ihe soil is moist, especially if the ground water is close enough to the 

jurface to move upward by capillary action. In addition, moisture is 

rvaporated from plants. Some observations in regard to evaporation 

rom soil were made by Lee ^ near Independence, in Owens Valley. 

The reader is referred to his report for a discussion of the conditions 

iffecting evaporation from-soil, but the results are summarized in 

ihe table below.

» Meinzer, 0. E., Plants as indicators of ground water: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 577,1938. 

* Lee, C. H., An intensive study of the water resources of a part of Owens Valley, Calif.: U. B. Geol. 

i Jurvey Water-Supply Paper 294, pp. 119-122,1912.
126 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFORNIA

Rate of ground-water discharged from soil and vegetation in tank experiments made

near Independence, Calif.

[By C. H. Lee]

Average 

depth to groundwater 

surface in 

soil tank

Feet 

1.28 

1.34 

1.94 

2.92 

3.92 

4.49 

4.94

Total 

depth of 

water 

evaporated 

in lyear 

(1910-11)

Inches 

39.95 

43.10 

42.67 

30.46 

23.31 

22.51 

7.91

Condition of surface

Sand without vegetation. 

Sod with good growth of salt grass. 

Do. 

Do. 

Sod with medium growth of salt grass. 

Sod with vigorous growth of salt grass. 

Sod with scattered growth of salt grass.

Lee concluded that near Independence, where the soil is practically 

saturated with water up to the surface, the evaporation from the soil 

was about 52 inches, and as the depth to the zone in which the soil is 

saturated increases the evaporation decreases, until at a depth of 

about 7.5 feet it is practically zero. The significance of these observations is that not only is there considerable evaporation from streams 

and other bodies of water at the surface, but also that much water is 

evaporated from the ground.

Artesian conditions. Numerous wells sunk into the valley fill show 

that the fill nearly everywhere includes a variety of materials beds of 

permeable gravelly and sandy deposits separated by less permeable 

clayey deposits. As a rule the materials become finer grained toward 

the center of a valley, and in the low central part there may be lake 

or playa deposits of clay that are effectively impermeable. Some beds 

of water-bearing sand or gravel, however, commonly extend under the 

lowest parts of a valley. If water-bearing beds pass beneath extensive 

clay beds in the lowest parts of the valley, and if the recharge is sufficient to bring the water table to the surface in the lowest parts and to 

maintain a large and active area of ground-water discharge, artesian 

conditions exist, and flowing wells can probably be obtained. (See 

under Antelope Valley, p. 317 and fig. 11.)

Quantity. The supply of ground water annually available in a basin 

can be estimated from the size and character of the areas of groitndwater discharge, the seepage losses from the streams, and the fluctua-^ 

tion of the water table. Active discharge and hence a relatively abundant supply of ground water is indicated if the area of ground-witter 

discharge contains wet playas with the water table near the surface 

and with puffy, "self-rising ground" and alkali crusts at the surface 

and if the ground-water plants are luxuriant. If a basin has no area 

of discharge, its available supply is obviously small. An abunqant 

supply is also indicated by a notable rise in the water table duringjthe 

rainy season.
GROUND WATEE 127

A good example of a basin with relatively large annual recharge and 

discharge of ground water is that of Antelope Valley, which is described in detail on pages 289-371.

Utilization. Watering places consisting of either springs or wells 

are found at widely separated points throughout the region. Most 

of them are either in the mountains or in the low parts of the valleys, 

where the water table is near the surface. They are of inestimable 

value to those who wish to enter or pass through the desert. Because 

of their public character many of the watering places on the public 

domain have been withdrawn from entry, and the legal subdivisions 

in which the water occurs have been made Federal water reserves. In 

parts of the region where there is enough edible vegetation to support 

cattle or other range stock the watering places are essential for keeping the stock in the region. In many places they are utilized by prospectors, and hi some places supplies for mines and mining camps have 

been developed at great cost. The railroads that cross the region require considerable quantities of water of rather good quality at regular 

intervals. In some areas it has been difficult or impossible to develop 

the required supplies, and water is hauled in tank cars to stations in 

these areas for use hi locomotives and for the domestic use of the railroad employees and others who may reside at or near these stations. 

Irrigation supplies are everywhere in demand, and in a few valleys, 

such as Mohave, Antelope, and Indian Wells Valleys, considerable 

supplies are obtained from wells, chiefly by pumping. In most of the 

valleys, however, little or no water has been recovered for irrigation, 

and the prospects for future irrigation developments are in general 

not encouraging. This subject is discussed in detail in the descriptions 

of the different valleys given in this report. Some of the methods of 

constructing wells are briefly described hi the section on Antelope 

Valley (p. 344).

Quality. Numerous samples of water were collected from springs 

and wells and were analyzed chiefly in the water-resources laboratory 

of the Geological Survey, in Washington. These analyses are given 

in connection with the discussion of the quality of the water in the 

respective valleys. As might be expected in so large a region, the 

samples vary greatly in the quantity and relative proportions of 

their mineral constituents. A few of the waters are too highly mineralized for any use. Others are too highly mineralized to be satisfactory but are nevertheless used for some purposes and can be used 

for drinking when necessary. The outstanding fact, however, is that 

most of the ground water is not at all the bad water so commonly 

considered as occurring in the desert regions but is water of only moderate mineralization, of satisfactory quality for drinking, cooking, 

and irrigation, and usable for washing and hi steam boilers. Indeed, 

these desert waters have a much lower average mineralization than
128 THE MOHAVE DESEKT KEGION, CALIFOENTA

the water in the Paleozoic and Cretaceous formations that underlie 

the Mississippi Valley region and the Great Plains. Generally speaking they are more nearly like the water in the glacial drift of the northcentral part of the United States and the water in the Tertiary deposits of the Great Plains. It should be remembered, however, that 

notwithstanding this favorable generalization there are some areas in 

which the ground water is very highly mineralized and not adapted 

for irrigation or other uses. For definite information concerning the 

quality of water in any part of the region the reader should turn to the 

detailetl descriptions.

Temperature. In the following table are assembled the available 

data on the temperature of water from springs and wells in the region. 

Ground water at moderate depths below the surface normally has approximately the mean annual atmospheric temperature of the region 

in which it occurs, and the temperature increases gradually with depth. 

Most of the waters listed in the table are considerably warmer than the 

water from ordinary springs and wells in the northern part of the 

country, where the climate is colder. If, however, these temperatures 

are compared with the atmospheric temperatures in the Mohave 

Desert region (pp. 70-71), it becpmes evident that, with a few exceptions, such as that of Paradise Springs, they are essentially normal 

for the region. The high temperature of the water from the deep well 

in Harper Valley is evidently due to the depth from which the water 

comes.
Temperature of water in wells and springs in the Mohave D

Leach Valley

Name of owner or of watering place

Leaeh Spring

Description

Page

196

No.

Location

Sec.

14 

23?

T.

17 N. 

17 N.

R.

IE. 

3E.

Meridian

San Bernardino. 

.do

Source

.....do . ... 

Fremont Valley

Yellow Aster Mining & Milling Co.. 

A. J. Crookshank

Do...... .....................

221 

221 

221

221

2

4 

21

20

27 

12 

19

19

29 S. 

29 S. 

SOS.

SOS.

41 E. 

39 E. 

38 E.

38 E.

Mount Diablo.. 

.....do ........ 

.....do...........

.....do. .......

620-foot drilled well 

880 (?)-foot drilled w

flowing.

Langford Valley 

Garlic Springs ____________

Sfi?

2fi2

14? 

10

13 N. 

13 N.

3E.

3E.

San Bernardino- 

 ..do .......

Harper Valley 

Kramer Consolidated Oil Co ____

Do.. .........................

271 

271

17 

18

17 

18

UN. 

UN.

10 E. 

10 E.

San Beraardino. 

.....do... ........

800-foot well 

O Q4.rt.fAAi1 TOWtll

* Reported to the writer. 

* Tested at point 176 feet from well; may have been warmed somewhat in passing through pipe, 

o Determined by G. A. Waring, U. S. Geological Survey.

. .. 
Temperature of water in weUs and springs in the Mohave Desert re

Coyote Valley

Name of owner or of watering place

Description

Page

285

285

282

283

No.

Location

Sec.

7

7 

28 

22

T.

12 N.

12 N. 

12 N. 

UN.

R.

2E.

2E. 

2E.

2E.

Meridian

San Bernardino.

 ..do ........

... -do ... .

..... do ....... .

Source

100-foot drilled well ...._

18-foot dug well. ........

Lower Mohave Valley

J. A. J?ults . __ 

E. D. Barry _ . . . _

F. H. Webber 

Mr. Cutler...... ........ ....... .....

Do- . ... ...

H. L. Mellon . ....................

464

466

4fi7

467

468

468

468

468

504

469

470

471

498

4

45

60

69

83

85

87

88

97

125

140

35

16

?0

27

19

19

30

32

32

10

8

18

33

ION.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

9N.

8N.

9N.

IE.

IE.

2E.

2E.

3E.

3E.

3E.

3E.

2E.

3E.

4E.

4E.

3E.

San Bernardino .

..... do 

.....do ... .....

 do . 

.... .do... .

.....do ...

..... do ........

..... do 

 do 

... ..do. ...

... ..do ... ... -

.....do ..... ...

 do 

407-foot drilled well....

100-foot dug well- ......

500-foot drilled well .....

42-foot drilled well......

200-foot drilled well 

151-foot drilled well ..

134-foot drilled well 

14-foot dug well .. ...

170-foot drilled weff .....

50-foot well- .....

204-foot drilled well.....

Crucero Valley

Co., Louisiana well.

529

529

524

524

525

525

fi25

10

11

23

31

33

11

11

14?

14?

7

18?

29?

12 N.

12 N.

12 N.

12 N.

UN.

UN. UN.

8E.

8E.

8E.

8E.

8E.

8E.

8E.

San Bernardino .

 do.. 

.....do..........

..... do.. ... ..

- do--.....-..

 do-- .

.....do _

103-foot drilled well..

39-foot drilled well... . ..

150-foot drilled welL. 
Spring H mile east of Mesquite 

Bpring.

528

629 

529

25 

25

21?

UN. 

11 N.

UN.

SB. 

8E.

8E.

.....do..........

.....do..........

Silver Lake Valley

fi71 14? 15 N. 10 E. San Bernardlno.

Lower Amargosa Valley

fiSfi 2 18 N. 6E. San Bernardino.

Crystal Hills Valley

693 26 8. 47 E. Mount Diablo. - 

Lncerne Valley

621

619

620

621

27

11

11

10

4

4N.

4N.

3N.

3N.

1 W.

1 W.

IE.

IE.

.....do ........

.....do..;.......

.....do- . .......

300-foot drilled well..

Johnson Valley

629

629

25 

31

4N.

4N.

2E. 

3 E.

San Bernardino. 

.....do........... -do __ ...

Fenner Valley

Cotton Well _____________ 685 28 

or 29?

ION. 151. San Bernardino. 

 *. This observation may be inaccurate. Seep. 286.

 The same temperature was also observed by G. A. Waring in 1908 and again on Aug. 22,1916. See p. 286. 

./No thermometer available. Water is warm, temperature estimated at 75 or 80° Fahrenheit. 

« Water pumped by air lift.

n
132 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

SUGGESTIONS FOR DESERT TRAVEL

GENERAL COUNSEL

Until recent years the traveler in the desert used burros or horses 

and wagons as his means of transportation. Since the advent of 

the automobile the use of horses has nearly ceased. With this change 

travel in the desert has become less difficult and has therefore increased very much. When horses were used and travel was slow,, 

the distance between watering places was important, and it was 

necessary that a watering place be reached at night or that large 

supplies of water be carried. If a watering place was not found as 

expected, or if it was in bad condition, the travelers mi£ht suffer 

considerable hardship or even perish before reaching another place. 

To-day, with automobiles for transportation, the distance is of much 

less importance, and if water is not found at one watering place, a. 

few hours' trip will usually bring the traveler to another.

It must not be supposed, however, that travel in the desert with 

an automobile means travel without danger. In some respects the 

danger has increased. It is much easier to get a long distance from 

known watering places with an automobile than with a team, and a 

breakdown at a remote point may be very serious. Since automobiles have come into use there is much more travel by persons who 

are not familiar with the region through which they are going and 

therefore may not appreciate the necessity of adequate preparation 

to meet emergencies. Moreover, with automobiles numerous difficulties may arise that were not encountered by those traveling with 

horses and wagons. Foremost of these is mechanical trouble with 

the engine and other parts of the automobile. A useless spark plug 

may be the cause of a machine becoming stalled on a sandy road many 

miles from any place where help may be obtained. Some weak part 

of the engine may break when least expected. The automobilist also 

encounters road difficulties which, although hindrances to the teamster 

were not so likely to prove disastrous to him. A wagon, if not toa 

heavily loaded, can be drawn by horses through heavy sand, but an 

automobile may become stalled, the wheels being unable to obtain 

traction and sinking deeper into the sand as they spin.

Although the desert is as a whole less dangerous than in past 

years, the traveler must still bear in mind that emergencies may 

suddenly arise that may easily prove disastrous. It is not always 

the newcomer who unexpectedly encounters dangerous situations, but 

sometimes the old prospector who has been cautious for many years 

and who may relax his carefulness.

For the benefit of those who have occasion to travel in the desert

without previous experience a number of suggestions are given below.

They are based on the writer's experience in traveling roads of di,

types and on the experiences of others who have spent many years m

he arid region.
SUGGESTIONS FOB DESEET 138

Much that is said below will not apply to the transcontinental

tourist who follows well-marke 

National Old Trails Koad that 

Mohave Desert region from Nee

marked that the traveler on it can

a number of machines each day 

daily. It lies within a mile of 

Railway for almost the entire di 

4 miles from the railway. Wate 

section crews at least every 10 mi 

stops on the railway are locatec 

traveler meets with serious dim 

paratively short distance in orde 

not pass. Although the railwa 

freely to travelers, they should 

as the water for most of the cr 

pany at considerable cost. At 

more than 50 miles.

The traveler along the Natio 

only be prepared to meet sue 

touring for example, changing 

to the engine. However, at le« 

should be carried. It is also a 

transcontinental road, to carry 

other routes in the Mohave Des 

so easily, and the routes are tra 

them not for days at a time, ' 

should therefore be prepared for 

go in an automobile far from t 

with the mechanism to make ne 

and spark plugs and other minor 

to tires. This seemingly needle 

axe many persons who know 

brakes of their cars. The trave 

good condition before he starts 

to luck that nothing will happer

strain is put on all parts of the

The following equipment sh 

*expect to go very far from towi 

obtained.

Water and gasoline containers 

drinking and for the engine 

.29 10

roads that are used daily. The 

eads from east to west across the 

les to San Bernardino is so well

not lose his way. It is traveled by 

-hi certain seasons more than 100 

the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

tance" and at no point is more than 

can be obtained at stations or from 

s and usually every 5 miles. Tram 

about every 5 miles, so that if the 

ilty he will have to go only a cornto obtain help if other travelers tto 

section crews usually give water 

ot be asked for it unless necessary, 

ws is hauled in by the railway cornseveral places the water is hauled

al Old Trails Road therefore need 

emergencies as arise in ordinary 

ires and making minor adjustments 

t one good-sized canteen of water 

visable on long trips, even on the 

a shovel. On practically all the 

rt region help can not be obtained 

eled much less frequently, some of 

le traveler who follows these roads 

sweater emergencies. No one should 

wn who is not sufficiently familiar 

issary adjustment of the carburetor 

repairs or who can not make repairs 

s statement is made because there

how to manipulate the throttle and

er should be sure that his car is im

to the desert and not merely trust

for on the desert roads an unusual

machine.

EQUIPMENT

uld be carried by travelers wh© 

or other places where help can be

 Water should be carried bothi fer 

ra iator. Water bags are efficient in
134 ' THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

keeping the water cool, but at least one canteen should be earned 

in case it is necessary to walk any distance for help. A person will 

often consume as much as 2 gallons of water hi a day if he is undergoing much physical exertion, and one should not start to walk any 

distance unless he carries at least a gallon canteen. Additional 

water may be carried in the automobile in kegs or other closed containers. Care should be taken that bags or other containers do not 

leak. A rope and bucket are often needed to obtain water from 

wells. On the poor roads of the remote regions all automobiles will 

consume abnormally large amounts of water, gasoline, and oil. 

The traveler should carry more than the amount of gasoline and oil 

calculated to cover the required distance. The machine may unexpectedly be stalled in sand or on a grade and thus use up a large 

amount of gasoline. Gasoline can be obtained in 5-gallon cans. 

These should be kept tightly corked.

Spare parts and tools. Enough tools should be carried to make 

temporary repairs, and minor spare parts that are frequently needed 

should be carried, such as spark plugs, fan belt, tire-repair outfit, 

headlight bulbs, and ball bearings. A few feet of baling wire is very 

useful. Good extra casings and inner tubes should be carried. If 

necessary the car can be operated on flat tires, or the tires can be 

removed. A jack is absolutely essential.

A shovel is frequently valuable when the car becomes stalled in 

sand. A long-handled shovel is easier on the user's back. A good 

rope and tackle or one of the patented outfits for pulling out stalled 

cars may help to get the car safely out of an awkward position in an 

arroyo or across & bad gully.

ROAD DIFFICULTIES

The uninformed traveler usually thinks of desert roads as sandy, 

rough, and almost impassable, but as a rule they are not. In fact, 

the Mohave Desert region contains hundreds of miles of desert roads 

that are far better than the unimproved roads of the Eastern and 

Central States. The desert roads seldom become so muddy as to be 

impassable, and except for a few short stretches they never become 

so dusty as to make a journey unpleasant. There are, however, 

certain difficulties that these roads present, and the following suggestions are given for surmounting them.

The most common trouble is with sandy stretches of road. These 

stretches may be divided into two types (a) where not only the 

road itself but the whole surrounding country is sandy, and (&) where 

the surrounding country may not be very sandy but deep sand 

collects in the road tracks as a result of windstorms.

Stretches of the first type are found very commonly on the eastern 

sides of the valleys, the sand having been blown in by the prevailing
SUSOBSTIONS FOE, DBSEBT TftAtfH, 135

westerly winds, and in dry washes. Where this condition is encountered it is essential to keep the machine in the road tracks. If the 

machine stalls it may possibly be backed up and a new start made. 

If this expedient fails after being repeated several times the sand 

may be dug out for a few feet in front of the machine. One of the 

most successful methods of getting out of sand is to cover the tracks 

with brush of any sort, rocks, or even grass. If necessary, the wheels 

should be jacked up and the brush packed under them to give traction 

and prevent them from spinning. As soon as the wheels begin to 

spin no further attempt should be made to start until brush is put 

under then}, for otherwise they will sink deeper into the sand. A 

method that has been found effective is to stretch two strips of canvas, 

about 10 yards long and 18 inches wide, under the wheels and in front 

of the car. This will often give the car a sufficient start to enable it 

to pass the worst stretch. It is necessary to lay the canvas under 

both the front and rear wheels. If not under the rear wheels it does 

not afford any traction, and if not held down by the front wheels it is 

pulled out and thrown behind the rear wheels.

In several places stretches of road were found where the tracks 

were filled with heavy sand, but the ground a few feet away from 

the road offered a fairly hard surface. In such places, if the car 

can be got out of the main track to the more solid ground less 

difficulty is experienced. The driver should be sure that a firmer 

surface is afforded away from the tracks, for if not he will simply 

get into worse difficulty by turning out. Wherever i^ is necessary 

to turn out to allow another car to pass it is advisable' to keep the 

wheels on one side in one of the road tracks. If this is not possible 

it is often easier to back into the road again, following the same 

tracks, than to go ahead.

Many persons in crossing long sandy stretches partly deflate the 

tires. This gives a wider tire and a reduced wheel diameter and a 

correspondingly greater traction. If not too much air is let out, 

probably no damage is done to the tires in soft sand, but when hard 

ground is reached they should immediately be reinflated to the proper 

pressure.

Many desert roads tiiat are otherwise good are cut by shallow 

cross washes from a few inches to a few feet deep. These must 

be crossed slowly to avoid putting a hard strain on the car. Where 

roads cross large washes and arroyos they may descend or ascend 

abruptly, and these changes of slope should also be taken slowly* 

If the descent into a wash is too rapid, a spring or the steering gear 

may be broken, or the car may plunge into deep sand.

In traveling roads that are used but little the driver must fe$ ®a 

the watch for "high centers." Large rocks in the middle of th&f oa<i 

may strike the underframe of the car, particularly the transmipiou
136 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CAMF ORNIA

housing or the differential housing. If these are broken the oil may 

drain out, causing serious trouble. "High centers" fortunately are 

not common. In a few places, particularly on roads composed of 

silty soil, the tracks may wear deep and the middle of the road 

will remain so high that the car can not pass. Such ruts may sometimes be "straddled."

In many places desert roads cross playas, or "dry lakes," as they 

are usually called. Many of these playas hi dry weather have hard, 

smooth surfaces forming veritable boulevards that are a delight to 

the traveler. In the rainy season these same playas may be lakes of 

mud that must be avoided. Even a light shower may make them 

very slippery. Other playas have a rough, soft surface, but after a 

track has been broken across them they usually present no difficulties to the automobile. A very few playas are wet and soft 

throughout the year, and vehicles can not be driven across them.

ROADS TO WATERING PLACES

The field work on which this report is based was undertaken with 

the object of making it as easy as possible for desert travelers hi this 

region to find water. Numerous signs were erected directing to watering places, but the funds available were insufficient to pay for. signs 

at all road junctions. The places listed on the signs, with only three 

or four exceptions, are all known to be reliable watering places. The 

traveler must often use his own judgment in keeping to the proper 

road and hi finding the watering places. In many places the maps 

will prove useful in indicating the proper road to be followed. . Even 

if a branch road is not indicated the general direction of the main 

road will be shown on the map. A study of the topography may 

suggest the course or destination of a road that is not indicated on 

the map. The traveler should obtain the best maps available. The 

maps accompanying this report are believed to be the most accurate 

at the time they were compiled, although it is known that they contain inaccuracies, and, moreover, changes in roads have been made 

since they were prepared.

It should be remembered that desert routes change unexpectedly. 

A road used for many years may be washed out by a heavy rain and 

fall into disuse. Prospectors frequently camp at one place for several 

weeks, and the road to their camp will become well marked, possibly 

more so than the main road to more distant points. Once established, 

these unimportant roads may under desert conditions persist for 

years. Because of these varying conditions the traveler before starting into a region that is new to him should make careful inquiry frbm 

prospectors and others in regard to the condition of roads and watering places, checking the information carefully with the maps at hand. 

Garage men are usually well informed in regard to road conditions.
SUGGESTIONS FOE DESERT TRAVEL 137

It is well not to depend on the memory for information about routes, 

but to request the informant to draw a sketch map, with distances 

and directions as nearly correct as possible. Particular uaquay 

should be made to be sure that water is still available at watering 

places that are to be visited.

TYPES OF WATERING PLACES

On the large maps (pis. 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) all features printed 

in blue indicate water. Reliable watering places are shown in red. 

One who is using the maps for information in regard to watering 

places should refer to the explanation of symbols on the map to be 

sure that water is available. A few words of additional explanation 

may be desirable.

Three types of wells are indicated on the maps flowing wells, 

nonflowing wells without pumping plants, and nonflowing wells with 

pumping plants. Nonflowing wells may be either dug or drilled; 

flowing wells are drilled. The usefulness of a nonflowing well as a 

watering place depends upon a means of getting the water to the 

surface, such as a pump or a rope and bucket.

In certain parts of the region there are a great many wells that 

are not shown on these maps. This is particularly true of Antelope 

Valley, Indian Wells Valley, Superior Valley, and the Mohave River 

valley that is, districts where many homesteaders have taken up 

claims. Many of the wells in these and other valleys are shown on 

maps that accompany the descriptions of the different valleys. 

Some of these wells have no pumping equipment, or if equipped with 

power pumps they are useless unless some one is at hand to operate 

the machinery. For various reasons many of the homesteads are 

unoccupied for periods of several months. The relief maps showonly those wells where it is probable that water can be obtained 

at all times.

Several abandoned or "dry" wells have been shown on some maps 

as watering places and are still frequently referred to as landmarks 

in giving directions to travelers. Furthermore, some persons do not 

know that these wells ar§ no longer reliable sources of supply. It 

is thus deemed advisable to show these wells on the accompanying 

maps, but to indicate that they are dry or abandoned.

The water in some of the wells is poor, being either highly mineralized or insanitary. These wells have been shown on the maps, however, usually with a note that the water is poor or bad. The water 

from such wells may generally be used for automobile radiators or for 

horses and cattle, evein though it may not be fit for human consumption.

Springs are likely to be in bad condition, being more easily polluted than wells, but they can usually be cleaned out in a few miaujfees.
138 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

and if the spring has a stream flowing from it the water will soon 

become clear. If the spring has no visible outlet care must be 

exercised in cleaning away leaves and other d4bris, lest mud and 

sand be stirred up which may be a long time in settling.

What are commonly known as "tanks" are shown at a few places 

on the maps. These are natural reservoirs or basins formed in various ways in rocks and filled by rain water. Water may remain in 

the tank from a few days to several months, the time depending upon 

the size of the basin and other conditions. Some of the tanks may be. 

filled with sand, which, however, holds a considerable quantity of 

water that may be obtained by a little digging. Tanks of this type 

are known as "sand tanks." In some places tanks are valuable as a 

source of supply to prospectors, but as they are usually situated in the 

more mountainous country and are not easily found, they are not of 

much importance to the average desert traveler.

Water is hauled to many railroad stations in cars and stored in 

cisterns or other reservoirs which are shown on the map. Nearly all 

these reservoirs are at section houses or small towns where help can 

be obtained.

Permanent streams and lakes are so rare in the desert region that 

they are practically of no importance as sources of water supply 

for travelers. Even where they occur better sources of water are 

usually available. Intermittent streams that is, those which flow 

for only a part of the year are likewise of little importance to 

travelers. They usually flow only after heavy rains, and then the 

water is likely to be too muddy to be used. They are never to be 

counted upon as sources of supply.

Playas, or "dry lakes," are never sources of water supply. They 

contain water only after heavy rains, and the water then is too muddy 

to be of any use. They are to be considered by the traveler only with 

reference to the condition of the roads that cross them.

FINDING WATERING PLACES

Watering places are not always readily seen from the road, and 

a search must be made for them. (See pi. 15, B.} Foot trails and 

paths made by cattle may lead to a springror a well. Camp debris, 

such as tin cans and camp-fire remains, is often evidence that water 

is to be found near by. In mountainous country springs or wells 

are usually found in gravelly washes or in rocky canyons, particularly where the wash or canyon is somewhat constricted by rock 

ledges. In the large open valleys wells and springs are usually 

found in the lower parts of the valleys. The presence of water isin many places indicated by certain forms of vegetation, particularly 

salt grass, crawling mesquite, and arrow weed. (See pp. 51-54.) Certain types of willows and the screw-bean mesquite do not necessarily 

indicate the presence of water.
SUGGESTIONS FOE DBSEET TRAVEL 189 

QUALITY OF DESERT WATERS

The newcomer on the desert often has the notion that aU dessert 

waters are bad and that he must simply endure them, his thirst neveir 

being quenched. Actually, in most places, the water is npt bracMsh 

or bitter, and in some places it is as good as that used for public 

supplies in the less arid States, if not better. It is true that some of the 

waters are very brackish or bitter, and the analyses made in the 

Geological Survey laboratory indicate that one or two samples aremore highly concentrated than seavwater. The waters of poor quality 

are generally found in wells or springs situated in the lowest partsof closed basins. The waters from springs or wells in the mountains1 

are usually comparatively good.

Most of the waters that are not positively distasteful can be used fc«r 

drinking in small quantities without deleterious effects. If highly 

mineralized waters are consumed in large quantities they may cause 

serious physiologic disturbances, which, although they are usually 

only of a temporary nature, may be so weakening that the result 

may be fatal. The most dangerous waters are usually so distasteful 

that the traveler will not swallow them unless his sense of taste 

has been deadened by'intense suffering from thirst.

Any ill effects produced by waters are usually due to the presence 

of large quantities of sodium sulphate (Glauber salt), magnesium 

sulphate (Epsom salt), sodium carbonate, or sodium chloride (common salt). Waters containing large amounts of the sulphates of 

sodium or magnesium have a bitter taste. Waters that contain sufficient quantities of these two substances to impart a perceptible taste, 

if used even in moderation, have a laxative effect, but they may serve 

to quench the thirst and will not cause serious discomfort. If they 

are used in large quantities the laxative effect may be so great as 

to prove serious. Waters containing large amounts of sodium carbonate have a characteristic soapy taste and cause a burning sensation in the mouth. They produce a nauseating effect. Waters of 

this character that are suniciently concentrated to prove harmful 

are rare in the region described in this report. Waters high in 

sodium chloride (common salt) have a salty taste. If very much 

salty water is drunk it will have a nauseating effect. Waters tha-t 

taste slightly salty may be drunk, but they are not effective in slaking 

thirst.

The waters from a number of springs or wells in the area described 

in this paper have been reported to contain arsenic or similar poisons. 

Careful tests of samples of these waters have failed to reveal the 

presence of any of these poisonous substances.

The notes in the report in regard to the quality of water at different 

places refer principally to the quality so far as mineral content is 

cdncefcned. Bacteriologic or other sanitary analyses were not made.
140 THE MOHAVE DESKJET REGHON, CALIFORNIA

Desert wells and springs are not usually dangerously polluted, but 

if there is any question as to the sanitary quality of any water it 

should be boiled before being drunk.

EMERGENCIES

The traveler should as far as possible be prepared to meet any 

emergency that may arise. Occasionally, however, something happens that no preparation or foresight can prevent. Serious breakdowns may occur that can not be repaired, or an automobile may 

become hopelessly stalled, and there is nothing to do but walk. In 

such circumstances it is a common tendency for the traveler, especially if he is not very familiar with the desert, to become paniestricken. He should, however, consider the conditions carefully 

and without excitement. On a hot summer day he should rest in 

the shade of the car or a bush until the heat of the day is passed, 

walking mostly in the cool night hours. He should carry a canteen 

of water and if the distance is great some food, taking care to avoid 

thirst-producing foods, such as dried beef or other salty meats. He 

should consider the various possible sources of help and should consult the map to determine the nearest places, with intermediate 

watering places, conditions of travel, etc. The traveler should at 

all times know approximately how far he is from the places where 

help can be obtained.

Unless he can tell directions accurately from the sun and stars th« 

traveler should always carry a compass. As he passes through new 

country he should make it a habit to locate prominent features that 

will serve as landmarks, and as far as possible he should become acquainted with their appearance from different directions. Ordinarily 

it is dangerous to leave a road and cut across country to save distance, unless the saving is great and the traveler is certain of the 

'conditions to be met. This is particularly true if it is likely that it 

will be necessary to cross mountains.

The traveler should remember that for various reasons it is very 

difficult to estimate distances in the desert. A mountain that seems 

only a mile or two away may be 10 miles away. He should not go 

far from camp at any time without a canteen of water.

In conclusion it may again be emphasized that much depends on 

the traveler himself. If his machine is in good condition, and if 

he understands it, keeps it in good condition, and drives it carefully, 

he will have little difficulty. It is then only the occasional, unavoidable accident that may prove dangerous. Even in such an event the 

person who remains calm and free from panic is in comparatively 

little danger.
THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA Ml 

MAIN BOUTES OF THE DESERT

That part of southern California known as "the desert" Is shut 

off from the somewhat better watered country along the Pacific coast 

by high mountains. These mountains, known at Tarious places frdm 

northwest to southeast as the San Gabriel Mountains, the San Bernardino Mountains, the San Jacinto Mountains, and the Santa Boss 

Mountains, extend almost due east from the Pacific Ocean between 

latitudes 34° and 34° 30' beyond the cities of San Bernardino and 

Redlands, whence they trend somewhat east of south to the Mexican 

border. They act as a barrier to travel, which is concentrated through 

a very few passes. Access from the west to the region considered hi 

this report may be had at only three places, but farther south, near 

the Mexican border, several roads lead through the mountains. 

Roads from the large cities converge toward these passes and, after 

crossing the mountains, diverge again in various directions. The 

principal routes of the Mohave Desert region are shown on Plate 2.

MIDLAND TRAIL

The westernmost route into the desert leads northwestward from 

Los Angeles, by way of San Fernando,-to Saugus, a distance of 34 

miles. From Saugus the traveler has a choice of two routes, known 

as the Bouquet Canyon route and the Mint Canyon route, both of 

which lead northeastward to the Mohave Desert. Either of these 

roads may be followed to Mojave. The Mint Canyon road, leading 

first to Palmdale, is paved and is therefore the one generally used. 

From Mojave the road leads northward to Big Pine and thence northeastward through Goldfield and Tonopah to Ely, Nev., where it 

joins the Lincoln Highway, the main road to Salt Lake City, and the 

East. This route is known as the Midland Trail.

From Saugus a third road, known as the Ridge route, branches 

northwestward through Tejon Pass to San Joaquin Valley and 

thence to Bakersfield and San Francisco, but this route does not 

touch the desert. The Bouquet Canyon and Mint Canyon routes are 

also used by travelers bound for Bakersfield. On the north side of 

the mountains the traveler who follows either of these roads may 

turn west and reach the Ridge Road a few miles south of Tejon 

Pass, or he may go to Mojave and thence turn west through Tehachapi Pass to Bakersfield and San Francisco.

The Midland Trail is used extensively for travel from southern 

California to Salt Lake City and eastern points. It is also used a 

great deal by travelers going only to Antelope Valley, just north of 

the mountains, now a comparatively well settled farming country, 

and to the mining districts near Randsburg and Searles Lake. These 

roads are much traveled, and along them water and supplies can be 

obtained at short intervals. They have been well signposted by the
142 THE M6HAVE D3SSEBT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Automobile Club of Southern California, and maps on which they 

are shown in detail may be obtained at the headquarters of this club 

in Los Angeles. Roads east of the Southern Pacific Railroad on the 

desert side of the mountains are described in later pages.

NATIONAL OLD TRAILS ROAD

The greater number of travelers bound for the desert follow the 

routes that lead eastward along the south side of the San Gabriel 

Mountains from Los Angeles to San Bernardino and Colton. From 

these two places two routes diverge to different parts of the desert, 

one leading northward to the Mohave Desert region and the other 

leading eastward to the desert areas of Riverside, Imperial, and San 

Diego counties, often called the Colorado Desert. (See pi. 1.) From 

San Bernardino the National Old Trails Road goes northward, crossing the mountains through Cajon Pass, to Barstow. Thence it continues in an easterly direction to Needles, about 305 miles from Los 

Angeles, and crosses Colorado River into Arizona 15 miles farther 

southeast. This is the main transcontinental route between southern 

California and the Eastern States. Important roads branch from 

this main road at several places. At Barstow roads go northward 

and northeastward to Death Valley and mining regions in eastern 

California and southeastern Nevada. From Daggett a road known as 

the Arrowhead Trail leads northeastward to Goodsprings and Las 

Vegas, Nev., and to Salt Lake City, Utah. (See below.) At Cadiz 

and Needles branches lead southeastward to Parker, Ariz., and 

thence to Phoenix.

Cajon Pass is the natural gateway to nearly the whole of the desert 

region described in this report and shown on the large maps. An 

area in the southern part of the region shown on Plates 10 and 11, 

which may be called Dale Basin, is most easily entered from the 

north end of Coachella Valley, which adjoins it on the south (see 

pp. 638-651), because the roads leading into this basin from the 

National Old Trails Road are rendered practically impassable by sand.

OCEAN TO OCEAN HIGHWAY

Southeast of San Bernardino there is another break in the mountains, San Gorgonio Pass, which allows access to the desert part of 

Riverside County and the northern part of Imperial County. Many 

eastbound travelers go through this pass to Mecca and Blythe, cross 

Colorado River by a ferry at Ehrenberg, and thence proceed to 

Phoenix. Roads also lead southeastward through the Salton Basin 

to Imperial Valley and Yuma, but these places are also reached 

by a road from San Diego which follows closely the Mexican border. 

Travelers from San Diego to Phoenix use the latter route. The 

southern routes are variously known as the Ocean to Ocean Highway,
MAIN BOUTES OF THE 0EBEBT 143 i

the Trail to Sunset, or by other names. The roads in the desert part 

of Riverside, Imperial, and San Diego Counties are described in s 

preliminary guide by John S. Brown,28 and the geography, geology, 

and hydrology of the region in a more complete report by the same 

author.29

ARROWHEAD TRAIL

r

The Arrowhead Trail is an important route of travel to Salt Lake 

City, especially in winter, when the Lincoln Highway and other 

northern routes between California and Salt Lake City are closed by 

deep snow in the mountains. The Arrowhead Trail formerly branched 

from the National Old Trails Road near Bannock, about 16 miles west 

of Needles, and led northward by way of Searchlight and Las Vegas. 

(See p. 717.) In recent years San Bernardino County has opened 

a new road that shortens the distance by many miles. The road 

turns northeastward from the National Old Trails Road at Daggett and parallels the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad (Union 

Pacific System) to a point beyond Manix station. Thence it continues northeastward across East Cronise Valley to Baker station 

and by way of Halloran Spring and Valley Wells across the Clark 

Mountains into Ivanpah Valley. There it turns northward and 

reaches the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad near Roach and lies 

not far from the railroad for many miles to Las Vegas and Moapa, 

Nev. This new road is not shown on the relief maps but is shown on 

Plates 7 and 8.

» Brown, J. 8., Routes to desert watering places In the Salton Sea region, Calif.: IT. S. Qeol. Samy 

Water-Supply Paper 490-A, 1920.

" Brown, J. S., The Salton Sea region, Calif., a geographic, geologic, and hydrologic reconnaissance: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 497,1923.
PART II. DESCKIPTIONS OF VALLEYS 

INDIAN WELLS, COSO, AND ROSE VALLEYS

GENERAL FEATURES

Indian Wells Valley occupies the northeastern part of Kern County, 

the southwestern part of Inyo County, and a very small area in the 

northwest corner of San Bernardino County. (See pi. 7.) It is 

bounded on the west by the high Sierra Nevada, which serves as a. 

barrier to the rain-producing winds that blow from the Pacific Ocean 

in winter and causes the precipitation to be so low that crops can not 

be grown without irrigation. The valley has also been called Inyokern Valley, Brown Vallfcy, and Salt Wells Valley, but the name 

Indian Wells Valley was approved in 1920 by the United States Geographic Board. The name Salt Wells Valley is at present applied to 

a smaller valley lying between Indian Wells Valley and the valley 

occupied by Searles Lake.

Adjoining Indian Wells Valley on the north are two smaller valleys, Rose Valley and a hitherto unnamed valjey for which the name 

Coso Basin is suggested. These valleys are separated from Indian 

Wells Valley only by low divides, and they probably contribute some 

ground water to it. For this reason they are considered briefly with 

Indian Wells Valley.

Indian Wells Valley is traversed from north to south by a branch 

line of the Southern Pacific Railroad that runs from Mojave to 

Owenyo, with connections to the main line between San Francisco and Ogden, Utah. This road was built primarily for hauling 

materials for the construction of the Los Angeles Aqueduct, which 

runs through the valley along the foot of the Sierra Nevada.

The principal town is Inyokern, on the railroad in the southwestern part of the valley. In 1920 it contained two general stores, a post 

office, a small hotel, and several houses. Brown, about 10 miles north 

of Inyokern, contained a small store, a post office, and a small hotel 

and railroad eating house. Leliter, midway between the two towns, 

contained only a post office.

The valley is connected with adjoining regions by fairly good 

desert roads, which lead to Los Angeles and Salt Lake City and to 

the desert towns of Barstow, Randsburg, Trona, Borosolvay, and 

Westend. A road leads from Freeman up Freeman Canyon across 

the Sierra Nevada into the upper part of the Kern River valley. 

This road is used considerably by ranchers along Kern River, especially to bring cattle to Inyokern for shipment. In 1919 about 75 

carloads of cattle were shipped from Inyokern, and most of them 

came from the west side of the Sierra Nevada. 

144
WEIJpS, COSO, AND KOSB VAMJSYS 145

Agriculture, including horticulture and cattle raising, is practically 

the only activity of the valley. One or two mines or prospects are 

located in the mountains east and northeast of Brown, but production from them has been more or less sporadic.

SOILS

Throughout the greater part of Indian Wells Valley the soil consists of the decomposition products of the granite of the Sierra 

Nevada. It is a mixture of coarse sand grains and some clay and ia 

lacking in humus. Although the soil contains moise or less sand, it is 

nowhere so sandy as to require unusually large quantities of water 

for irrigation except on the east side of the lowest part of the valley', 

where sand blown from the west side of the valley accumulates.

The soil of the playas and for some distance around them is essentially composed of clay. The soil of China Dry Lake and bordering 

it for some distance contains more or less alkali, which generally 

shows on the surface.

In two localities in the region, at the lower ends of two large washes, 

the soil is very silty. These localities are along the line between 

sees. 2 and 3, T. 26 S., R. 39 E'., and along the road between sees. 9 

and 10, T. 26 S., R. 40 E. This soil apparently tends to cake or 

form a crust after being wet, but it pulverizes readily, and the caking 

tendency probably would not be harmful to crops. It apparently 

has been deposited by the flood waters from the washes as they 

spread out over the bottom of the valley.

Caliche was reported at several places at a depth of a few feet, 

notably in the SW.M sec. 6, T. 26 S., R. 40 E., where it lies at a 

depth of 18 inches to 4 feet; near the southwest corner of sec. 23, 

T. 26 S., R. 40 E., at a depth of 3 to 3^ feet; and near the southwest 

corner of sec. 35, T. 26 S., R. 40 E., at a depth of 2 to 3 feet. It 

apparently occurs only in the lower part of the valley and probably 

is not continuous over any very large area, nor does it lie at a uniform 

depth.

VEGETATION

The creosote bush (L&rrea tridentata or CowHea, tridentdtd), often 

erroneously called greasewood, is the characteristic plant throughout 

the greater part of the alluvial slope of Indian Wells Valley. It 

occurs only where the soil is well drained and hence is not found in the 

lowest part of the valley, where the water table is close to the surface 

and the soil contains more or less alkali. The vegetation in the areas 

of alkali soil is characterized by the alkali-resistant plants, such as 

salt grass (Distichlis spicata) and the so-called saltbushes. Usually a 

rather distinct boundary can be drawn between the zone* in which 

creosote is dominant and the zone where salt grass or the saltbushes 

predominate. It is beiieved that this boundary is also the boundary
146 THE MOHAVB DESEBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

which separates land that will b,ear crops and that which is unfit for 

agriculture. This boundary wais determined approximately in part 

of the valley and is shown on Figure 4.

No plants larger than the creosote bush grow in the valley, except 

perhaps a few mesquite in isolated localities. Some pine trees grow 

on the higher flanks of the Sierra Nevada, but they are difficult of 

access and not easily obtained for fuel.

CLIMATE

No official climatic records have been kept in Indian Wells Valley. 

The region has a typical desert climate, characterized by high summer 

temperature, relatively warm winters, and slight annual precipitation. 

The climate is apparently much like that in the vicinity of Mojave^ 

Calif., for which records are available (pp. 70-91 and figs. 1 and 2).

Mr. Harry Joos, who has kept partial records at his ranch in sec. 

26, T. 26 S., R. 39 E., since 1910, states that the maximum summer 

temperature has been 118° and the minimum winter temperature 80- 

A temperature of 2° below zero was recorded at Indian Wells (old 

stage station) in 1908, but Mr. Joos estimates the average minimum 

at not lower than about 14°.

On the basis of studies on Owens Valley, of records at Mojave, 

and of conditions in Indian Wells Valley, Lee,1 has estimated that 

the average annual rainfall is about 4 inches at Brown, 6 inches at 

the base of the mountains, and about 22.5 inches at altitudes of 7,000* 

feet in the Sierra Nevada. Mr. Joos states that the average annual 

rainfall at his ranch since 1910 has been about 3.8 niches.

Most of the ram comes during the winter from storms that cover a 

wide area and move from west to east. Lee states that probably the 

precipitation at a given altitude in the mountains on the north and 

northeast side of the valley is not quite as great as at the same altitude in the Sierra Nevada. He believes the maximum in the ArgusRange to be about 15 inches.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

» GENERAL CHARACTER

Indian Wells Valley occupies a closed basin that is, there is nooutlet for its surface streams. It is almost entirely surrounded by 

mountains of impervious rocks that practically prevent any of the 

ground water from seeping out of the basin.

The area that contributes water to the ground-water supply of 

this valley is composed of three units, which are more or less separated 

by low surface divides, but these divides are of such a nature that 

they do riot act as barriers to movements of ground-water. The 

largest of the units is Indian Wells Valley itself. The next largest

i Lee, C. H., Ground-water resources of Indian Wells Valley, Calif.: California State Conservation 

Comm. Eept,,*pp. 401-429,1913.
INDIAN WELLS, COSO» AND BOSS YAIiLElfS

unit lies northeast of the valley, and it may be called the Coso Basin 

01* Valley, as a large part of the drainage of this area comes foom the 

Coso Mountains and is carried down a narrow valley in which are 

located the Coso Hot Springs. The third and smallest unit adjoins 

Indian Wells Valley on the northwest and is called Rose Valley. 

The boundaries of these units are shown on Plate 7. The topographic 

and geologic features of these three units may be considered separately.

INDIAN WELLS VALLEY

The drainage basin of Indian Wells Valley is composed of topographic features of three principal kinds mountains, alluvial slopes, 

and playas. All the land of value for agriculture lies on the alluvial 

slopes. Practically all the water for irrigation has its source in the 

mountains. The playas occupy the lowest part of the valley'and 

are nearly flat expanses of clay or silt, with which is mixed more or 

less alkali. The alluvial slopes, which are underlain by gravel, sand, 

and clay, rise gradually from the playas toward the mountains but 

become steeper near the mountains. From the upper limit of the 

alluvial slopes the mountains rise steeply.

The highest of the mountain ranges that surround the valley is the 

Sierra Nevada on the west. From an altitude of about 3,000 feet 

above sea level near its base the range rises steeply, within a horizontal distance of 6 miles, to peaks that reach 6,000 to 9,000 feet. 

The Sierra Nevada is drained by a number of short, steep-sided canyons, some of which contain small perennial streams. The rocks of 

the range are all granitic.

The mountains that border the valley on the south, east, and north 

are not as steep or as high as the Sierra Nevada, only two or three 

peaks rising above 6,000 feet. Next to the Sierra Nevada in height 

are the mountains on the northeast side of the valley that form a 

part of the Argus Range, which attain altitudes of 4,000 to 6,000 feet 

above sea level. The rocks of this range are mostly lavas of Tertiary 

age.

The boundary of the drainage basin on the southeast, from the 

south end of China Dry Lake to Rademacher siding, on the Southern 

Pacific Railroad, is composed of granite hills that rise only 1,000 to 

1,500 feet above the bottom of the valley. In the northwestern part 

of T. 27 S., R. 41 E., and the southwestern part of T. 26 S., R. 40 E., 

the granite is badly weathered and the features of relief seem to be 

formed by alluvial deposits, but bedrock doubtless lies only a short 

distance below the surface.

The El Paso Mountains, west and southwest qf Rademaehersiding, consist of a series of interbedded lava flows and sedimentary 

rocks of Tertiary age. In Redrock Canyon, at the sojuthwest end of 

the range, these rocks are tilted to the northwest, anid in the north-
148 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

em part of T. 29 S., R. 37 E., they underlie a mantle of Pleistocene 

or recent alluvial deposits washed down from the mountains on the 

west. For a few miles in this township the divide is composed ©f 

unconsolidated materials.

The alluvial slopes of Indian Wells Valley are composed of debris 

washed into the valley from the mountains. As the Sierra Nevada 

is higher and steeper than the other ranges, and the precipitation on 

it is somewhat greater than elsewhere, more de'bris has been carried 

into the valley from the west than from any other direction. In fact, 

Indian Wells Valley is essentially a plain formed by the alluvium 

from the Sierra Nevada. The alluvial slope extends from that range 

nearly across the whole valley, for the alluvial slopes from the rnoun* 

tains on the east are very narrow. On the topographic map some of 

the region north of Brown and east of the Southern Pacific Railroad, 

covering parts of Tps. 23 and 24 S., Rs. 38 and 39 E., has the appearance of an alluvial slope, but it is the surface of a large lava flow. 

(See fig. 4.)

The playas or "dry lakes" occupy the lowest part of the valley, 

where temporary shallow ponds or small lakes form after heavy 

rains. The lakes dry up in a few days or months, leaving a barren 

flat. In some places, after the water has disappeared the surface of 

the playa may be smooth and become hard as it dries out, but in 

other places the surface is soft, slightly rough, and covered with 

incrustations of alkali deposits. Where the alkali is present, water 

is reaching the surface by capillary action and is being discharged 

by evaporation. The alkali crust is deposited as the result of the 

continual discharge in this manner. Where the surface is rough 

and soft, exhibiting the "self-rising ground," the soil is usually moist, 

and ground water is usually found at depths of less than 10 feet. The 

roughness of the surface is believed to beMue to the formation of 

crystals of the alkali salts, which, as they develop, push the surrounding clay or sand upward. Immediately after rains some of the alkali 

may be redissolved and not be noticeable, but it reappears as the 

surface dries out again. Where the soil is moist, wind-blown sand 

that falls on the playa may remain hi place and form low sand dunes.

Five separate playas in Indian Wells Valley are shown on Plates 

7 and 10, although Lee shows China Lake as including two of the 

playas. The largest playa is known as China Dry Lake. When 

seen by the writer most of it was covered by a moist alkali crust. 

The alkali also extended for some distance away from the playa. 

The other playas were not seen, but as they are situated at slightly 

higher altitudes, according to the topographic map, they probably 

are not so moist and do not have so much alkali on the surface. 

The alkali areas of China Dry Lake are shown in some detail in 

Figure 4, which is modified from a map by Lee.2

»Lee, O. H., op. cit., pL 2.
, C060, AND BQf*

Al I&* uouth end of China Dry Lake occur 

it blue wbw wet but bluish green when dry* 

such beds is generally considered to indicate that they 

under w* bvrf as in a lake, the water preventing

pia)

color of 

wer* deposited 

oxdatio*,, which

or dry lake Ar^as of morst land surrounding 

playa, generally covered with 

more or less alkali and with alkaliresisting

Lowerf bouncjar of 

creoacrte bush

O108 Numbw |*for» to taW« 'm text " ; { 

FlQU»« 4*-Map of ft port of Indian WelleVafley,Calif.,showing piiysteal fisaturw and Joo*tioaofwelto

changes the color of the beds. Gale 3 has shown that a lake

in Indian Wells Valley during the Pleistocene epoch. It was formed

mainly by an overflow of Owens Lake during a period when the

* Gala, K. S., Balines to th* Ownes, Searl«sp and Panamint Basins, soutbeastern Oalitoraln: TT. i, O«oi. 

Sorvey BuM, MS, pp. 999-970,1014.
150 THE MOHAVB DESBKT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

precipitation was greater than at present, and in turn it 'overflowed 

to the east, forming a large lake where the playa of Searles Lake 

now is. (See pp. 110-111.)

Well logs obtained by the writer show' the beds deposited in this 

Pleistocene lake were spread over a much larger area than the present 

playa of China Lake. Since they were deposited alluvial waste has 

been washed out over them from the west. Blue clay was found 

in a number of wells south and west of the playa. In well 98, in the 

SE. M sec. 34, T. 26 S., R. 40 E. (fig. 4), it was reached at 73 feet 

and in well 99, in sec. 35, a quarter of a mile to the east, it was found 

at 40 feet. It was said to have been reached at a depth of about 260 

feet in weU 82, in the SW. M sec. 19, T. 26 S., R. 40 E.; at a depth of 

about 220 feet in weU 58, in the NW. M sec. 11, T. 26 S., R. 39 E.; 

at a depth of 151 feet in weU 26, in the SW. M sec. 24, T. 25 S., R. 

39 E.; and at 152 feet in well 19, near the center of the N. % sec. 18, 

T. 25 S., R. 40 E. Blue clay was also found in several other wells 

between China Dry Lake and the wells mentioned. In some wells 

beds of brown or gray clay were found. These beds may be continuous with the blue-clay beds. The blue-clay beds seem to play a 

notable part in the occurrence of ground water in the lower part of 

the valley, for they are relatively impervious, and in most wells where 

they were encountered no water-bearing beds were found beneath 

them. (See pp. 154-155, 163.)

COSO BASIN

The Coso drainage basin adjoins Indian Wells Valley on the northeast. It is separated from Indian Wells Valley by a low divide 

which, on the surface at least, is composed of alluvium. Although 

the surface drainage does not reach Indian Wells Valley, the ground 

water undoubtedly can move freely toward the south to the larger 

valley.

The drainage basin consists almost entirely of mountain slopes that 

culminate in peaks 6,000 to 8,000 feet above sea level. With the 

exception of a small area of granite in T. 22 S., R. 41 E., these mountains are all composed of volcanic rocks, probably mostly of Tertiary 

age but some of them apparently Pleistocene. Especially prominent 

is a large flow or series of flows which extends from Louisiana Butte, 

in the northeastern part of T. 22 S., R. 40 E., westward to the valley 

in which Coso Hot Springs are located. This valley drains southward 

to a playa in the southeast corner of T. 23 S., R. 39 E. According to 

descriptions by persons living in Indian Wells Valley, the playa is 

hard and smooth, without any alkali deposits like those on China 

Dry Lake, and the water table lies at a considerable depth below tL,e 

surface.

The features of Coso Basin are significant in the consideration of 

conditions in Indian Wells Valley only in so far as the bapin contributes
INDIAN ' WELLS, CDBO, i AND RO6&

ground water to t<he supply of the main valley. (See p. 153.) So 

far as is Jmown no farming is done in the basin,, , i<f . .-... « T

EOSB

Rose Valley adjoins the extreme northwest cornet of Indian Wells 

Valley. It is connected with Indian Wells Valley by a canyon south 

of Little Lake station, through which, during the Pleistocene epoch, 

a river flowed from Owens Lake. At present the surface drainage of 

Rose Valley apparently is shut off from Indian Wells Valley by low 

divides formed by alluvial cones built out from the Sierra Nevada. 

One of these cones is about 5 miles south of Little Lake. A small 

"dry lake" lies about 5 miles north of Little Lake and is apparently 

due to the deposition of alluvial material from the mountains which 

has blocked the drainage from the north. The ground water underlying Rose Valley, like that of the Coso Basin, probably has access 

to Indian Wells Valley. At Little Lake lava and granite lie close to 

the surface, and some of the water is brought to the surface in springs. 

In January, 1920, a small lake existed a short distance north of the 

station and a much larger area was covered with salt grass and other 

vegetation that indicates shallow ground water.

Several wells have been drilled in the valley, but the depth to ground' 

water is great, except perhaps near Little Lake station, and in 1919 

no crops were raised.

DRAINAGE AREA

The drainage areas of the basins that may contribute to the groundwater supply of Indian Wells Valley are summarized in the following 

table. The areas are classified into mountains, which make the 

greatest contribution to the ground-water supply; valley lands that 

are available for agriculture; and areas that are not fit for agriculture 

because the ground is too rough, or the soil contains alkali, or for 

other reasons. The areas are obtained from planimeter measurements, but the boundaries between the lands of the different classes 

are only approximate; in some places they are determined from field 

data but in most places are determined from the maps.

Areas of drainage basins contributing to ground-water supply of Indian Wetts Vattey,

in square miles

Drainage basin

Indian Wells Valley. . . ...........

Hose Valley . . __ . . _ * ..

Mountains

365 

235 

ISO

750

Valley lands

Suitable 

for 

agriculture

170 

10 

25

205

Not suitable for 

agriculture

220 

30

250

Total

755 

275

:175

1,205
152 TM3B MOEULVS BBSBRT REGION, CALIFOEN1A

RUN-OFF , , ; . *,.. ..

There are no streams in Indian Wells Valley that maintain a perennial flow of sufficient size to be useful for irrigation. It is said that 

water runs throughout the year in the upper part of some of the 

canyons of the Sierra Nevada, but only after heavy rains does any 

water run out onto the alluvial slope, where it may percolate info 

the ground and become a part of the ground water.

Lee 4 estimated the run-off from the mountains in Indian Wells 

Valley alone as about 27,000 acre-feet a year. He did not give estimates for the run-off from the mountains around Rose Valley or in 

the Coso feasin. He estimated the annual run-off from the Sierra 

Nevada to be about 100 acre-feet per square mile, and he apparently 

allowed about half as much for the mountains on the east side of the 

yalley. The Rose Valley basin contains about 50 square miles in the 

Sierra Nevada which, on the average, rises higher than the Sierra 

west of Indian Wells Valley and from which the run-off would be fully 

as great. The mountains on the east side of Rose Valley, about 100 

square miles in area, are so situated that they doubtless yield as 

much as those on the east side of Indian Wells Valley. The total 

run-off into Rose Valley is therefore estimated to be about 10,000 

acre-feet. The mountains bordering the Coso Basin cover about 235 

square miles, and the run-off is probably fully as great as in the same 

range farther south, so that the total run-off in this area is estimated 

at about 12,000 acre-feet. The total run-off from the drainage 

basin tributary to Rose Valley and the Coso Basin is thus nearly 

equal to that of the drainage basin of Indian Wells Valley. These 

estimates are based on inadequate data, but it is probable that the 

total run-off from the mountain areas of all three basins does not 

exceed 50,000 acre-feet a year.

GROUND WATER

SOURCE

The ground-water supply of Indian Wells Valley comes principally 

from the precipitation in the mountains that are tributary to the 

valley itself, but some of it comes from the mountains tributary to 

Rose Valley and the Coso Basin. The storm run-off from the mountains is concentrated into streams in the mountain canyons, but when 

the streams emerge on the alluvial slopes they spread out, and much 

of the water is absorbed by the porous gravel. In the heaviest floods 

some of the water may run out on the playas and evaporate, but usually 

most of it is absorbed before it reaches the playas. Some of the water 

that percolates below the surface evaporates before it reaches the 

water table. The precipitation in the valleys is so much les» than

* Lee, O. H., op. tit., p. 400.
HTDIAN WELLS, COfiO, AND BOBE VALtBTB

in the mountains and it is distributed over BO great an area that the 

quantity added to the ground-water reservoir from this source is small. 

The greatest contribution to the ground-water reservoir in Indian 

Wells Valley comes from the Sierra Nevada. '*

Some ground water reaches Indian Wells Valley from Bose Valley 

and more from the Ooso Basin. As shown by Lee, most of the 

water that reaches the water table in Rose Valley emerges, in a large 

spriAnear Little Lake or evaporates from a ci4naga or marshy area 

in that locality. The writer did not visit the playa in the Co§o Basin, 

in the southeastern part of T. 23 S., R. 39 E., but information obtained 

by inquiry from ranchers and others indicates that the water table 

is not near enough to the surface there to discharge water by upward 

capillary movement and evaporation. A well dug by a cattleman 

near this playa is said to have reached a depth of nearly 100 feet 

without striking water, although the bottom was moist. It is reported that lava rock was encountered at the bottom. J. E. Blackbum, of the United States Geological Survey, who made the topographic map of this region and several other persons informed the 

writer that the surface of the playa is smooth and hard, except perhaps after heavy rains, and that there is no alkali crust on or around 

it. According to their statements the playa forms a distinct contrast 

to China Dry Lake, which is characterized by extensive accumulations of alkali formed by evaporation where the water table is close 

to the surface. Generally in the Mohave Desert region, where the 

smooth, hard type of playa is found, the water table is so far below 

the surface that there is no discharge by upward capillary movement 

and evaporation. The rocks of the mountains in the Coso Basin 

are nearly all of volcanic origin. The large mountain east of Coso 

Hot Springs, which culminates in Louisiana Butte, when viewed 

from the springs appears to be an immense lava flow or series of 

flows of comparatively recent age. Studies of ground-water conditions in the lava-covered regions of the Northwest indicate that 

lava rocks are capable of absorbing much of the precipitation through 

large joints and crevices. The water thus absorbed moves readily 

through the rocks. Probably a larger proportion of the precipitation therefore percolates directly into the rocks of the mountains in 

the Coso Basin than in Indian Wells Valley. On the other hand, a 

relatively larger proportion of the run-off from the mountains is 

doubtless lost by evaporation in the Coso Basin than hi Indian 

Wells Valley, for the absorption area of alluvial materials is much 

smaller, and the flood waters may readily reach the playa in the 

southeastern part of T. 23 S., R. 39 E., where they evaporate.

According to data given by Lee the water table stands higher in 

the northern part of Indian Wells Valley than, in the southern 

part. The playa in the southwestern part of T. 24 S., E. 40 E., is 

reported to have alkali crust on it, apparently because the water
154 THIS * MORAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

table is close to the surface. Data given by Lee 6 indicate that the 

water table lies closer to the surface at the north end of Ghiaa Dry 

Lake than at the south end. This is especially true in an arm of 

the playa near the Paxton ranch, in sec. 35, T. 24 S.; K. 40 E., 

which is shown on the Searles Lake topographic map as separated 

from the main playa. All these facts suggest that there is a contribution from the Coso Basin to the ground-water reservoir of the 

main valley. J|

The materials from which wells obtain water in Indian Wells 

Valley are principally sand and gravel. These are interbedded with 

clay, which yields practically no water. The yield of the wells to a 

certain extent is proportional to the thickness of sand and gravel 

that is penetrated below the water level. The gravel beds range in 

thickness from a few inches to many feet, and they are rather irregularly distributed. As a result it is impossible to predict the depth 

at which gravel beds will be encountered, or their thickness over any 

large area. The wells are nearly all of the California stovepipe type, 

which are put down with solid casing. After the drilling is completed the casing is perforated in places where water-bearing sand 

and gravel were penetrated. Because of the variable character of 

the water-bearing materials it is important that a careful log be kept 

of the materials penetrated, so that the casing may be perforated in 

such a way as to recover all the water possible.

Although the water-bearing materials are irregularly distributed 

in most of the valley they are relatively abundant, and most wells 

yield fairly large quantities of water. However, as mentioned elsewhere, in the lowest part of the valley there are extensive deposits 

of blue clay which begin near the surface and extend to a considerable 

depth and which yield little or no water. (See pp. 150, 163.)

The following logs of typical wells show the character of the materials penetrated:

Records of wells in Indian Wells Valley 

Mr. Cline (No. 19, fig. 4), N. y2 see. 18, T. 25 S., R. 40 E. Mount Diablo meridian

Gravel, with water _______

Gray clay _____________

Thickness 

(feet)

22

20

103

Depth 

(feet)

22

42

145

Thickness 

(feet)

7

8

Depth 

(feet)

152

160

W. S. Main (No. 34, fig. 4), NE. % sec. 35, T. 25 S., R. 38 E. Mount Diablo meridian

Hard red clay __________

202

30

4

202

232

236

Good water-bearing grave! wfth

14

. 51

260

301

Casing perforated from 200 to 298 feet. Depth to water lev«l in well, 185 fe»t. 

* Lee, C. H,, op. cit., pp. 423-426, pi. 5.
INDIAN WELLS, COSO, AND ROSE VALLEYS

Records of wells in Indian WeUs Valley Continued 

C. H. Gwria (No. 64, fig. 4), S W. M sec. 7, T. 26 S., R. 40 E. Meant Diablo meridian

Olatr

Sand....... .. . . . . . ..

Clay

Sand

Clay

Thickness 

(feet)

10

8

6

6

2

4

6

20

2

10

4

Depth 

. (feet)

10

IS

24

30

32

36

42

62

R4.

74

78

4T

Blue clay and cemented gravel...

Thickness 

(feet)

3

4

10

6

8

4

2

9

%

10

Depth 

(feet)

81

86

85

101

109

US

115

124

USD

160

This well was drilled only 2J^ feet from an older one which was abandoned when a part of a pump became 

stuck In it so that it could not be used.

O. W. Roe (No. 78, fig. 4), NW. M sec. 15, T. 26 S., R. 40 E. Mount Diablo meridian

Yellowish white substance like 

chalk ______________

60

24

7

9

6

60

84

91

100

106

Very coarse sand and fine gravel.. 

Clay, mostly blue, except for a bed

170 feet....... .. .

'

9

5

230

-

115

120

360

Depth to water level in well, 60.6 feet. Much sand was pumped from this well, and a large hole, 20 

feet in diameter and 16 feet deep, was formed by caving. As caving continued with further pumping toe 

well was abandoned. In a well 600 feet south of this one the pump lost its suction in a few minutes when 

it was operated at a rate of 540 gallons & minute.

J. L. Talbot (No. 98, fl«. 4), SE. M sec. 34, T. 26 3., R. 40 E. Mount Diablo meridian

Clay, except for a little sand and

3

57

13

3

60

73

Sand, with streaks of hard sand4

63

50

Tf

130

180

Depth to water, 60 feet.

The sand from 77 to 130 feet in well 98 contained numerous mollusk shells, which were identified by W. H. Dall as including Vofaoto, 

utahensis Call, Amnicola porata Say, A. datti Call, and a broken valve 

of a SpJiaerium resembling S. striatinum Lamarck. Dall states that 

the fossils are of upper Bonneville age and identical with those of that 

stage in Great Salt Lake Valley. Valvata wtahensis and Amnicola 

datti were found by Gale along the shore line of the ancient lake that 

once existed in Panamint Valley, the history of which was related 

to that of the lake in Indian Wells Valley, in which the shells described 

above were deposited.6

DEPTH TO WATER

A number of wells were measured by the writer, and information 

was obtained from drillers and others in regard to wells in parts of 

the valley which were not visited. The location of these wells is 

shown in Figure 4, and data in regard to the depth to the water 

level in them is given in the" accompanying"

* Gate, H. 8., op. cit., p. 317.
Records of wdt* in Indian WtB» Valley, Ce

He. 

on

f

S

s

*

 4

5

0

*

8ft

8

* 

ft

MO

ft

'»

ia

Qaartar

WFW?

vw

BW.7.

SW.?.

NW...

SW _

NW.T.

fiW

a& _

SW.?.

HW

NE...

ME

NE...

LOCOt

gee.

air

3$

837

34?

2

2

1

4?

4

12

7

18

S

9

10

ion

T. S.

24

24

<M

24

2ft

25

28

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

R.E.

39

39

39

39

3d

39

39

39

39

38

39

39

39

39

3»

Owner or name

H P" W Sr>hont*B

_ ..do.. ..........

William Cahffl?.....

William Cahffl- __ .

S. R. Smith.... .. _

H. F W Schaettc

-^- Hubbard .

Depth 

of well

(feet)

32

7K

 170

m

*220.4

W

*39.0

*1S7.5

 146

337

(*)

312

"92.7

18D±

Diameter of

well 

(inches)

6

10

12

6«

12

12

24

2f

(")

7

14

Depth 

below

surface

or reference 

point 

(feet)

21

68

*(JO 5

«

*39.0

*35.6

*24.5

*^.o

*7Q n

132

90

97

 73.8

01.1

Water level

for measuremeBt

foot above surface.

feet above surface.

inch cross timber level with 

surface.

feet above surface.

timber over well, 

4 inches above 

surface.

foot above surface.

with surface.

Date of

measure

meat

Feb. 3, 19

Feb. 3, 19

 .. do. 

 ..do 

-. do..

.....do_-

Feb. 3,19
u

15

«1«

 17

IS

10

 3D

 31

 22

<23

 24

95

26

eJTJ

 28

 29

»

31

32

33

94

M 36

 37 

38

30

8.H 

NW 

NWSB -

AW...

N.M..

*di--

w. H.

N.HNW...

BW...

aw...

sw...

NE 

NE...

SW...

SW...

sw ...

SE....

SW...

NE...

SW._.

NE...

S.HNE...

8W...

10

15

7

12

7

18

13

14

24

19

20

21

24

87

30

29

27

31

28

25

as%31

31 

35

85

as

25

26

25

26

25

26

25

25

25

25

25

25

26

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

36

25

25 

25

S5

10

99

4A

39

40

40

30

30

QQ

3ft

30

89

39

2B

30

QQ

£6

4ft

39

38

3B

QQ

39

m

m

Mrs. M. J. Rodecker.

 Cline..... 

A L. Fitter

W. M. Kandall ...

E. S. Pitzer..........

S. R. Smith... _ ...

O. G. Siebenthal __

O. B. Weisel.........

V. L. Carr 

W.S.Main _ ......

F. H. Heatoa . .

C. B. Walker........

J. W. Galloway 

176

150

148

160

200

260

60

175

151

25

40

206

100

196

258

301

300

*34.6

127

12

3

12

12

12

12

24

60

12

12

6

54x42

12

10

16

12

36

7

48

12

44

24

16

16

22

20

33.4

21.7

75

37.6

32

24

23.1

31.2

30

26

5

30.6

168?

1%

24&

57.1

72

W

56

surface.

Jan. 27,19

 An asterisk (*) indicates measurements by the writer. AB ottHf data, rotess otherwise stated, were repor

depth of the well and depth to water by the writer were made from a definite reference point, such as th« top of th

to th* mrfeoe is given *» *&* table, and the measurement given should be corrected accordingly to obtain the true 

» Wen conk£aMl»6 measured.

* Data takenJfejn Lee, C. H., Ground-water resources of Indian Wells Valley, Calif.: California State Conser

* 90 by BO to T4 feet; 24 from 74 feet to bottom.

 Waif not equipped with pump. Yield estimated from tgat at cpmpkitkM of drilling. 
Records of weUs in Indian Wells Valley, Calif. C

No. 

on 

Fig. 

4

40 

41 

<42 

43

44

45 

46 

47

48 

49 

SO

51 

52 

53

54

55

£6 

«67

Location

Quarter

NW...

S.H--

8W...

NE...

NW...

NW... 

NW... 

SW~.

BW--

SE_... 

SW...

SW 

sw...

SW.?.

NB--

NW... 

NW.?.

a.}*..

See.

1

2 

6 

4

2

1 

6 

6

5 

5 

4

4 

3 

1?

12?

7?

13 

10

T. S.

26 

28 

26 

26

26

26 

26 

26

26 

26 

26

26 

26 

26

26

26

26 

26

R.E.

38 

38 

39 

39

39

39 

40 

40

40 

40 

40

40 

40 

40

40

41

40 

39

Owner or name

E. C. Siebenthal ....

E. C. Siebenthal ....

W. H. Galloway ..

 E. R. Youndt 

Mrs. T. H. Toombs.

E. B. Morse 

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

120 

310 

107

*115

250 

*46.3 

102

*29.2 

86 

116

16 dry.

»10 

300

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

12 

12 

6 

12

14

60 

24

12

4

Water level

Depth 

below 

surface 

or reference 

point 

(feet)

95 

215 

110 

70

*64.1

65 

*39.6 

52

(») 

*31.7 

18

*5.1 

*5.7

*13.3

W 

126

Reference point 

for measurement

Top of 2 by 4 inch 

timber on top of 

casing 1.2 feet 

above surface.

Top of cement 

curb, 5 feet 

above surface.

Top of casing, 2.2 

feet above surface. 

Top of casing, 2.5 

feet above surface.

Date of 

measurement

Jan. 27,192

Jan. 27,192

Jan. 29,192

.....do ...

Jan. §6.192

,-__.do ...

Jan. 30,192

.....do.....
SB

W

»

61

62

63

64

65

66

67

68

69

10

73

78

74

NW...

NE...

SB....

NW...

8W...

N.J*.-

8W ...

NE ...

NE...

NW...

SW.?.

8W...

NW...

sw.?.

NW...

NW.~.

11

11

11

12

12

7

7

68

0

10

15

14

13

18

18

18

26

26

28

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

28

26

26

39

39

39

39

10

40

40

40

40

40

39

39

39

39

40

40

F. H. Hill...........

WT T! Adams .

Charles Biggen.. ....

C. E. Smith.........

C. W. Guerin ....

J. B. Barber...... ...

J.B. Brink..........

V. Hetzel............

220

225

200

509

160

208

167

 143

 278

*118

"188 5

244

750

24,12

12

14

12

12

12

10

12

12

*97.7

80

*31.0

32

*26

 160.0

 110

*13L5

102

pump base, 3 

feet below surface.

.. ___ . ____ ...A

with surface.

below surface.

with surface.

foot above surface.

feet above surface.

Jan. 27,19

Jan. 29,19

Jan. 29,19

Jan. 27,19

Jan. 27,19

Jan. 27,19

* Wen could not be measured.

* Data token from Lee, G. H., Ground-water resources of Indian Wells Valley, Calif.: California State C

<« by 60 to 74 feet; 24 from 74 feet to bottom.
Records of wells in Indian Wetts Valley, Ca

NO. 

on 

Fig.

70 

ft 

78

 79 

80

 81 

82

83 

84

86

 86 

87

m 

 m

90 

91

Location

Quarter

NW 

NW... 

NW...

N-W!::

w. Hsw...

8W 

NE.._

B-HW. H6E.?._

8W...

NE..J 

NE...

SW...

Sec.

17 

IS 

15

24 

S3

24 

18

20 

20

21

22 

22

28

30

29

31

T. S.

26 

26 

26

26 

26

26 

26

26 

28

26

26 

26

26

26 

26

26

B.E.

40 

40 

40

38 

39

39 

40

40 

40

40

40 

40

40!

40 

40

39

Owner or name

G. F. Guy ........

G. W. Boe...........

.....do...............

8. A. Arbuthnot et aL

 Fritz.... .....

___ Wirn i

M. C. Weimer.... ...

G. E. Walhizer......

Mrs. C. J. Walhizer.

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

210 

350 

*230

310 

320

/ 112

\m

1

*76

760

427

*293

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

12

12

12

14 

14

}--- 

12

12 

36

13

Water level

Depth 

below 

surface 

or reference 

point 

(feet)

82?

m

*6fl.6

280 

*16S

148 

128

64 

*56.4

*47.0

225 

231

(/)

Reference point 

for measurement

Top of casing 1.6 

feet above surface.

Top of casing 2 

feet above surface.

Top of platform 

level with surface. 

.....do--.... ... ...

Top of easing, 1.5 

feet abovs surface.

Date of 

measurement

Jan. 27, 19

Jan. 31,19

.....do....

Feb. 2, 19
99

9*

 94

gt

»m

97

98

99

100

101

103

103

104

105

.10*

107*

-108

NW .

NW...

£J*~

NW...

SW...

sw...

SB -

SW...

SW.J,

NW._

SW..,

sw...

NE...

NW..,

NS-~

iJw.?:

sw.t.

28

26

31

28

28

S3

34

as

31?

1?

1

2

10

10

9

9

J6?

26

26

%

S»

SO

36

36

2ft

26

27

27

27

27

#

27

27

27

99

39

40

40

40

40

40

40

41

40

40

40

40

40

40

39

39

H. E. JOOB _

J. F. Ufecy ... ....

Lindsey Bros. ...,

 Wright-- __ ...

Q. D. Wflliamson--,

J. L. Talbot.,.. _ ..

J. R. Nic*»ls.--_--

 Engteeman

F. Lapp _ .. __ , ...

W. M. Bullock ......

 Early... ........

Q. W. Bowman __

Mrs. Q. W. BQWmaa, . mnlav

oaweii..............

393

310

2»

1»

*63

1TO

law

190

*3»

C'}

16

24,12

24

12

12

12

14

10

24

12

W

160

t#4

98

105

 69.0

45

$

9S

80

87

96

QB

 841

(«)

Top of frame tevsi

with surface. 

Topof platfoem _

Tffn of cafiine T

foot abeve »ortaoo.

Jan. 31,19

.....do...

Jan. 2<Cl9

 Date takea from I*e, 0. H., Ground-water reoaarees of Indian WeUs Valtey, CaUL: GsUfQ
162 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

*?

In a drill hole in China Dry Lake, located, as nearly as could be 

determined, in the NE. M sec. 12, T. 26 S., B. 40 E., the depth to 

water below the surface was 3 feet in January, 1920. 'Hie depth 

to water in well 78 (fig. 4), near the southwest corner of the NW. J| 

sec. 15, T. 26 S., R. 40 E., was 59 feet below the surface. At well 

92, in the southwest corner of the NW. M sec. 26, T. 26 S., R. 39 E., 

the depth to water is about 186 feet, and at Inyokern, according to 

Lee's report, it is 225 feet. Well 91, in the SW. K sec. 31, T. 26 S., 

R. 39 E., measured 290 feet to the bottom and was dry. This well 

is said originally to have been 339 feet deep, and the depth to water 

in it is said to have been 290 feet. The greatest depth to water 

measured by the writer was 341 feet, which was found in well 107, 

located approximately in the NW. K sec. 9, T. 27 S., R. 39 E. It 

is reported that the depth to water was 408 feet in a well .(No. 108) 

drilled for oil to a depth of 2,100 feet at Terese siding.

Although the water table is nearly level, it rises slightly toward 

the mountains south, southwest, west, and northwest of the valley. 

As the surface slope is much greater than the slope of the water table, 

the depth to water in different parts of the valley differs largely 

according to the surface altitude. In general, the depth to water 

is less than 25 feet wherever the surface altitude is less than 2,200 

feet above sea level. At higher altitudes it gradually increases until 

the depth to water is about 100 feet where the altitude is 2,300 feet 

above sea level, a little less than 200 feet where the altitude is 2,400 

feet, and less than 300 feet where the altitude is 2,500 feet. There 

are exceptions to this general rule. Thus, in the northern part of 

T. 27 S., R. 40 E., the water table seems to rise somewhat more rapidly than in most of the valley, and the depth to water is only about 

80 feet at an altitude of 2,300 feet, and only about 100 feet or a 

little more at an altitude of 2,400 feet. (See wells 101 to 106, p. 161, 

and fig. 4.) On the other hand, well 100, not far away, in sec. 31, 

T. 26 S., R. 41 E., at an altitude between 2,300 and 2,400 feet above 

sea level, is said not to have reached water at a depth of 170 feet. 

The reasons for these departures from the normal conditions in this 

part of the valley are not known. In the northern part of T. 25 S. 

and the eastern part of T. 24 S., R. 39 E., the depth to water is less 

than in most places in the valley at similar altitudes, and the water 

table appears to rise more rapidly. This may be in part due to conditions related to the lava flow, which lies a little farther north and 

which may produce a "perched" water table that is, a water table 

held above the main water table by an intervening impervious bed. 

However, it also suggests that ground water is entering the region 

from Rose Valley and building up the water table in this locality. 

A large area, of relatively low land extends for nearly 10 miles west 

from China Dry Lake to a point near Muerto (Leliter) and Brown,
INDIAN WELLS, COSO, AND BOSS VALLEYS 168

and in this area the depth to water is less than 100 feet. The land 

rifles rapidly from the southwest end of the valley, and the zone in 

which the depth to water is less than 100 feet is much narrower.

YIELD OP WELLS

As shown in the table on pages 156-161, the yield of welts in the valley, as reported by the owners, ranges from 20 to 1,125 gallons a minute. 

Of 23 wells for which data were obtained hi regard to yield, only 7 

yielded less than 100 gallons a minute; 11 between 100 and 249 gallons, 

7 between 250 and 499 gallons, 5 between 500 and 749 gallons, 3 

between 750 and 999 gallons, and only 1 more than 1,000 gallons. It 

is evident that considerable differences in yield may be expected in: 

different parts of the valley. However, although large yields are m0k 

common, the reported yield of more than half of the wells was sufficient to be used for irrigation.

Three of the wells that yield less than 100 gallons a minute are 

situated in the northwestern part of the valley, near the lava flow 

shown on Figure 4, and the beds penetrated seem to be relatively 

poor water-bearing material. Several other wells with low yields are 

situated in the lowest part of the valley, where there is much clay 

and little sand and gravel, as described below.

The silt and clay beds that underlie the playas and extend westward 

for some distance beneath the coarser alluvium are nearly impervious 

and do not yield much water. Near the playas, where they are 

reached above or only a few feet below the water table, very little 

water is obtained. In fact, if a good supply of water has not been 

obtained when the characteristic blue clay is reached the drillers 

generally consider it is not worth while to drill deeper. Farther away 

from the playas the wells either do not encounter the blue clay or 

sufficient water is obtained before it is reached.

Low yields because of the presence of the blue clay near the surface 

with little sand or gravel above it have been reported especially on: 

the southwest side of China Dry Lake, in the north half of T. 26 S., 

K. 40 E. Among wells reported to have supplies insufficient for 

irrigation or near the minimum limit for that purpose are Nos. 52, 

65,66,67,77,78 in the table on pages 158-159 and Figure A. Data are 

lacking in regard to other wells near those mentioned, but the fact 

that none of the wells were in use suggests that the supply was too 

small to use. However, the soil near some of these wells is net very 

good, and that fact may in part explain the absence of irrigation. 

In a few wells thin layers of blue clay were encountered and good 

water-bearing heds were found below the clay. Such wells are 

apparently located near the edge of the lake deposits, where these 

deposits interfinger with the alluvium from the mountains. Possibly 

in some wells near the outer edge of the area in which the yield has
164 THE MOHAVB DESERT EBQION, CALIFORNIA

been insufficient for irrigation a greater supply might be obtained by 

drilling deeper in the expectation of completely penetmtiog tile l«k* 

beds. No wells have been drilled deep enough to determine whether 

the lake beds extend downward to the bedrock floor of the valley. 

A weU in the NW. ^ sec. 15, T. 26 S., R. 40 E., penetrated clay, 

mostly blue, from a depth of 120 to 350 feet and did not encounter 

any water below 120 feet.

QUANTITY OF WATEB AVAILABLE

It ie estimated (p. 152) that the total run-off of the three drainage 

basins that contribute to the ground-water supply of the valley is 

not more than 50,000 acre-feet. Not all the run-off is added to the 

ground-water reservoir, and not all that is added to it can be recovered 

through wells. The principal loss from the ground-water supply 

occurs hi the lower part of the valley, where the ground water rises 

nearly to the surface and evaporates or is transpired by plants. 

Some loss may occur by seepage through the low divide at the former 

outlet of the lake which at one time existed in the valley. The 

principal feature that suggests this possibility is an alkali-covered 

playa in Salt Wells Valley, which lies a few miles east of the south 

end of China Dry Lake. Lee 7 estimated that th| total discharge 

from the water table in Indian Wells Valley by evaporation and 

transpiration is about 32,000 acre-feet annually. He believed,, 

however, that of this quantity only about 11,000 acre-feet could be 

recovered from wells.

No evidence was obtained that the water table was appreciably 

lower in 1919 than it was when Lee made his investigation in 1912> 

although some exceptionally dry years occurred in the intervening 

period. A number of wells that are listed hi Lee's report were measured by the writer, and the depth to water was found to be practically 

the same. The wells were measured by Lee in September and October 

and by the writer in the later part of January. Most of the wells in 

the valley were measured in the period between April 15 and May 

28,1921, by G. V. Rhodes, of the California Division of Water Rights, 

and the data were kindly furnished to the writer. In most of the 

wells for which comparative data are available, the difference in the 

water level at that time and when the writer made his measurements 

was less than a foot. This difference is not significant, because 

where wells are pumped for irrigation the seasonal fluctuation of the 

water table is usually several feet.

If the water table is lowered by further pumping, the loss by 

evaporation will be decreased, and the quantity now wasted in that 

way can be used for irrigation. If the ground-water supply of the
EH&iif WXLLS, C06O, AND EOiB 165

valley is to be used to the greatest advantage some lowering of the 

water table is not only to be expected but is desirable. So much 

water may be pumped, however, that the draft will exceed the supply, 

and the lowering will be too great. , .»_ .,

, QUALITY OF WATER

Samples of water were collected from four wells and analyzed M 

the water resources laboratory of the Geological Surrey. Tfke 

results are given in the accompanying table.

The water in most of the valley is doubtless of fair or good quality 

for all purposes. Samples 2 and 4 came from typical wells. Ttie 

mineral content of the water is moderate. They may be classed '* 

good for domestic use, except that sample 4 is high in iron, f key 

are fair for boilers and good for irrigation. ;

In the lower part of the valley, especially near the playas, fchc water 

is more h'ghly mineralized. In some wells it has a distinct brackish 

taste and is unsuitable for domestic use. If used for irrigation, it 

would deposit considerable alkali on the land unless the «&der drainage was very good. Sample 3 is from a well that is more than l|^ 

miles from China Dry Lake. It is high in sodium chloride, or eom* 

mon salt, and is bad for domestic purposes, poor for irrigation, and 

very bad for boilers. Most of the water nearer China Dry Lake is 

probably even more highly mineralized.

Sample 1, from well 2, shows a mineral content that is somewhat 

higher than may generally be expected so far from China Dry Lake. 

This is probably due to some condition not yet known bat perhaps in 

some way results from the presence near by of a lava flow. The water 

is fairly good for domestic use, fair for irrigation, and Very bfcd foi* 

boilers.

Analyse* of ground water from Indian Welts VaUey, Calif. 

[Analyst, Margaret D. Fttttcr. Parts per miBfcra]

Silica (SiOi) . . .

Calcium (Ca) __ . ___________________

Carbonate radicle (GOj). .. . -

Stoartxaiate radMe (SOQs) .... .... _ ......... _ ..

Stttohsto radiete (SO<). ......-....-.-.........._....._.

QMerhte radiate (Cl) _______ ." _ ... _ .........

Nitrate radkda fKFfM

Total difflolTOd solids at 180° C _ .... _____ ....... Datfr»f ooltectioa. .... .. , .... * ..

1

42

.13

as

19

178

.0

361

184

88

1.8

704

W

2

36

.08

90

5.3

40

.0

121

87

82

.66

242

w

3

at

.09

4.4

1 7

MMQ

168

833

6 2

798

Tirana

s,«w(*)

4

42

8,7

«?

.6.8

S8

.0

198

46

82

4.8

388 (')

 Cftloolated. »Feb 3,1920. Jan. 38, . 29,1990. Jttfc 28,10SB.

1. Well 2, flff. 4, sad table oa p. 156; H. f. W. Bcbaette, owa«r. 

a, WeU 64, fig. 4, and table on p. 159; C. W. Queriu, owner. 

S. Well 67, te 4, and table on p. 159; J. B. Brink, owner. 

4. Wall 03, fig. 4, tod table on p. 101; Harry B> loos, dwner.

5631 29 12
166 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

IRRIGATION

In 1912, when Lee made his report, many wells had been drilled fezfd 

many thousands of acres had been filed on under the homestead and 

desert-land laws, but in 1920 the valley was still in the pioneer stage 

of development. In 1916 12,520 acres had been patented in Indian 

Wells Valley, and entries had been made for 49,800 acres additional. 

Nevertheless, in 1919 only about 800 acres was under cultivation.

The writer visited nearly every ranch that was operated in 1919. 

Up to that time most of them had made no production on a large scale, 

because the principal products were apples and pears, and most of the 

trees were not old enough to bear fruit. Some data in regard to the 

production for 1920 were obtained by correspondence.

The acreage devoted to different crops on the ranches for which 

data were obtained was as follows: Fruit, 360 acres; alfalfa, 100 acres; 

milo maize, 12 acres; melons, 10 acres; broom corn, 8 acres; cotton, 7 

acres; barley, 2 acres. Probably more than half of the orchard land 

was in apples, with pears second in rank and peaches third. In 1919 

one man sold 8 tons of apples and 500 pounds of pears from 30 acres 

of 6-year-old trees. Another man sold 1,100 pounds of fruit from 44 

acres of 8-year-old trees. In 1920 a third ^rancher sold 3 tons of fruit 

from 50 acres of 7-year-old trees. One or two men raised a little cotton, but as it had to be sent to Bakersfield for ginning, the marketing 

cost was high. Although some of the ranches had been established 

for 5 to IQ years or more only a small quantity of produce had been 

marketed. Most of the orchards that were irrigated ranged from 5 

to 8 years old, but only small quantities of fruit were sold locally 

and at Kandsburg and Trona. One man sold 11 carloads of alfalfa 

in. 1919, and others sold much smaller amounts. According to 

information furnished by J. T. Saunders, general freight agent of 

the Southern Pacific Co., Los Angeles, 3 carloads of deciduous fruit 

was shipped from Inyokern in 1920, 5 in 1921, and 1 in 1922; 18 

carloads of hay was snipped in 1919, 11 in 1921, and 21 in 1922; and 

110 carloads of livestock was shipped in 1920, 98 in 1921, and 91 in 

1922. However, much of the livestock shipped from Inyokern, and 

possibly some of the other products, are raised in the upper part of 

Kern Valley and are brought through Walker Pass.

Unfortunately, in the lower part of the valley, where the pumping 

lift is least, wells do not yield very much water, and conditions are 

not favorable for irrigation. Where water can be obtained in 

sufficient quantity for irrigation the depth to the water table is generally at least 30 feet, and it increases greatly upward on the alluvial 

slope. The area where the pumping lift is low enough to permit the 

profitable use of the water for alfalfa is only a narrow belt, and most 

of the irrig«ble land should be devoted to crops that yield higher 

returns. However, on one ranch where alfalfa was the principal
INDIAN WELLS *^SO» AND ROSE VAiLBTS 167

crop the Mft was 56 feel, and on another water was being pumped 

f it>m a depth greater than 87 feet and probably nearly 100 feet. For 

small patches of alfalfa water was being lifted from as great a depth 

as 230 feet. The pumping lift for fruit was found to range frpm 

about 60 to more than 235 feet, but no place had been successful 

where the lift was over 200 feet.

The use of water as estimated by the writer for several ranches 

ranged from about half an acre-foot per acre for young fruit trees to 

2.7 feet for 6-year-old trees and was mostly not more than 1.5 feel*. 

As the trees grow older more water will be needed. The use of wa^r 

for alfalfa ranged from 5 to 7 acre-feet per acre.

The wells in use in Indian Wells Valley are of the California doubly 

stovepipe type. They are drilled with sand-bucket rigs, and most 

of them are lined with two thicknesses of the so-called "stovepip©" 

casing in alternating 2-foot lengths, which is perforated after the 

drilling is finished. They are nearly all 12 inches or more in diameter,, 

and several are 24 inches in diameter.

Of the pumping plants investigated 3 were equipped with deepwell turbine centrifugal pumps, 6 with deep-well reciprocating 

pumps, and 2 with small centrifugal pumps of ordinary types. The 

3 deep-well turbine pumps furnished the largest yields. Three of 

the wells now equipped with deep-well lift pumps originally had 

deep-well turbine pumps, which were removed for different reasons, 

including inferior construction of the pump or insufficient wajt^f 

supply for the capacity of the pump. As the yield of most of the 

wells is relatively small, it is believed that the deep-well reciprocating 

pump will eventually be the type in common use.

Five of the pumping plants for which detailed data were obtained 

were operated by electricity and five by oil engines. In the valley 

as a whole, however, the oil-engine plants are in the majority. The 

high-voltage transmission line of the Southern Sierras Power Qo. 

from its power plants in Owens Valley to San Bernardino passes 

through the west side of the valley. A substation is located half a 

mile east of Inyokem, and from it a branch line runs east along ,the 

section line 2 miles north of the south boundary of T. 26 S. to ,the 

potash plants on Searles Lake. In 1919 only those plants were 

operated by electricity that were within 2 or 3 miles of the branch 

line to Searles Lake.

Nearly all the orchards visited were equipped with concrete jjape 

lines of greater or less length for distribution of water to the rows. 

The distance that water was run down the rows from the pipe line 

ranged from 1,100 to 1,320 feet, but one man was putting in an 

additional line to cut the distance down to 660 feet. Owing to the 

length 6f the runs the trees at the ends of many of the rows showed 

evidence of a lack of water.
168 THfi MOHAVS DKBRRT EBGION, CAUFOBNU

The yield of several wells was so small that it was necessary to use 

reservoirs in which to collect enough water to furnish streams of 

sufficient size to reach distant parts of the fields without undue loss 

from seepage and evaporation,

A number of pumping plants were not properly instilled to obtain 

efficient results. In most wells for which data were obtained the 

pump were set with the cylinders or bowk only a few feet bdow the 

static water level, and some suction pipe waft added below the pomps. 

As a result the possible drawdown was small, and in some cases the 

yield was consequently not as great as was required by the capacity 

of the pumps. When the pumps were started they quickly broke 

suction, and the owners obtained the impression that the yield of the 

wells was very small. Some of these wells were abandoned and in 

others smaller pumps were installed.

A few wells were reported in which the original pumps broke down 

and pumps pf a different make were substituted, generally of smaller 

capacity. The troubles may not have been due entirely to weaknaw 

in the old pumps, but partly to the fact that they had lost their 

suction and had run without load. A few wells were so crooked that 

pumps could not be installed in them.

PROSPECTS FOB FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

According to the estimates of Lee 8 the ground-water supply of 

Io$afc Wells Valley is sufficient to irrigate about 1,500 to 2,500 acres. 

With careful use of the water it may be possible to irrigate somewhat more. However, as about 100,000 acres of land would be 

suitable for agriculture if water were available it is obvious that only 

a small part of the arable land can be utilized unless some other 

water supply can be obtained. Any large supply would have t© bt 

obtained from some locality outside of the valley.

Prominent landowners have given serious attention to finding some 

suitable outside source of water and have enlisted the interest of both 

the United States Bureau of Reclamation and the division of water 

rights of the California Department of Public Works. In their 

investigation they have been joined by landowners in Fremont Valley, 

which adjoins Indian Wells Valley on the southwest.

One of the first plans considered was' to bring water from Kern 

River through a tunnel in the Sierra Nevada, but this scheme was 

abandoned." Subsequently projects were outlined to bring water 

from the valleys that lie on the east side of the Sierra Nevada north 

of Indian Wells Valley. Finding that nearer sources of water were 

not available because of prior rights attention was tamed to the Mono 

Lake basin, which lies 200 miles north of Indian Wells Valley and is

 Lee, O. H, op. cit., p. 414.

 California Div. Water Eights Btenn. Kept., Sept. 1,192% to Sept, 1, IfiM, p* «* 1925*
mm**, ooao, AND ROSEJ, TAI*LST» 169

sepw&ted f rom it by fcha long Owens Lake basin, from which a large 

part* of the water supply for the city of Los Angeles is obtained.

The Mono Lake Uain Uee at altitudes of about 6,500 to 12,000 feet 

above sea level and has considerable precipitation. Ite irrigable are* 

is not groat, and because of its great altitude the growing season ie 

short. A large part of the run-off reaches Mono Lake, which is salty, 

and is wasted. It would be good economic policy to utilize this water 

if it could be carried to productive land at a reasonable cost.

A rather optimistic report by A. M. Strong 10 raised considerable 

enthusiasm. About the same time the United States Reclamation 

Service made studies of the proposed scheme.11 In the report ot its 

investigations the quantity of water available from Mono Basin m 

estimated to be about 142,000 acre-feet, or very much leas than that 

estimated by Strong. As there is more land available for irrigatiwi 

in Owens Valley than there is water for it, the report of th# Bed** 

mation Service does not give serious consideration to the project to 

carry water past this land to Indian Wells and Fremoat VaUfl^ft. 

In 1922-23 an investigation of the Mono Basin project was made by 

the California Division of Water Eights, hi cooperation with the Kern 

County board of supervisors and farm bureau.12 The report on this 

investigation, by John T. Whistler, has not been published, Jbut 

through the courtesy of Edward Hyatt, jr., chief of the division 

of water rights, the writer has been permitted to examine it in manuscript form. The estimate of quantity of water available from Mono 

Basin is not greatly different from that of Conklin. After fully 

analyzing both agricultural and power possibilities the report concludes ^that on account of the cost of bringing the water such a great 

distance, the project would not be economically feasible at that 

tune, but that the margin of difference between estimated cost and 

estimated value was small and that conditions might easily arise 

within the next 5 or 10 years which would justify its more serious 

consideration.

As it appears that there is no likelihood of water being brought into 

Indian Wells Valley from any outside source in the near future, consideration may be given to the prospects of the valley if dependent 

solely on its ground-water resources. In 1919 the irrigated area was 

estimated not to exceed 800 acres. If the available supply is sufficient 

to irrigate only between 1,500 and 2,500 acres, as estimated by Lee 

(see p. 168), the acreage under cultivation may only be doubled or

* Hearings bsfete tb» Committee on the Public Lands, House of Representatives, tttfc Ctafg* JJl 

on H. B. 406, a bill granting rights of way over certain lands for the water supply of Lot Aageftv, 

Oct. 31-Nov. 4, 1919, pp. 12&-133. !

a Sritf Mfcsttoa tf them studttw to atsd» in annual reports of the ReelamaUtia Serrtet i» foltoiw: Ntaetetath* 1810-30, p. 414; Twentieth, 1820-31, pp. 40M01; Twenty-first, 1921-32, p, 120, TW* reports a& tfcJS 

investigation, prepared by Harold Conkiln, have not been published, bat the manuscripts liars btwj 

wawltod by tte writer. - : " r ' ~.7\
170 TSE MOHAVE DB»BRT BBGION,

tripled. If it is sufficient for 3,500 to 4,000 acres the acreage may be 

increased somewhat more. It is evident, however, that only a small 

part of the total area of available land can be brought under cultivation. If pumpage is increased beyond the ultimate yield of the 

valley the effects of overdraft will be felt in increasing proportions. 

If so much land should be developed as to result in overdraft of the 

ground-water supply the final result will necessarily be the abandonment of enough acreage to bring the draft back within the limits of 

the safe yield of the water-bearing beds. In considering the problem 

of overdraft it may be pointed out that the approach of the danger 

point may not be obvious. The quantity of water stored in the alluvium is so great and it lies beneath so large an area that two or three 

tames the annual safe yield of the ground-water reservoir might be 

pumped with a proportionately large area under irrigation, and the 

water level would be lowered only a few feet in several years. This 

would hardly be sufficient to cause great alarm, and yet the danger 

point would nevertheless be slowly approaching.

SEARLES AND SALT WELLS VALLEYS 

GENERAL FEATURES

Searles Valley lies mostly in the northwest corner of San Bernardino 

County, but its north end is in Inyo County. The following description includes Salt Wells Valley, an area that is almost completely 

separated from Searles Valley.

The valley is traversed for almost its entire length by the Trona 

Railway, a short line that runs from Searles station, on the Owenyo 

branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad, to Trona. The towns on 

the borders of Searles Lake are reached from Randsburg and points 

to the southwest by two routes, which, however, are identical as far 

as the old Searles stage station, about a mile northeast of the railroad 

station of the same name. From this place one road, known as the 

valley route, goes in a more easterly direction closely following the 

Trona Railway. The other road, known as the canyon route, crosses 

the railroad and goes northeastward across a low range to Salt Wells 

Valley' and thence down Salt Wells Canyon. It joins the valley road 

a short distance north of the lower end of the canyon. The canyon 

road is about 2 miles shorter than the valley route and for this reason 

is most generally used. A branch road leads westward from the canyon road. Near the old Salt Wells a road leads westward from 

the canyon road to Inyokern and the Midland Trail, in Indian Wells 

Valley.

From Trona a road leads northward to Ballarat, in Panamint Valley, and thence by way of Emigrant Canyon and Death Valley to 

Rhyolite and points to the northeast. This route is used especially 

in winter by travelers who are going to places in central and northern
INDIAN WELLS, COSO, AND RO8» VALLEYS 171

Nevada and Utah, when the Lincoln Highway is closed by snow in th« 

high 'mountain passes. On this route places where supplies or assist* 

ance can be obtained are far apart, and there is an element of danger 

in crossing Death Valley, especially in the warmer months. Persons 

unfamiliar with this route should make careful inquiry at Titma before 

attempting it;

Minor roads lead to other parts of Searles Valley. However* 

except a road that leads around Searles Lake, most of them are seldom 

used and may not be passable for automobiles. Three towns of fair 

size have existed on the western border of Searles Lake. These towns 

have been maintained almost wholly if not wholly by -the operations 

of potash-producing companies. The largest town is Trona, at the 

plant of the American Trona Co. About 2 miles southwest of * it is 

Borosolvay, at the plant of the Solvay Process Co, The third toWn> 

called Westend, is about 4*4 miles south of Trona, wher* there is 

another potash plant. The size of the towns has fluctuated wHit 

changes in the production of potash and other salines. During the 

World War, when the supply of cheap potash from Germany was eut 

off, the towns were at their maximum development. Shortly after 

the end of the war, when German potash again came on the market, 

the production of potash at Searles Lake practically ceased. The 

Borosolvay plant was closed and in the winter of 1921-22 was deserted. 

Operations at the other plants were curtailed, but the production of 

other salts was continued at Trona and Westend. Ordinary supplies 

and accommodations can generally be obtained from the American 

Trona Co. at Trona.

Water and probably some supplies can be obtained at Westend as 

long as the plant there is in operation, but good water can not be 

obtained elsewhere between Searles station and Trona, a distance of 

more than 25 miles. No water is available at Spangier, a siding on 

the Trona Railway, or at Searles, an abandoned stage house about a 

mile northeast of Searles station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad. 

In the northern part of the valley water can be obtained from two 

or three wells or former springs in the Argus Mountains.

The precipitation at Trona for the year 1920-21 was 4.99 inches. 

On the basis of long-time records at other stations it has been estimated that the mean annual precipitation is about 4.35 inches.13 

The lower part of the valley, around Searles Lake has rather high 

temperatures in summer, doubtless owing to the basin-like charactef 

of .the valley, with the great flat expanse of Searles Lake. . , j

The soil of the alluvial slopes is typical of the desert ran ark^fic 

sand formed largely by mechanical disintegration of the rocks. 

Around Searles Lake the soil is more clayey. As shown below, the

»Irrigation requirements of California lands: California Dept. Public Works, Div. Bag;and Etrigstlon 

BuD. 6, p. 83,1923.
172 THE MOHAVB DBSBRT REGION,

*

central part of the playa is a body of practically pure salts. 

percentage of salt becomes less toward tile border o! the playa. However, even at the extreme southern edge, where alkali is not especially 

noticeable at the surface, there is apparently considerable alksii in 

the soil, for vegetation is very sparse. ' ;

The characteristic vegetation of the upper slopes consists of the 

creosote bush and the species commonly associated with it. In the 

lower part of the basin, around Searles Lake, species of saltbush 

ctecur. It is noticeable that for some distance from the border o! the 

bare playa the vegetation is very sparse. This condition is believed 

to be due to.'alkali in the soil, even though it is not visible at the 

surface, Although the water table is near the surface around the 

border of the playa, mesquite and salt grass were not observed at 

any of the places where the playa was approached closely. The lack 

of these species is doubtless to be explained by the saline character of 

(Joe ground water.

There has been no agricultural development in the valley. The 

principal resources of the valley are the saline deposits in Searles 

Lake, particularly potash and borax. (See pp. 175-176.) Some 

metal mining has been done in the mountains surrounding the valley, 

particularly in the Slate Range.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

GENERAL CHAEACTEE

i

Searles Valley is a rather narrow, elongated valley almost com* 

pletely shut in by mountains. The northern half of the eastern 

border of the valley is formed by the Slate Range, which rises about 

3,000 to 4,000 feet above Searles Lake and reaches a maximum 

altitude above sea level of 5,565 feet. The range is narrow and steep. 

According to Spurr w and Waring,18 the northern part of the range ia 

composed of sedimentary rocks of Cambrian age. Farther south 

the range is made up largely of volcanic rocks that have been sheared.

South of the Slate Range the border of the valley bends to the 

southwest and is composed of high hills which extend as far as 

Klinker Mountain. These hills are directly in the line of the great 

fault line which extends from the vicinity of Garlock in Fremont 

Valley northeastward past the south end of the Slate Range and into 

Leach Valley (see p. 118), and they undoubtedly owe their origin to 

faulting. Where these hills are crossed by a secondary road that 

leads eastward from Spangler siding there are exposures of clay b^4s 

and conglomerates that dip toward the south. These bedd are prob-

« Spurr, J. B« Descriptive giology of Nevada south of the fortfetb parallel and adjsuxmt portion* of 

California: U. 8. Geol, Survey Boll. 208, pp. 213-214, pL 1,1903, 

u Waring, G. A., Ouologteai map of Inyo County, OaUf., California Stole Mta. Bur., W}7.
8BARLE6 AND SALT WELLS VALLBY3 17$

abfy of Tertiary age and similar to other beds of thftt age farther southwest in the hills, which have been mapped by Hees. The northern 

part of KHioker Mountain that borders the valley is probably composed of Tertiary lavas. The extreme southwest end of the MBs, 

including the Summit Eange, is composed largely of granitic rocke.1*

The western border of the valley, as far south as Salt Wells Canyon, 

is formed by the Argus Range. This range, which joins the north 

end of the Slate Eange, is a massive range of motmtalm *hftt reaches 

an altitude of more than 6,500 feet above sea level. According to 

Waring,17 the eastern half of the range is composed of Cambrian 

sediments, and the western half of Tertiary volcanic rocks.

South of the Argus Eange the western border of the valley is formed 

by a much lower range of unnamed mountans, composed of granitic 

rocks. In some places the mountain slopes are rather steep, feat 

at the southwest end and also on the northwest side the elopes «r© 

so gentle that they simulate alluvial slopes. However, numerous 

low rock hills rise from the slopes, and large weathered boulders 

occur on them, and it is evident that the slopes are erosional and not 

due to deposition. These features are particularly noticeable OB ib« 

road to Salt Wells Canyon between 2 and 6 miles northeast of the 

old Searles stage station. Along this stretch there may be seea 

excellent examples of the weathering of rocks into rounded boulders 

by exfoliation, or the peeling off of the rock in layers as a result of 

the rapid changes in temperature. Some of the bouldexs are 20 feefe 

high. Where the road crosses the summit of the range the granite 

has been weathered into many sharp pinnacles a few feet high,

The mountains that lie south of Salt Wells Canyon apparently at 

one time formed a part of a greater Argus Eange that continued southward to the Trona Eailway. They are now separated, however, by 

Salt Wells Valley, a small valley about 6 miles across, which has 

been eroded out of the mountain mass. It consists almost entirely 

of erosional slopes which descend gently to a small alkali flat or playa 

that extends almost due east. It is not certain whether the surface 

drainage tributary to this playa reaches Searles Valley, but undoubtedly the ground water passes out through Salt Wells Canyon. If there 

is a divide between the two valleys, it is only a few feet high.

Salt Wells Valley and canyon are of interest in connection witb the 

ancient Searles Lake. (See p. 174.) In the early and closing stages 

of the lake water from Owens Lake and Indian Wells Valley reached 

Searles Lake through Salt Wells Valley. When the lake was at its 

highest stage an aim of it extended through Salt Wells Valley into 

Indian Wells Valley.

C*liloraia Stat

BOB. 88, pi. 1, 1936, for detailed geologic map of this part of Seartes Valtey, 

if Op. eft.
174 THE MQHAVE DESERT BEGIQN, CAJUFOBNIA

The upper part of Salt Wells Canyon is only about 200 feet 

and is cut from 50 to 100 feet deep in a dark granitic rock. For a 

considerable distance the floor is bare rock. Farther downstream 

the canyon broadens out and is filled with alluvium. The valley 

above the canyon appears to be filled with alluvium below the rock 

floor of the canyon, and these features seem to be out of harmony. 

However, a short distance north of the canyon there appears to be 

another channel partly filled with alluvium that was deposited in 

the ancient Searles Lake, and doubtless a deeper channel existed there. 

If this is true, the question arises whether Salt Wells Canyon also 

existed prior to the existence of the ancient Searles Lake or whether 

it has been cut since the lake level receded below the canyon level. 

Small patches of lake beds in the lower part of the canyon show that 

this part at least existed prior to the lake and was filled as the lake 

rose and later reexcavated as it retreated. The observations of the 

writer on a hurried trip down the canyon were not sufficient to determine the significance of these features, but it is evident that a 

study of this locality will yield valuable information on some phases 

of the history of the ancient Searles Lake.

ANCIENT SEARLES LAKE

The most interesting and unusual geologic features in Searles 

Valley are those related to a large lake that covered part of thfe valley 

in Pleistocene time. As described on page 110, this lake was one of 

three lakes connected by streams which existed when the average 

annual rainfall was presumably greater than at present. The principal source of water was the high Sierra Nevada bordering Owens 

Valley. The surface run-off was so great that it formed a lake much 

larger than the present Owens Lake. This lake evidently overflowed into Indian Wells Valley, where another lake was formed, 

which in turn overflowed into Searles Valley through Salt Wells 

Valley. Searles Lake overflowed into Panamint Valley, and the 

lake formed in that valley probably overflowed into Death Valley. 

(See p. 186.) The principal features of Owens, Searles, and Panamint 

Lakes have been well described by Gale. 18 The following brief summary is based largely on his report.

The evidence of the existence of Searles Lake is found in several 

features, the most striking and readily observed of which are wavecut benches on the side of the mountains several hundred feet above 

the bottom of the valley. These benches are best shown on the side 

of the Slate Kange. The altitude of the highest bench cut by the 

waves is 2,262 feet, which shows that the lake stood at least 640

* Gale, H. 8., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Basins, southeastern California: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 680, pp. 2S1-323, 1915.
A2?I> SALT WBLLS^VALLBYS 175

above the present valley bottom. At this height the lake not only 

covered most of the valley lands in Searles Valley but an arm of it 

reached westward through Salt Wells Valley and covered a large area 

in Indian Wells Valley.

At the extreme southwest end of the Slate Range there is a low 

place in the divide at practically the same altitude as the highest 

bench. (See point marked "B. M. 2262," pi. 10.) It is quite evident that when the lake stood at its highest level it overflowed southeastward into Pilot Knob Valley and thence to Panamint Valley.

Another form of evidence, which is lacking in near-by basing whem 

there have been no lakes, consists of deposits of calcareous tufa^ which 

were precipitated from the lake waters. In some places the tula is 

spread over the rocks as a coating. At other places a considerable 

thickness of the deposits has been built up. The tufa is especially 

well developed in The Pinnacles, which are steep-sided knobs that 

rise to a height of 100 feet 15 miles due south of Trona, near the point 

where the railroad turns southwestward. Similar crags are found 

about IJHs miles southwest of the Salt Wells, a short distance east of 

the canyon road to Randsburg.

The most unusual feature observed hi connection with the evidence 

of the ancient Searles Lake consists of the saline deposits that underlie 

part of the present deposits. These deposits are believed to be 

unique both as to the purity of the salt beds and the variety of minerals 

found hi them and as to the large percentage of potash present. The 

playa is one of the largest in the Mohave Desert region and covers 

about 60 square miles. Most of it is similar to playas of the moist 

type in other basins.

Over large areas the surface is characterized by "self-rising ground," 

which is covered in places with alkali crusts. The alkali increases in 

general toward the center of the playa. In contrast to other playas, 

however, in the central part there is a body of practically pure salt, 

locally called the crystal body, which extends to depths ranging from 

60 feet to more than 100 feet. The area of the crystal body is estimated to be about 10 or 12 square miles. On its border it merges 

into saliferous clay.

The surface of the crystal body is generally white and smooth and 

solid enough to support automobiles and other heavy vehicles 

Although blocks of salt are broken out and pushed up in the process 

of crystallization re-solution smooths out the surface. The water 

table is usually within an inch or two of the surface. The ground 

water is really a saturated brine which fills the interstices between the 

crystals. The volume of this brine is estimated to oe more than 25 

per cent of the total mass of the crystal body. It is composed chiefly 

of the chlorides, sulphates, carbonates, and borates of sodium and
176 THE MOHAVE BBiSBf REGION, CALIFORNIA

potassium 19 and contains about 2.1 per cent of potassium. The 

crystallized salt body contains a considerable number of numeral 

species, several of which hare been found only in these deposits.

An interesting feature is a so-called trona reef that occurs along the 

east border of the play a. This reef is a zone of crusted salts, chiefly 

trona (hydrous sodium carbonate), which have been brought to the 

surface by rising ground water and deposited by evaporation. Borax 

is also found in the marginal parts of the playa.

The saline deposits of Searles Dry Lake have been worked commercially at irregular intervals since 1873, 10 years after their discovery 

by J. W. Searles. For many years the principal product was borax.* 

Beginning in 1917, the production of potash has been even larger, 

particularly during the war, when the supply of German potash was 

shut off. In the 5-year period 1917-1921 the production of potash in 

San Bernardino County was valued at $8,441,586, and presumably 

all of it came from Searles Lake.21 In 1918 the production amounted 

to nearly $3,500,000. However, with the end of the war and the 

reappearance of cheap German potash on the market the production 

dropped greatly.

The principal producer of potash has been the American Trona 

Corporation. The brine is recovered by means of wells sunk in the 

crystal body and is pumped by electrically operated pumps through 

a 4-mile pipe line to the plant on the edge of the playa. The salts 

are precipitated from the brine by fractional evaporation a process 

which is dependent upon the fact that at different stages in the 

evaporation of the brine salts of different composition are precipitated, but those precipitated at any one stage are relatively uniform 

hi composition.

The construction of the pipe line offered unusual problems, which 

arise from the fact that it is subjected to a range in annual temperature of fully 100° F. and daily changes of at least one-third of that. 

In order to provide for the expansion and shrinkage of the pipe lind 

it was laid in sections 900 feet long, each section being anchored in 

the middle and provided with expansion joints at each end. The 

temperature was observed when each expansion joint was placed, 

and the proper allowance was made for expansion. The pipe, which is 

10 inches in diameter, is heavily insulated to maintain the brine at a 

constant, temperature, for if this were not done it would thicken, 

and crystals would form.

» Gate, H. 8., op. cit., p. 377. Hicks, W. B., Evaporation of brim from Searles Lake, Calif.: U. 8. Geol. 

Survey Prof. Paper 98, pp. 1-8,1917.

* B*0«y, G. B., The saline deposit* of California: California State MM. Bur, Boll. S4, pp. 89-40, CMS, 

1902.

« Mining in California: California State Min. Bur., State Mineralogist Eighteenth fcept., table opp
177

OkBQITHD WATKR

Few welle have been put down in Searles Valley, and so far aa information is available aU of them ^re in the northern part of tixe valley, 

except one, which is in Salt Wells Valley.

Several wells or test holes have been drilled oa the play a or close to 

its border. In these wells the water either flows or steads practically 

at the surface. The water in them is so salty as to be unusable for 

any purpose. One of these wells on the edge of the playa at Trona, 

which is 12 inches in diameter and 100 feet deep, flows about 40 

gallons a minute. When first analyzed the water contained ab&ai 6 

per cent of sodium chloride, but after being pumped for a time th$ 

salt content increased. The water from these and other near-by 

wells was for a time used in "sluicing" in the manufacturing process 

at the Trona plant. , The American Trona Corporation has put down several well* on 

the alluvial slope between 1 and 2 miles north of the playa. Beginning 

in the SE. A 1 SE. Y± sec. 21, T. 24 S., R. 43 E., and continuing ^as*- 

ward for 1% miles, six test wells, numbered from 1 to 6, were put 

down at intervals of a quarter of a mile. Wells 1 and 6 were 4ug to 

the water level and then drilled to a total depth of 300 feet. The 

other four were dug only to the water level. In addition the company 

has a dug well, known as the "farm well," in the NW. % sec. 28, T. 

24 S., E. 43 E. The Pacific Coast Borax Co. had a dug well, now 

abandoned, in the SE. M SE. % sec. 20. Another well, known as the 

Ott well, is about a quarter of a mile north of the center of sec. 15 

of the same township. The altitude of the water table in these wells 

was determined by a wye-level line run by ; the American Trona 

Corporation from a United States Geological Survey bench mark at 

Trona. These data, for which the writer is under obligations-tp ME. 

A. J. Klamt, formerly general superintendent of the American Trona 

Corporation, are given in the table on page 182, with other information 

in regard to the wells. The table also contains data hi regard to a 

well drilled by the Solvay Process Co. near its plant.

The data show that the depth to water along an east-west line near 

the south side of sees. 20, 21, 22, and 23, T. 24 S., R. 43 E., ranges 

from about 70 to 115 feet. These differences in depth to water are 

due to differences in the altitude of the surface, for the range in ths 

altitude of the water table in the wells is only about 10 feet. In these 

wells the water table is from 43 to 52 feet above the water table be* 

neath Searles Lake, and thus the gradient toward the playa is about 

30 feet to the mile. However, according to the data obtainable, £he 

water table in the Ott well is only 52 feet above the w&tetr tafel& beneath the playa; that is, between it and the row of test wellfi (Noe. 1 

to 6), a distance of nearly 1% miles, the gradient is at most 10 leet
178 THE MOfiAVB DBSERT REGftON,

and between the Ott well and well 4 tire" water table is apparently 

flat. No explanation is known for this condition. If the depths to 

water in the different wells were measured at different times in the 

year, the condition might be only apparent and not real, because of 

fluctuation of the water table between measurements.

Only one well, No. 1, has been sufficiently tested to give any idea 

as to the yield of properly constructed wells. This well is 12 inches in 

diameter from the water level to a depth of 300 feet and the casing 

is perforated between the depths of 86 and 176 feet. It is equipped 

with an 8-stage Byron-Jackson deep-well turbine, with the suction 

186 feet from the surface. When first started the pump yields about 

480 gallons a minute, but it decreases until the maximum drawdown 

is reached, when the yield is about 350 gallons a minute. The drawdown is estimated to be about 40 feet. The Farm well has been tested 

with a plunger pump to yield 60 gallons a minute with a drawdown of 

only 2 feet. If equipped with a larger pump, it would doubtless yield 

considerably more. This well is dug only about 7 feet below the 

water table. None of the other wells are known to have been tested. 

It seems probable, however, that properly constructed wells would 

yield from 100 to 500 gallons a minute.

Only two of the wells were in use hi 1917. Water from well 1 

was piped to the plant of the American Trona Corporation, where 

it was used for sluicing. Water from the farm well was pumped 

into a near-by reservoir and used for a swimming pool. It was 

intended eventually to use this well for irrigating a small area.

Samples of water from different depths in well 1 and from a depth 

near the bottom of well 6 were analyzed by J. E. Evans, of the 

American Trona Corporation, and the results are given below. 

These analyses show that the water from different depths is slightly 

different, but it is all highly mineralized, the total dissolved solids 

ranging from 1,516 to 2,095 parts per million. The waters are similar 

in general character, and sodium chloride is the predominant 

constituent.

Analyses of waters from wells in Searles Valley, Calif.

[J. E. Evans, American Trona Corp., analyst. Farts per million, recalculated from hypothetical

combinations]

Sodium (Na) _______________________

Carbonate radicle (CDs) ________________

Chloride radicle (Cl)...................................

Total dissolved solids __________________

Date of collection ____________________

1

653

179

166

119

31

1,636 (-)

2

604

175

146

603

31

1,516 ' («)

3

820

192

218

851

55

2,096

(»)

4

703

160

156

783

17

1,780

<«>

May 13,1917. »May 20,1917. Apr. 11,1917.

1. Well 1 of American Trona Corp., from a depth of 150 feet.

2. Same well, from a depth of 190 feet.

3. Bams well, from a depth of 240 feet.

4. Well 6 of American Trona Corp., from a depth of 290 feet.
AHB SALT WUtLS

No fcaMum or magnesium were reported ia5 tfee 'analysis* given 

herewith, and it is uncertain whether they are present in apprecM&Ife 

quantities. Analyses of the brine from Searles Laker show that tfe&se 

elements are practically absent in it,22 proftaWy because there has 

been sufficient carbonate present to precipitate them. It is not 

certain whether this is also true in the less mineralized waters from 

the wells for which the analyses are given.

Although the waters analyzed are highly mineralized, they could 

doubtless be used for drinking in case of emergency. The water 

from the wells is used by stock.

It is worthy of note that although the samples analyzed were t all 

taken at depths below the level of the water table beneath Searles 

Lake, the concentration is low as compared to the brines, which 

contain more than 300,000 parts per million of dissolved solids.^ 

This is significant, for it shows that the brine does not extend far beneath the alluvial slope, and possibly if wells are drilled at places 

farther from the playa than the wells sampled water of better quality 

may be obtained. The conditions can not be foretold with certainty, 

however, for as the ancient Searles Lake evaporated some salts may 

have been left in the alluvium which have not yet been completely 

leached out.

So far as the writer is aware there are no wells south of Searles 

Lake. Doubtless water could be obtained at almost any place in 

the alluvium-filled part of the valley. However, within at least a 

mile or two of the playa the water would probably be of poor quality. 

The quality of the water may be expected to improve somewhat 

at points farther and farther from the playa. However, the depth 

to water also doubtless increases, and it would not be surprising if a 

depth to water of 200 feet were found within 3 miles of the playa. 

Farther southwest the depth to water is probably much greater. The 

conditions as a whole are unfavorable for irrigation, but water suitable for stock could probably be obtained in deep drilled wells,

WATER SUPPLIES FOB INDUSTRIAL PLANTS

In all wells that have been drilled or dug in the alluvium the water 

obtained has been rather highly mineralized. The water is suitable 

for general use around the potash plants but is unfit for domestic use. 

It has therefore been, necessary to obtain water for domestic use from 

more distant sources.

Water for domestic use at the plant of the American Trona Ofrporation is piped from several springs in the Argus Mountains. 

The main pipe line is more than 10 miles long. About 100,000 

gallons a day is obtained from the springs. (See p. 180)

8 Qate, H. S., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Basins, southeastern California: U. B» Geol, 

Survey Bull. 580, pp. 276-277, 1915. Hicks, W. B., Evaporation of brine from Searles Lake, Calif.: U. S. 

Qeol. Survey Prof. Paper 98, p. 2,1917. » Gale, H. S., op. cit., p. 276.
180 THE MOHAVE DBSBET BBGION, CAI4FOENIA

Water for dooaestio use at the potash plants at Borotolvay »nd 

Westeod, whan they are in operation, is hauled in tank cars from the 

pumping plant of the Southern Pacific Railroad at Caotil, a distance 

of about 50 miles, la the fall of 1017 about 80,000 gallons ft month 

was being used to supply water for 175 persons at Borosolvay.

SPRINGS

Springs in Argus Moimtains. A number of springe exist in the 

Argus Mountains. Most of these springs have been developed by the 

American Trona Corporation to furnish water for domestic use at its 

plant. The following notes on the yield of the several springs were 

furnished by A. J. Klamt.

The northernmost group, four in number, are located in Brace 

Canyon about 11 miles north of Trona. (See pi. 10.) Cabin Spring 

yields about 5 gallons a minute, Middle Spring about 7 gallons, 

Peach Spring 21 gallons, and Dripping Springs about 3 gallons. 

In Graham & Jones Canyon, the next large canyon to the south, 

Graham Spring yields 10 gallons a minute. In Great Falls Canyon 

there are several springs. One of these, Argus Springs, yields about 

10 gallons a minute. The water from it is piped to a tank at an old 

stage station near the Ballarat road. Indian Joe Spring, in a short 

canyon about 5 miles north of Trona, yields about 7 gallons a minute. 

Searles Springs, which comes from tunnels in Indian Joe Canyon, 

yields about 7 gallons a minute.

Layion Spring. Lay ton Spring is in Layton Canyon, on the west 

side of the Slate Range, along an old road leading from Searles Lake 

to the South end of Panamint Valley. The road is impassable for 

automobiles, but it is said to be passable for wagons. The spring is 

used principally by prospectors.

Bedrock Spring. Bedrock Spring is at the north end of the Lava 

Mountains, in sec. 31, T. 28 S., R. 42 E. It is nearly a Eiile south of 

an old road leading to the southeast end of Searles Lake. This road 

is seldom used and is almost impassable for automobiles. In August,

1919, it was reported that water could be obtained at the

SALT WELLS VALLEY

Water is known to be available at only two places m Salt Wells 

Valley, and at each place it is of very bad quality. At the abandoned 

Salt Wells stage station, in the SW. H sec. 32, T. 26 S., R. 42 E., 

there is a dug well which on September 25, 1917, measured 48 feet 

deep and 45 feet to water. The only means of obtaining water waa 

a bottle to which were attached enough pieces of baling wire to reach 

the water. As shown by analysis 1 on page 181, the witer is very 

highly mineralized. It might be usable in very small anounts in an

spring.
SEA&LES AND SALT WELLS VALLEYS 181

very muck of it were drunk it would probably cause 

The water is unfit for boiler use and very bad for irrigation. 

Except perhaps in the driest months, a small stream of water flows 

along the rock floor at the head of Salt Wells Canyon. This stream is 

<clear and cool and very inviting to the traveler. However, it is extremely salty. As shown by analysis 2 below, this water contains 

38,980 parts per million of total solids. It is the most highly mineral- v 

ized water collected during the investigation of watering places in the 

Mohave Desert region, and it is absolutely uififit for any use. The 

water is so salty that a person in normal condition would not swallow it. However, if one's mental and physical condition were so 

weakened by thirst that he was unable to resist the desire for water, 

enough of it could be drunk in a few moments to cause sickness. If 

very much of it was used it would probably so weaken a person that 

death would ensue unless proper treatment |was quickly available. 

At least one person is known to have died frolm the effects of drinking this water.

Analyses of ground water in Salt Wells galley, Calif. 

[ Collected Sept. 22,1927. C. H. Kidwell, analyst, farts per million]

Silica(8i02).. .. . - , . 

 Calcium (Ca)_. ___ ... _ ...-. _ .... _ . __ ......... ___________

Magnesium (Mg) _____________ . ____________________

Potassium (K) - »

 Cartwnate radicle (CO&). ......... ___..........._.._. _..._..__.._..__T _...._._..

Sulphate rtdiole(8O«)_ ...... ...... _ ..,. _ ......................... _ .....

Chloride radicle (CD ......... .^............. .................................

Nitrate radicle (NOt)... ... ... ............. ... ......................

Total hardness as CaCO» (calculated} .*-... .....-....-.........,...-.......

1

104 

.86 

843 

46 

1,681 

83 

0 

213 

326 

3,896 

46 

7,262 

2,300

2

112 

1.4 

48 

74 

14,420 

449 

326 

588 

3,435 

19,470 

8.9 

38,980 

423

1. Bug well at old Salt Wells stage station in sec. 29, T. 26 8., R. 42 E., Mount Diablo meridian. See p. 180. 

3. Small stream near head of Salt Wells Canyon, in sec. 28, T. 26 S.^ R. 42 E. See above.

The highly mineralized water in Salt Wells Canyon, as well as ttiat 

3n the well at the Salt Wells station, probably has its origin in saline 

deposits left when Searles Lake receded after covering part of the 

 vafiey. The small playa in the bottom of Sajlt Wells Valley contains 

more or less alkali on its surface, and below th[e surface there is doubtJess considerable salt. It is possible that some water seeps into the 

valley from Indian Wells Valley, to the west. If so, this water would 

doubtless be mineralized, for the playa in Indian Wells VaH«y known 

.as China Dry Lake is very saline.

Conditions are not favorable for the development of good water 

supplies in Salt Wells Valley. Water that is better than that ia tke 

^srell at the Salt Wells station may possibly be obtained in wells 

farther south on the alluvial slope. It is probable, however, that 

tk« water table is nearly flat, lor the contributory area is not great, 

and accessions to the water table are small. Accordingly, if water 

5631 29 IS
182 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

of good quality can be obtained in wells on the upper part of the 

slope the depth to water is likely to be great. The conditions as a 

whole are unfavorable to obtaining water for irrigation.

Records of weUs in Searles Valley, Calif. 

[T. 24 S., R. 43 E. Mount Diablo meridian, except Solvay well]

Location

Sec

21

22

22

22

22

23

28

20

15

«30

Subdivision

SE. H SE. M -

sw. M sw. MSE. M sw. M 

SW. M SE. M 

SE. M SE.JJi....

sw. MSW. M--

NW. M NE. MSE. U SE. M -

N. ^__ ___ _

sw. % sw. MName

American Trona 

Corporation No. 1.

American Trona

Corporation No. 2.

American Trona

Corporation No. 3.

American Trona

Corporation No. 4.

American Trona

Corporation No. 5.

American Trona

Corporation No. 6.

American Trona

Corporation Farm

well.

Pacific Borax Co ....

Ottwell..... ........

Solvay Process Co ...

Depth 

of wel

(feet)

300

( c)

(')

(")

(0

300

65

( c)

248

200

Depth 

to 

water

(feet)

85.2

96.5

115.0

107.0

96.8

105.0

56.7

69.6

232

52

Altitude of

surface 

above

sea level «

/faaf 1

\IQKI)

1, 749. 6

1, 761. 4

1, 776. 0

1,776.8

1, 761. 4

1, 772. 0

1, 718. 1

1, 733. 9

1,902.5

Altitude of

water 

table 

above

sea

level

(feet)

1,664.4

1,664.9

1, 661. 0

1, 669. 8

1,664.6

1,66?.0

1, 661. 4

1,664.3

, 670. 5

Altitude of

water 

table 

above

Searles

Lake*

(feet)

46.0

46.5

42.6

51.4

46.2

48.6

43.0

45.9

52.1

Remarks

See p. 177 for additional information. For|| analyses see p. fT8.

ForjfFanalysis see

p. 177.

See p. 178 for additional information.

Pumps 160 gallons

a minute. _ The

water is 4 very

salty.

 Altitude at surface is altitude of collar of well.

& Altitude of water table in Searles Lake near Trona at time of observation was about 1,618.4 feet.

 Dug only to water level.

 T. 25 S., R. 43 E.

PANAMINT BASIN, INCLUDING PILOT KNOB VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

The Panamint drainage basin lies east of Searles Valley, in the northwestern part of San Bernardino County and the south-central part 

of Inyo County. Fully half of the drainage basin lies north of the 

area considered in this report and is shown on the Ballarat topographic map. Conditions in that part of the basin are considered 

only hi so far as they affect the occurrence of ground water in the 

basin. The drainage basin includes not only Panamint Valley, but 

also an area of several hundred square miles lying south of the valley, 

which in this report is called the Pilot Knob Basin. This is almost a 

separate basin, but the drainage from it apparently reaches Panamint 

\ialley at times of heavy rains.

No permanent habitations are known in that part of the valley 

that lies within the area considered in this report. The old mining 

camp of Ballarat is 3 miles north of the area shown on Plate 10, and 

it is understood that a few prospectors are at the camp nearly all
8EAJRLES AND SALT WELLS VALLEYS * 183

the time. Some prospecting and mining has been done, but in 

recent years there has, been little active work. So far as is known 

no very valuable mineral deposits have been developed within the 

portion of the area considered in this report,2* There is no agricultural development in the basin.

The region is reached most easily from Johannesburg, by way of 

Granite Wells. Thence a road leads northward through the Pilot 

Knob Basin. This road branches 14 miles north of the wells. One 

branch, which goes northward through Panamint Valley to Ballarat 

and Death Valleys, is seldom used except by prospectors. From it a 

branch road leads eastward through Wingate Pass to Death Valley. 

It is understood that this road is practically impassable for automobiles except for a few miles at its west end. The other branch of the 

main road leads eastward through Leach Valley to Silver Lake and 

South Death Valley. In the eastern part of the basin it is joined by a 

road from Johannesburg and Barstow by way of Indian Spring. The 

road through Leach Valley is used considerably for travel between 

the eastern and western parts of the desert, as it saves a long detour 

to the north or south. Watering places on the roads are described on 

pages 190-191.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The drainage area that is tributary to Panamint Valley is roughly 

dumb-bell shaped that is, it has two wide parts at the north and 

south ends, connected by a long, narrow part. The southern part is 

nearly cut off from the rest of the basin at the constricted section by a 

ridge. For the sake of convenience the name "Pilot Knob Basin" 

is given to the southern enlarged portion of the drainage area. The 

remainder of the basin, including the constricted part, is called Panamint Valley. The physiographic and geologic conditions in the Pilot 

Knob Basin are different from those farther north, and therefore the 

features of the two parts of the basin are considered separately.

PANAMINT VALLEY

The portion of Panamint Valley shown on the relief map (pi. 10) is 

essentially only the constricted part or the grip of the dumb-bell, if 

the comparison may be continued. However, in order to understand certain features that affect the occurrence of ground water it is 

necessary to consider the portion farther north.

The name "Panamint Valley" is applied to a long, narrow alluviumfilled valley of structural origin that extends in a north-northwest

» Notes on the geology and ore deposits of the Ballarat or Panamint region, as it is called, are given in 

the following reports: Spurr, J. E., Geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel: 17. 8. Qeol. Surrey 

Bull. 208, pp. 200-205,1903; U. S. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1883-84, p. 642, 1885; 1007, pt. J, p. 267, 

1908; 1908, pt. 1, p. 334,1909; 1909, pt. 1, p. 275,1911. Fairbanks, H. W., Mineral deposits of eastern California: Am. Geologist, vol. 17, pp. 144,151,1896.
184 THE MOHAVE DB8EBT RECHON, CAUF0BNIA

direction for about 60 miles. About one-fourth ®i tbe distance from 

the north end alluvial fans buHt out from opposite sides of the vaHey; 

have divided the valley into two distinct basins, so far as the surface 

drainage is concerned. The ground water ©f the northern basin, 

however, probably drains to the southern basin.

The southern basin is very narrow at its south end, but it gradually 

widens toward the north. At one place, near the San Bernardiao 

County line, the alluvium-nlled valley is less than a mile wide, amd 

for a considerable distance it is not more than 2 miles wide. The 

alluvium in this part of the basin rises very steeply to the mountains. 

Farther north, near Ballarat, the alluvium-filled area is fully 10 miles 

wide. The mountain area on each side of the valley is correspondingly much narrower at the south end than at the north.

The physical features of the valley, notably its narrowness and the 

steep slopes, suggest that it is a graben, or block downf aulted between 

the mountains on each side.26 There is reason to believe that some of 

the faulting has taken place in comparatively recent times.

At the south the west border of the valley is the Slate Range, a long, 

narrow range. Near Early's Spring the rocks are quartzite, and 

boulders in the wash indicate the presence of Ouher metamorphic 

rocks and intrusive rocks. Farther north, according to the geologic 

map of Inyo County, there are also some Tertiary volcanic rocks.29 

Approximately in latitude 36° the Slate Range merges with the Argus 

Range, and the drainage area expands westward. Part of this range 

is composed of volcanic rocks, but most of it is shown by Waring to 

consist of sedimentary rocks of Cambrian age. Throughout most of 

their length the Slate and Argus Ranges are more than 5,000 feet 

above sea level, and the highest point, Maturango Peak, reaches 

8,850 feet.

At the south end of the vaHey the eastern border is formed by Brown 

Mountain, which is composed of Tertiary volcanic rocks. About 8 

miles north of the south end this mountain gives way to Wingate 

Pass, a low, nearly level valley, about 2 miles wide, which slopes gently 

eastward for several miles and then drops rather steeply into Death 

Valley. (See pp. 591-592.) The summit of the pass is less, than 300 

feet above Panamint Valley, and the mountains north and south of it 

rise several thousand feet higher.

North of Wingate Pass the eastern border of the valley is formed by 

the Panamint Range, which rises steeply. For most of its length 

the range rises higher than 5,000 feet above sea level, and the highest 

point, Telescope Peak, reaches 11,045 feet. This is the highest peak 

that drams to any of the basins in the Mohave Desert region except

w Campbell, M. R., Reconnaissance of tbe borax deposits of Death VaHey and Moharre Desert: TJ. S. 

Geol. Surrey Boll. 200, p. 20,1902. Gate, H. 8., Salines in tbe Ovens, Searles, and Paaamfnt Basins, southeastern CaHtonrfa: tP. 8. Geol. Survey BoH. S8fr, p. 317, 1915.

M Waring, G. A., Geologic map of Inyo County, Calif., California State Min. Bur., 1917.
»ASIN, 3KCLUIHNG PILOT KNOB T^W^EY 185

San Gorgonio Peak} in tie San Beraardino Mountains. As a whole 

the mountains that drain to Panamint Valley are higher than any of 

the mountains in the region considered in this report .except the Saa 

Bemaxdmo and San Gabriel Ranges and the Sierra .Nevada, The 

part of the Panamint Range in the area covered by this report is 

mapped by Waring as metamorphic rocks of Cambrian age.

The lowest part of the narrow alluvium-filled valley is occupied by » 

playa. This playa is 17 miles long and less than 3 miles wide at.its 

widest point and for much of its length is only about a mie wide. 

The playa is nearly a thousand feet lower than the lowest part of the 

valley at its south end and about 600 feet below the alluvial divide 

that separates it from the northern Panamint Valley.

The playa was not seen by the writer, but according to a brief 

description by Free 27 it is of the wet type, with a saline surf ace. Tils 

condition is to be expected, as the basin is completely surrounded by 

bedrock, and it is lower than any of the adjacent basins except Death 

Valley, from which it is separated by a great range of mountains.

The total area of the southern part of Panamint Valley is 690 

square miles, of which about 470 square miles is occupied by mountains, 200 square miles by alluvial slopes, and 20 square miles by 

the playa.

PANAMINT LAKE

There is evidence that a large lake existed in Panamint Valley in 

comparatively recent geologic time. The traces of this ancient 

lake, which has been called Panamint Lake, consist of wave-cut 

terraces and deposits of tufa several hundred feet above the bottom 

of the valley. The details of these features are described by Gale.28 

The lake is believed to have existed during the Pleistocene epoch, 

when the climate was moister than at present at the same time 

that a large lake existed hi Searles Basin and other large lakes farther 

north in the Great Basin. (See pp. 110-111.) Apparently Searles 

Lake at one time overflowed into Panamint Lake, and the great 

size of the lake was partly due to this overflow. It is noteworthy, 

however, that the area now tributary to the Panamint Valley, including the northern part of the valley and the Pilot Knob Basin, is 

about 1,800 square miles and that a large part of the mountainous 

area reaches high altitudes. As a result of the great altitude of so 

much of the basin a notable increase in the precipitation would 

doubtless cause the formation of a small lake without any accessions 

of drainage from other basins.

» Free, E. E., The topographic features of the desert basins of the United States with reference to foe 

possible occurrence of potash: U. 8, Dept. Agr. Bull. 64, p. 41,1914.

» Gale, H. 8., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Panamint Basins, southeastern California: U. 8. QK& 

Survey BuB. m, pp. 312-319,1915.
186 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CAUFORNIA

The upper benches cut by the waves are indistinct, and it has been 

difficult to determine just how high the lake stood. Tufa has been 

found at altitudes as high as 1,970 to 1,980 feet,29 which is practically 

the same as the summit of Wingate Pass, and it has been suggested 

that the lake overflowed through the pass to Death Valley. Observations by the writer tend to confirm this view. In approaching Wingatte Pass from the Panamint Valley road there is a steep rise of 

nearly 300 feet, but no wave-cut features are visible. A few hundred 

feet south of the road into the pass a steep canyon enters from the 

east. At the summit of the pass stands a low hill, which rises 25 

feet or more above the lowest point in the divide. On the top of this 

hill the writer found fragments of tufa cementing small pebbles and 

in some places adhering to the larger lava boulders that cover the 

hill. The cementing material is calcium carbonate but is more like 

the typical desert caliche than like the type that is abundant around 

extinct lakes. In the canyon south of the hill conglomerate cemented with this material is exposed to a depth of about 30 feet, and 

in several places the tufaceous cement appears as veins. The surface at this place is covered with a thin layer of boulders of a vesicular 

lava. Below the surface lies a conglomerate that contains boulders 

as large as 18 inches in diameter, but none of them are composed of 

basaltic lava like those on the surface. Sandy gravel lies below the 

boulders. Four miles east of the summit of the pass well-rounded 

boulders as large as 10 niches in diameter were observed. The 

character of the boulders and gravel suggests that they may have 

been deposited in a stream that discharged from Panamint Lake, 

but the character of $he valley that constitutes Wingate Pass is such 

that they may have acquired their waterworn characteristics by 

wash from the north and south sides of the pass. Where the bottom 

of the valley was seen at several places as far east as 5 miles from the 

summit of the fans, it was without any marked channel, perhaps 

because signs of any old outlet may have been obliterated by more 

recent wash.

If the maximum depth of Panamint Lake was governed by an outlet to Death Valley, as there is reason to believe, the area of the lake 

at the time of its maximum expansion was about 272 square miles, 

and the water stood 930 feet above the present playa surface opposite Ballarat.30 Originally the lake was probably somewhat deeper, 

the bottom having been raised later by the deposition of alluvium. 

The lake filled not only the southern part of Panamint Valley but 

also the northern part and was about 300 feet higher than the present 

divide that now separates the structural valley into two parts.

The history of Panamint Lake apparently was similar to that of 

Searles Lake that is, a large, deep lake existed for a considerable time

»Idem, p. 317. » Gale, H. S., op. cit., p. 313.
PANAMINT BASIN, INCLUDING PILOT KNOB VALLEY 187

and was maintained, in part at least, by the overflow from another 

lake. The presence of the great salt deposits in Searles Lake is believed to be due in part to the fact that the upper lake in the chain 

acted as a settling basin, so that on evaporating the salts were not 

mixed with mud. If this were a controlling factor, Panamint Lake, 

being still farther down the chain of lakes, ought to have rich saline 

deposits like those of Searles Lake, but so far such deposits have not 

been found.

The absence of rich saline deposits in the basin may be accounted 

for in several ways. Panamint Lake was the lowest lake of which 

we have any evidence in the Owens-Panamint Lake system, and an 

unknown but probably large part of the water supply for Panamint 

Lake came from the upper lakes. During a considerable part of 

the time when the concentration of salts was taking place in the 

Searles Lake basin there must have been no overflow into Panamint 

Lake, and the quantity of water to be evaporated doubtless was less 

than in Searles Lake. Perhaps of even more significance are the 

topographic conditions hi the Panamint Basin. On account of the 

narrowness of the valley and the great altitude of the mountains, 

rapid alluvial filling of the valley would be expected, and any saline 

deposits that resulted from evaporation would be mixed with much 

alluvium. In Panamint Valley the alluvial slopes have a considerably greater development than in Searles Basin.

NORTHERN PART OF PANAMINT VALLEY

The northern part of Panamint Valley which is shown on the 

Ballarat topographic map, is a part of the same structural depression 

that is occupied by the southern part. It is separated from the 

southern part by an alluvial divide formed by the fans that have 

been built out from both sides. This divide is almost 600 feet above 

the playa in the southern part of the valley but very little higher than 

the playa in the northern part. Apparently the northern part of 

the structural valley was originally higher than the part near Ballarat, and it has only comparatively recently been cut off.

It is probable that ground water moves from the northern basin to 

the southern basin. The total area tributary to the northern playa 

is 615 square miles, of which about 480 square miles is occupied by 

mountains, 125 square miles by alluvial slopes, and 6.5 square miles 

by playa. A large part of the mountain area lies west of the valley. 

The mountainous area as a whole is not as high as that of the southern 

part of the valley, a large part of it being less than 5,000 feet above 

sea level.

PILOT KNOB BASIN

The Pilot Knob Basin is elongated in an east-west direction, 

approximately at right angles to the southern section of Panamint 

Valley. It is characterized by two principal drainage lines, whieh
188 THE MOHAVB DfflSBBT BEGI0N, CAIJFOKK1A !

drain from the east and the southwest and each of w.hick Hes in a 

broad valley. The eastern of these two valleys is a part of the structural basin that farther east forms Leach Valley. (See p. 193.) 

The principal drainage ways of these two valleys life close to their 

north sides, apparently because the great Garlock fault Hae runs 

close to the north side, and the land adjacent to the fault line has been 

lowered with respect to the southern part of the basin.

The two principal drainage ways of the Pilot Knob Basin unite 

near the south end of Panamint Valley. The drainage from the 

southern basin at one time was probably prevented from reaching* 

Panamint Valley by a narrow ridge uplifted along the Garlock fault, 

but by cutting and filling the drainage has topped this barrier and 

now continues northward into Panamint Valley.

The eastern part of the basin is bordered on the north by the 

south end of Brown Mountain, which merges eastward into the 

Quail Mountains. These mountains have a rather steep alluvial 

slope on the south side. They are composed hi part of old intrusive 

and volcanic rocks of Tertiary age, and on the flanks in washes is 

exposed alluvium older than the recent deposits, probably either 

Pleistocene or Tertiary. (See p. 194.) The eastern divide of the 

valley is formed by alluvial fill and farther south by the west end of 

the Granite or Leach Mountains.

The south side of the valley is characterized by many knobs and 

buttes that in some places rise from a gently sloping surface which 

resembles an alluvial slope but which is probably an erosional surface 

or,mountain pediment. The knobs are formed to a large extent by 

Tertiary volcanic rocks, which in places are seen to rest on graniticrocks. The most conspicuous of these knobs is Pilot Knob, which ia 

described on page 242. The western valley is bordered on the south 

by a continuation of the knobs and buttes, which consist largely of 

volcanic rocks, but hi several places sediments occur that are probably 

interbedded with the volcanic rocks. Sandstone, gently folded, is 

exposed hi a ridge about 2J^ miles north of Granite'Wells. The 

northeastern border of the western valley is formed by the south 

end of the Slate Kange. The extreme south end of this range is 

composed of clay beds of probable Tertiary age which have beeo 

faulted up by movement along the Garlock fault line. They form a 

ridge with an east-northeast trend, about at right angles to the 

range, which is composed of oldejr rocks. These beds contain some 

saline deposits, especially nitrates, but not in sufficient quantity to> 

be of value.31

Southwest of the Slate Range the valley is separated from Searles 

Valley by low hills. Along a road leading from the valley to Spangler 

siding, on the Trona Railway, clay and conglomerate beds are exposed.

u Noble, L. F., Mansfield, Q. K., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa region, southeastern. 

California: U. S. Qeol. Surrey Boll. 734, p. 21,1922.
'BASIN, LNCLITDING PILOT KNOB VALLEY 189

These beds are tilted, to the south. They probably ar© Tertiary 

b«ds and i&ve been exposed by faulting along the Garlock fault. 

On the southwest Tertiary lavas form the boundary of the basin.

PRECIPITATION

Nd date in regard to rainfall are available for any part of the 

Panamint drainage basin. The mountains in the southern, part of 

Panamint Valley, especially the Panamint Range, rise to altitudes 

of 5,000 to 10,000 feet and more, and the^- stretch almost directly 

across the path of the rain-bearing winds. It is probable therefore 

that the average annual precipitation in these high mountains is 

somewhat greater than in most of the Mohave Desert region. It is 

doubtless at least 10 inches and may be considerably greater. The 

Pilot Knob Basin does not reach very high altitudes, and it is broken 

into many small knobs and hills that probably have little effect on 

the precipitation. The average annual precipitation in the basin is 

accordingly probably not great, perhaps about 5 inches.

WATER RESOURCES

No permanent streams are known in that part of the Panamint 

drainage basin that is shown on the relief maps in this report. In 

the high Panamint Mountains and the Argus Range running water 

may be found at several places after rainy spells, and perhaps in a 

few places there may be a perennial flow for short distances. A 

number of springs exist in these mountains, but they are off the 

regular routes of travel and are known only to prospectors. In the 

P8ot Knob Basin springs are very rare.

No data are available in regard to ground water in either the 

southern part of Panamiflt Valley or the Pilot Knob Basin. 0a 

the topographic map a well is shown in Panamint Valley near the 

Ballarat road, about 10 miles north of the junction with the Wingate 

Pass road, but nothing is known in regard to it. This well is about 

three-quarters of a mile from the playa, which is reported to be saline, 

and it is probable that the water is of poor quality. No data were 

obtained in regard to the depth to water. Near the playa in Panamint Valley the water probably lies near the surface, but farther away 

the depth may increase. It is probable that water can be obtained 

from wells almost anywhere along the wash hi the southern part of 

Panamint Valley but the depth to water may be great except near 

the playa. However, in view of the past history of the valley, including the evaporation of Panamint Lake and the consequent deposition 

of greater or less quantities of salts, the water is likely to be of poor 

quality. Saline efflorescences appear on the surface of lake beds 

south of the Wingate Pass road, and they are doubtless even More 

abundant north of that place, nearer the playa. The topographic
190 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA.

features of the valley are such that water will not be wanted for 

irrigation, and the only need will likely be for mining or for travelers. 

Ground-water conditions in the Pilot Knob Basin are problematic. 

A large part of the gently sloping lands that appear to be alluvial 

slopes is probably underlain by solid rocks at a depth of only a few 

feet, and very little ground water can be expected in such places. 

Water possibly may be obtained at reasonable depths along the principal drainage ways in the lowest part of the basin. However, the 

precipitation in the basin is small, and no great quantities of water 

can be expected. The conditions in the Pilot Knob Basin are not 

favorable to any extensive agricultural development.

WATERING PLACES

Available springs. Water for travelers is available at Lone Willow 

Spring and Early's Spring, in the southern part of Panamint Valley 

and at Granite Wells and probably also with a little development 

work at Myrick's Spring in the Pilot Knob Basin. '

Lone Willow Spring and Early's Spring. Lone Willow Spring 

and Early's Spring are within a mile or two of each other on the east 

slope of the Slate Range not far from its south end. They are reached 

from a road that branches northwest from the Granite Well-BaUarat 

road about 2 miles north of the narrow pass at the south end of 

Panamint Valley. The turn off is marked by signposts. The road 

to the springs ascends a steep alluvial slope, and 1.6 miles from the 

main road, near the ruins of a stone building, a poorly defined branch 

on the left leads to Lone Willow Spring. The spring, marked by a 

willow tree, is high on the hillside. From the stone ruins the road 

continues westward up the slope to Early's Spring, 3.1 miles from the 

main road. A cut-off road also leads northward from the stone ruins 

to the main Ballarat road. It is said that a spring exists in a canyon 

between Lone Willow Spring and Early's Spring, but the writer 

did not find it.

Lone Willow Spring is on the east face of a hill about 300 yards 

above a wash. The water comes from a trench cut into the hillside. 

The trench is cut in unconsolidated material, but it is not clear 

whether this is alluvial fill or residual soil. Bedrock probably lies 

near the surface. When dipped out the spring fills slowly, and 

although at times there is probably a slight flow it is not always 

sufficient to exceed the evaporation from the small outlet channel.

When first visited by the writer the water was badly contaminated 

by the decayed body of a coyote. The spring was cleaned out, and 

about three months later a sample of the water was taken for analysis. At that time the water contained "wigglers" or larvae, and 

it had a bad odor. So far as the mineral analysis is concerned the 

water is a calcium carbonate water and is of fair quality. It con-
tains 962 parte of total solids per million parts of waten (see analysis 1 

in the accompanying table), but this analysis does not give any 

indication as to possible pollution from decayed animal matter.

A station on an old stage line to Ballarat was located at the stone 

ruins mentioned above, and the water from the spring was piped to ths 

station, but this pipe has been torn up. On account of the pollution 

of the spring, Early's Spring was a more desirable source of supply.

Early's Spring is in a canyon that drains from the south. It is 

about 150 feet up the canyon from some old prospect holes and is 

easily found. The spring is in the bottom of the wash just above & 

narrow place in the canyon and surrounded by bushes. It is dug 

about 3 feet deep, walled with rock, and covered with a wooden hood. 

When the writer visited it a sign on the door stated that iron bars in 

the spring were placed there for the purpose of neutralizing arsenic 

and should be left in the water. A careful analysis in the laboratory 

of the United States Geological Survey of a sample from the spring 

failed to show any arsenic in the water. In fact, the analysis shows 

a relatively good water, containing only 652 parts of total solids per 

million. (See analysis 2, p. 192.)

About a quarter of a mile north of Early's Spring, on the steep 

hillside, stands a group of four willows, and a small seep of water was 

found beneath them. This spring had not been developed, and 

apparently the seepage was immediately evaporated. A number of 

wild burros, said to have been liberated by miners at Ballarat, roam 

around this vicinity, and their trails lead to this seepage.

Granite Wells. The watering place known as Granite Wells, as the 

name suggests, lies at the north base of a low granite hill a mile west 

of Pilot Knob. The well is reached by branch roads that turn off 

from the main road to Panamint Valley. The southernmost branch 

to the spring is one-tenth of a mile northeast of the junction of the 

road from Johannesburg and one from Bars tow. The well is threetenths of a mile from the main road. It is really a cave at the end 

of an open cut 100 feet long in disintegrated granite. The water 

seeps in slowly. In January, 1920, the cave was barricaded by a 

network of iron pipe to prevent cattle from entering, but a person 

could reach the water without difficulty. A pipe line carries the 

water to a near-by water trough, the flow being about a pint a minute. 

An analysis of a sample collected in October, 1918, showed the water 

to be of good quality. (See analysis 3, p. 192.) It is a calcium 

carbonate water and has 404 parts of total solids per niillion. During 

the winter and spring a number of cattle are grazed in this locality.

Myrick's Spring. A small undeveloped watering place, known as 

Myrick's Spring, is a short distance east of the road from Indian 

Spring to Leach Spring, 5 miles by road northeast of Indian Spring.
192 THE MOHAVE DESERT RBGrON, CALIFORNIA

The road to it turns off about a tenth of a zmle northeast of & large 

wash and leads southeast behind a low hill. The place is marked by 

a small hole in which salt grass was growing; but there was no water. 

A small quantity of water could probably be obtained by digging 

out this hole.

Analyses of ground waters from Panamint and Pilot Knob Valleys, Calif. 

[CoUecttri January-11, IMS. Parts per mfllton]

Silica (8iO|)-..-_...,_.........._....__..._._..._._.....__.......... IronCFeJ _ .. __ .. ___ . ____ . _ . _ ...... _ . __ .*..

Calcium (Ca)..._. ...................................................

MacbeBium (Mg) ....

Sodium and potassium (N»-j-K) ___________________

Csrtxnyfa radicle (CO»)..._. _ ..... __ . __ ............ .....

Bicarbonate radicle (BCOa)-- ______ . _ . ___ - _ ... . ___ Sulphate radicle (SO4) - _ __ - _ . _ ... . _ . _ ......

Chloride radicle (01). ...... ........................................

Nitrate radicle (NOj).... .............................. _ .......

Total dissolved solids at 180° C... _ ........ ___ .................

Total hardness as GaCOj (calculated) _____ . ______ '. .....

1

62

.12

125

27

184

0

429

176

180

K4

962

423

2

64

.13

109

18 "76

0

332

128

75

T*3*£U*A

652

346

3

65

.47

64ia

53

0

232

48

30

19

404

213

( Calculated. Analysts: 1 and 3, Margaret D. Poster and 0. H. Kidwell, U. 8. Geological Survey; 2, Margaret D. Poster.

1. Lone Willow Spring, probably in see. 25, T. 26 S., B. 45 E. Mount Diablo meridian. (See p. 190.)

3. Barly's Spring, probably in see. 26, T. 26 B., B. 45 E. (See p. 190.)

3. Granite Wells, near Pilot Knob, in sec. 22, T. 29 S., B. 44 E. (See p. 191.)

LEACH VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Leach Valley is in the north-central part of San Bernardino County, 

about 15 miles south of the county line. The name is derived from 

Leach Spring, a well-known watering place, and the Leach Point 

Mountains, on the south side of the valley. A playa in the bottom of 

the basin is sometimes called Leach Dry Lake.

The valley is traversed from west to east by a road that is used for 

travel* from Eandsburg and other points in the western part of the 

desert to South Death Valley, Silver Lake, and points in the eastern 

part of the State. It is the only passable east-west route in the 

northern part of San Bernardino County. In the eastern part of the 

valley there are two alternative routes one on the north by way of 

Owl Holes and South Death Valley and one on the south by way of 

Two Springs and Avawatz Valley to Silver Lake. Water is available 

in the valley at Leach Spring, Desert King Spring, Two Springs, and 

Drinkwater Spring, and on the northern route at Owl Holes, just 

beyond the divide.

The valley is uninhabited. Some prospects have been developed 

hi a small way, but so far as is known it contains no valuable mineral 

deposits.

PHYSICAL FEATTJBES AND GEOLOGY

The Leach Valley drainage basin presents some very interesting 

physiographic and geologic features, but as observations in the valley 

were confined to what could be seen from the road .in two rapid trips 

through it, only the most obvious features can be pointed out.
LEAOH VALLEY 103

The boundary of the drainage basin and the border of the mountains 

are shown roughly on Elate 7. A large part of Leach Valley is ft long, 

narrow valley between two mountain ranges that trend nearly due east. 

It is only a mile or two wide at its west end, bufc farther east it broadens 

out to a width of 6 or 8 miles. The alluvium-filled depression between the two parallel mountain ranges continues westward for 10 

miles or more, but coalescing alluvial fans built out from the mountains 

on each side form a divide about a mile northwest of Leaeh Spring. 

The drainage on the west side of this divide goes west and north into 

Panamint Valley. (See p. 188.)

From the main part of the valley a secondary valley extends 

southeastward, and because of this extension the drainage basin as .a 

whole is elongated from southeast to northwest.

At the west end of the drainage basin, about a mile west of Leach 

Spring, the mountains are less than 2 miles apart. Those on the 

south side of the valley are the Granite Mountains, the west end of 

which is sometimes called the Leach Mountains or Leach Point Mountains. From the vicinity of the San Bernardino meridian this range 

extends nearly due east for about 10 miles to the eastern part of T. 

17 N., R. 2 E., and thence it bends southeastward. North of the 

valley at its west end are the Quail Mountains, which trend nearly 

due east. The highest part of the Quail Mountains is a high rounded 

mountain in the southeast corner ofT. 18N.,R. IE. San Bernardino 

meridian, from which the range gradually becomes lower eastward and 

ends in low hills in the eastern part of T. 18 N., R. 2 E. At this place 

the valley broadens northward for 2 or 3 miles, and the divide is 

formed in part by an alluvial slope and farther east by low hills, the 

west end of the Owls Head Mountains. The northeast border of the 

valley is formed by a ridge several hundred feet high that trends 

approximately east. This ridge is an arm that extends northwestward 

from, the Avawatz Mountains. South of this arm, in the southern 

part of T. 17 N., R. 4 E., another arm of the Avawatz Mountains 

extends westward into the basin. This arm nearly joins the Granite 

Mountains, in the north-central part of T. 17 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian, but apparently a canyon has been cut back through the 

granite ridge a mile or two south of the Silver Lake road. This 

canyon drains the west end of an alluvium-filled valley that lies 

south of the arm of the Avawatz Mountains. The drainage of the 

east end of the valley, however, is cut off by an alluviaj divide!? ^ftst 

of which is the Avawatz Basin. (See p. 19Q.) 11

The lowest part of the basin is occupied by a small playa, f ,pThe 

border of this playa is not very sharp, and bushes grow some distance 

out on it. The playa does not show any alkali, and it is believed jto

be of the dry type. 

Several large washes drain j toward the playa. A long one, .runs

almost due east, along the axis of the valley from its extreme west-end.
194 THE MOHAVE DESERT RECKON, CALIFORNIA

It receives drainage from two large embayments in the mountains, one 

in which Leach Spring is located and the other on the opposite side 

of the valley. Another wash leads almost due north from a place near 

the Desert King Spring. In the 4-mile stretch along the Silver Lake 

road between this wash and a branch road to Two Springs several 

deep washes are crossed. The easternmost of these washes, about a 

quarter of a mile west of the branch to Two Springs, is about 20 feet 

deep and 800 to 1,000 feet wide. It apparently carries the drainage 

from the small branch valley on the southeast that is nearly cut off 

by an arm of the Avawatz Mountains. As compared to near-by 

basins several of these washes seem to be wider and deeper than the 

size of the drainage basin would indicate.

The Granite Mountains, as the name implies, are composed of 

granitic rocks. At Leach Spring the rock is a coarse-grained biotite 

granite with large feldspars, cut by narrow pegmatite dikes, which are 

mostly less than 5 inches in width. The rock at Desert King Spring 

is of the same general character. On the Silver Lake road, where it 

crosses the west tip of the Avawatz Range, coarse and fine grained 

granites are cut by large dioritic dikes. Farther east from a distance the dioritic rocks seem to form the main mass of the range. The 

Granite Mountains and the southern arm of the Avawatz Mountains are rough and irregular, owing to the weathering of the granite 

in large joint blocks. (See pi. 15, A.}

The south front of the Quail Mountains shows varicolored rocks, 

and to judge from float on the alluvial slopes the rocks are largely 

rhyolite, porphyry, and other volcanic rocks of probable Tertiary 

age. At several places, particularly on the north side of the mountains, near the Golden Fleece camp, granitic rocks occur.

On the road to the Golden Fleece mine, in a large wash that enters 

Leach Valley at its extreme west end, unconsolidated alluvial beds 

are exposed to a depth of at least 25 feet. The beds are tilted to the 

southwest at a high angle. . Similar beds were observed about 4 miles 

farther west, in a wash traversed by a road from the Leach Spring 

road to Hidden Spring. (See pi. 11.) These sediments are probably 

either Pleistocene or Tertiary. On the road to Hidden Spring it was 

observed that although pebbles of purple and red porphyritic rocks 

(probably Tertiary) were abundant in the recent wash they were 

absent in the exposures of older alluvium. The pebbles in the older 

alluvium were mostly granite and a dark-greenish crystalline rock.

The south face of the Quail Mountains is as a whole smoother in 

contour than the Granite Mountains, but in several places it shows 

badland topography. The general appearance of the range suggests 

that the unconsolidated sediments may be extensive and that they 

liave easily been eroded to give the rounded outlines.

The southwestern part of the Owlhead Mountains, bordering Leach 

Valley, is composed of gravel and gypsum-bearing clay beds. Near
LEACH VALLEY 195

the Owl Holes, about a mile east of the border of the basin, these 

beds strike N. 85° E. and dip 27° SE. The northwest arm of the 

Avawatz Mountains, which lies south of the road between Leach 

Spring and Death Valley, also appears from the road to be composejd 

of relatively unconsolidated sediments. It shows topography that 

approaches the badland type. The geology of this range of hills 

within the Leach Valley basin, however, may be complex, for farther 

east, along Cave Springs Wash, a great variety of rocks are exposed, 

including ancient metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, possibly as old 

as the Cambrian, intrusive rocks, and unconsolidated sand, gravel, 

and clay of Tertiary or Pleistocene age.

'The physiographic and geologic evidence indicates strongly that 

the main part of Leach Valley is due to faulting. The Valley is 

narrow, and the mountains on each side, especially the Granite 

Mountains, rise steeply. At the only place where bedding was 

observed, on the south slope of the Quail Mountains opposite Leach 

Spring, the beds were tilted to the southwest at an angle of about 45°. 

The deep arroyos observed at several places suggest that uplift has 

caused active erosion. On the Searles Lake topographic map and on 

the relief maps that accompany this report (pis. 10 and 11) a distinct 

fault, known as the Garlock fault, can be traced from the vicinity of 

Garlock station, in T. 29 S., R. 39 E. Mount Diablo meridian, northeastward to the south end of the Slate Range. (See p. 118.) The 

alinement of Leach Valley with this fault is so marked that there is 

no doubt that the fault passes through the valley. In the short time 

spent in the region it was not possible to determine the exact position 

and nature of the fault whether the valley is a block dropped down 

between the Granite and Quail Mountains or whether the valley is 

formed by the steep tilting of the Quail Mountain block toward the 

Granite Mountains. The fault doubtless continues eastward beyond 

the border of the valley, but in the absence of detailed field work its 

position is problematic. The ridge southeast of the Owl Holes, which 

forms the northwest end of the Avawatz Mountains, has the appearance of being formed of uplifted sedimentary rocks, but these were 

not examined. As suggested in the description of Avawatz Valley 

(see p. 199) the arm of the Avawatz Mountains that ends near Two 

Springs and the valley south of it may be fault blocks. According to 

observation on a hasty trip down Cave Springs Wash, there are in 

that locality several fault zones (see p. 582), and the eastward extension of the Garlock fault can be determined only by detailed fiejld 

work. The structure on the north slope of the Avawatz Mountains 

is apparently considerably complicated, as the scattered observations 

made so far indicate that a fault system that has a northwesterly 

trend, approximately parallel to the Death Valley trough, intersects 

with a fault system that has an easterly trend. (See p. 585.)
196 THE MOHAVE BE8EBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

WATER RESOURCES

There are no permanent streams in the region. So far as known,. 

no wells have been dug in the alluvium of the valley. Water isobtainable at four springs or wells in or close to the mountains, which 

are described below.

The conditions appear to be unfavorable for obtaining any large 

quantity of ground water from the alluvium. The contributory drainage area is not great nor is the precipitation. Furthermore, the small 

playa is apparently of the dry type. Underground leakage seems: 

possible at two places at the west end of the basin, where the divideis composed of alluvium, and on the northeast, where the border of 

the basin is apparently composed of unconsolidated beds of sand,, 

gravel, and clay. There are no data to show whether water can be 

obtained from the alluvium. The general conditions, however, areso disadvantageous that there is little incentive to attempt to developa supply, unless it were for mining. The area of land that is favor*- 

ably situated for irrigation is small, as most of the valley is steeplysloping or cut by washes.

WATERING PLACES

Water for travelers is available at four places in the valley Leach 

Spring, Desert King Spring, Two Springs, and Drinkwater Spring. 

Each of these places is three-quarters of a mile or more from themain traveled roads, but all are easily reached by automobile.

Leach Spring. Leach Spring is one of the best-known springs in? 

the Mohave Desert region and has been used as a watering place* 

since the earliest days of white men in the country. Many fragments of flint are found around the spring, and probably the placewas an old Indian camp.

The spring is high on the north slope of the Granite Mountains.. 

Travelers from the .west turn off from the main road 3 miles west of 

the spring and follow a branch road at a point marked by a United. 

States Geological Survey signpost. This road for 2 miles runs about 

S. 75° E., gradually approaching closer to the foot of the mountains,, 

and then turns abruptly southeastward up a steep alluvial slope' that 

reaches back into an embayment in the mountains. Travelers from 

the east turn off from the main road nearly opposite the highest part 

of Quail Mountain. This branch road may easily be missed, for it 

starts up an inconspicuous wash. The spring is in a ravine about. 

25 feet deep, which is apparently eroded in unconsolidated alluvium 

that consists of decayed granite, but solid rock may lie at a depth of 

only a few inches. A large willow stands beside the spring. (See 

pi. 15, A.} The spring basin is about 4 feet square and 1% feet deep. 

When visited it was inclosed with boards but had no top and was full 

of leaves. The decaying leaves formed a dirty muck on the bottom,,
&EACH VAfcLEY 197

which gave the water a bad taste. No solid rock is visible in the 

spring, but granite rises a few feet above it. The spring, however, 

apparently has its source in the granite, for water was seen in small 

holes in the bottom of the gulch 250 feet above the spring and grass 

and weeds grew in abundance at that place. When visited there was 

no surface flow, but when bailed out the basin filled at the rate of a 

gallon a minute. The temperature of the spring in January was 

55J4°, when the air temperature was 53^°. As there is no flow the 

temperature is probably influenced by the daily and seasonal temperatures. An analysis shows it to be a calcium carbonate water of 

good quality that contains only 334 parts of dissolved solids per 

million. (See analysis 1, p. 198.)

Desert King Spring. Desert King Spring is in a gulch about 8 

miles southeast of Leach Spring. In January, 1917, it could be 

reached from a road that branches from the Leach Valley-Death 

Valley road and leads hi a general southeasterly direction to Silver 

Lake, but in 1921 it was reported that the road was impassable for 

automobiles. This road turns southeast from the Leach Valley road 

about 5 miles northeast of Leach Spring and leads to a wash, up 

which it goes nearly due south. About half a mile before it reaches 

the Granite Mountains it turns abruptly eastward out of the wash 

at a point marked by a Geological Survey signpost. To reach 

Desert King Spring, at this point the traveler continues southward 

up the wash for about four-tenths of a mile and turns into the righthand one of two canyons. About three-quarters of a mile from the 

road junction, just beyond a southward bend in the road, stands an 

old cabin and stamp mill. The spring or well is east of the wash, 

about 300 yards south of the cabin and 50 feet above it. There is a 

small pool of water and near by it a well dug in granite. The well 

is 15 feet deep, and when visited water was 1 foot from the top. 

There was no overflow from either the well or the pool. An analysis 

(2 in table, p. 198) of a sample from the well showed the water to be 

of fair quality. It is a calcium carbonate water and has 583 parts of 

total solids per million parts of water.

Two Springs. Two Springs is about 5 miles northeast of Desert 

King Spring, at the northwest end of the southern arm of the Avawatz 

Mountains. The place is easily reached from the Leach Valley-. 

Silver Lake road. The springs are readily found, as they are surrounded by a patch of salt grass and other water-loving plants. The 

water comes from two shallow trenches dug in alluvium or residual 

soil, but the ultimate source is probably the granite, which is only a 

few yards away.

The water seeps slowly into the trenches and runs down: the slope 

about 50 feet. It is apparently of good quality. When visited on 

October 19, 1917, the temperature of the water was 62°, but on 

5631 29 14
198 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

January 17, 1918, the temperature of the water was 55^°, the air 

temperature then being 53°. Apparently the water comes from 

some relatively shallow source and is affected by changes in the 

temperature of the, air.

Drinkwater Spring. Drinkwater Spring is on the north slope of 

the Granite Mountains near the southeast corner of Leach Basin. 

It is reached by a good road which branches southwestward from the 

Leach Valley-Silver Lake road a few hundred yards west of Avawatz 

Dry Lake. The distance to the spring by this road is about 3 miles. 

A poorly defined road also leads to the spring from the main road 

several miles west of the dry lake. The ro'ad from Avawatz Dry 

Lake leads to a cabin in a slight small embayment in the mountains. 

About 250 feet east of the cabin is a well dug hi granite about 8 feet 

deep. The water was 3 feet deep when visited. This well was 

mistaken for the spring, which is said to be several hundred feet 

farther southeast, on the southeast side of the granite ridge. A trail 

running eastward along the foot of the ridge probably leads to the 

spring. Although a sample was not taken the water in the well is 

apparently of good quality.

Other springs. In Water-Supply Paper 224 are described three 

springs hi Leach Basin which are not now known by the names given 

there. A spring described as Brook Spring 32 is believed to be the 

same as Two Springs. Whitney Spring 33 is believed to be the same 

as Drinkwater Spring. Wheeler Spring is described as situated in a 

pass between Leach Mountain (Granite Mountains) and the Avawatz 

Mountains, about 3 miles south of Brook Spring.34 From the description it may be in the canyon about 3^ miles south of Two 

Springs, through which the drainage of the southeastern arm of 

Leach Basin reaches the main valley.

Analyses of water from springs in Leach Valley, Calif. 

[Parts per million]

Silica (Si08). ......................................................... ..........

Iron (Fe). ............................................................... _ ....

Calcium (Ca) ____________ . __ . __ . ____ ... _ . ___ .... ......

Magnesium (Mg) __________________________________

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) __________________________

Carbonate radicle (COs).. _____________________________

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOa) ______ .. _____ . _________ . _____

Sulphate radicle (SO*) ________________________________

Chloride radicle (Cl) ____________ . _____ . _ . _ . ... ____ ..

Nitrate radicle (NO3)-. ..... .... . ....... ......... ... .. .. ... 

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated) _______________________

Date of collection.. ________________________________

1

78

.22

41

5.8

52

16

132

39

37

Trace.

334

126

(»)

2

63

.08

93

17

 53

7.2

179

97

91

37

583

302 ( )

« Calculated. <> Oct. 14,1917. « Oct. 18,1917.

Analysts: 1, Addie T. Geiger, U. S. Geological Survey; 2, Margaret D. Foster and C. H. Kldwell, U. S 

Geological Survey.

1. Leach Spring, probably in sec. 14, T. 17 N., R. 1 E. San Bernardino meridian. (See p. 196.)

2. Desert King Well, probably in sec. 31, T. 17 N., R. 3 E. (See p. 197.)

" Mendenhall, W. C., Some desert watering places in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 46,1909. 

"Idem, p. 54. 

M Idem, p. 54.
THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA 199

AVAWATZ VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

A small playa in the northeastern .part of T. 16 N., R. 4 E. San 

Bernardino meridian, on some maps is named Avawatz Dry Lake, 

and in this report the small basin that is tributary to it is called 

Avawatz Valley. The northern boundary of the basin is formed by 

the western part of the Avawatz Mountains, and the southern boundary by an arm of the Granite Mountains. On the west the divide is 

formed by alluvial slopes that extend out from these two ranges. 

On the east it is formed partly by low rock hills and partly by an 

"alluvial slope near the junction of the roads to Barstow, Silver Lake, 

and Cave Springs, in sec. 8, T. 16 N., R. 5 E.

The playa is probably not more than 3,500 feet above sea level, 

and the surrounding mountains are probably not 1,000 feet higher. 

There is no reason to believe that the average annual precipitation is 

greater than in most of the desert that is, about 5 inches.

In 1918 no one was living in the valley. A few old buildings, the 

remains of an old mining camp known as Cracker jack, are visible 

west of the Barstow-Death Valley road in the northeast corner of 

the basin, about 2 miles southwest of Cave Springs. Apparently 

this camp was never of any importance as a producer, for no reference 

has been found in the literature except the mere fact that it was a 

gold camp. No other mines or prospects are known in the region. 

Conditions are not favorable for cattle grazing or irrigation.

The basin is traversed from east to west by a road from Silver 

Lake to Leach Spring and Johannesburg. This road is an alternative route, for a second one passes farther north through the south 

end of Death Valley. The principal route from Barstow to Silver 

Lake and Death Valley passes through the east end of the basin. No 

watering places exist on either of these roads within the basin, but 

water is available at Cave Springs and at Drinkwater Spring, within 

a mile or two of the northeast and southwest corners respectively of 

the basin.

Physiographically most of the Avawatz Valley forms the eastern 

part of a long, narrow valley that has been separated into two basins 

by alluvial wash from the mountains on the north and south. The 

divide thus formed is not very high, and it was probably completed 

comparatively recently. The narrowness of the valley and the 

straightness of its borders, especially at the north, suggest that it 

may be a down-faulted block. In the western part of this supposed 

structural valley, the drainage goes northwestward to Leach Dry 

Lake. (See p. 193.) Southeast of Avawatz Dry Lake the drainage 

divide is very low and apparently composed of alluvium, so that at 

one time there may have been a drainage outlet in this direction,
200 THE MOHAVE DESBRT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Physiographically the northeastern fourth of the basin belongs to 

a larger basin that slopes southeastward from Avawatz Mountain, 

but apparently it has been cut off from that basin and the drainage 

has been diverted to Avawatz Dry Lake by the building of the alluvial slope southward from the Avawatz Mountains against a low rock 

hill. The drainage thus diverted reaches Avawatz Dry Lake through 

a narrow pass between low hills.

The Granite Mountains and probably most of the Avawatz Range 

that borders the basin are composed of granitic and dioritic rocks. 

An elongated hill that rises immediately southeast of the junction of 

the Barstow-Death Valley and Silver Lake-Randsburg roads is 

formed of granite surmounted by a small patch of volcanic rock at 

the top. In the northeastern part of the basin occur volcanic rocks, 

of probable Tertiary age. Talcose schist was observed in a wash 

along the Silver Lake road about 1 ^ miles east of Avawatz Dry Lake.

WATER RESOURCES

So far as is known there are no springs or wells in Avawatz Valley. 

A dry hole about 10 feet deep was found at the east end of the play a. 

There are no indications that ground water is close to the surface. 

There is at least one place, at the west end of the valley, where ground 

water may drain from the valley, and it is probable that the water 

table lies at a considerable depth. The contributory drainage area 

is small, and the precipitation is not great, so that although water 

can doubtless be obtained here it is unlikely that wells will yield 

very much.

GRANITE VALLEY

The United States General Land Office plats for several townships 

south of Leach Valley show an unnamed valley in Tps. 15, 16, and 

17 N., R-s. 1, 2, and 3 E. San Bernardino meridian, that apparently 

is completely surrounded by mountains. (See pis. 7 and 11.) 

The name Granite Valley is suggested, as the Granite Mountains 

form a large part of the valley border. This valley was not visited, 

and no definite information is available in regard to it. So far as 

known, no regularly traveled roads pass through the valley, although 

it is understood that a road or trail enters it from the wash in which 

the Desert King Spring is situated. The valley apparently does not 

contain any valuable resources, either agricultural or mineral, that 

would attract the homesteader or the prospector.

Spurr,85 in his geologic reconnaissance map, shows the mountains 

on the north side of this valley as composed of Tertiary volcanic or 

sedimentary rocks. This mapping is in error, in part of the area, 

at least, for the Leach Point and Granite Mountains, where observed

" Spurr, J. E., Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of 

California: 17. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 208, pi. 1,1903.
EKEHONT VALU3Y ' 201

at Leach Spring, Desert King Spring, and Drinkwater Spring, ate 

composed of granite, and that rock apparently forms the en tire north 

side of these ranges. Red, brown, pink, and green tints are shown 

by a series of volcanic rocks and probably some sedimentary rocks, 

which are doubtless of Tertiary age, that occur east of the roa4 iron* 

Indian Springs to Leach Spring, in T. 28 S., R. 47 E. Mount Diabto 

meridian, and these rocks may extend eastward into the unnamed 

valley. As seen from a distance of several miles the mountains on 

the south side of the valley seem to be composed of granite. At the 

west and east ends of the valley the divide is low and is apparently 

formed of alluvium but may consist of older rock which has been 

eroded to smooth slopes that resemble the alluvial slopes.

The General Land Office plat of T. 16 N., K. 2 E. San Bernardino 

meridian, shows two "dry lakes" or playas in the basin. One of 

these playas (not shown on pi. 11 but shown on pi. 7) is close to the 

mountains and covers about 1 square mile in sees. 3, 4, 9, and 10. 

The other is about half as large and covers part of sees. 33 and 34.

.No springs or wells exist in the valley, so far as is known. In the 

absence of information in regard to the character of the playas it is 

not possible to predict the chances of obtaining water. The township 

plats and observations from points several miles distant indicate 

that the divide in one or more places may be composed of alluvium. 

If that is true, there may be leakage of ground water from the basin. 

In any case the total quantity of ground water is probably not large, tot 

the region is not surrounded by high mountains, and the contributory 

area is not great.

FBBMONT VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Fremont Valley is a little north of the west-central part of the 

Mohave Desert region. (See pis. 7 and 11.) It lies almost entirely 

in the extreme eastern part of Kern County, but a very small part of it 

is in San Bernardino County.

The Valley Line of the Southern Pacific Railroad crosses the southwest corner of the basin from Mojave to Tehachapi Pass and thence 

to San Joaquin Valley. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

uses the tracks of the Southern Pacific Co. from Mojave to Bakersfield. A branch line of the Southern Pacific which leads to points 

in Owens Valley crosses the valley in a northeasterly direction from 

Mojave.

The Midland Trail, a road that leads from Los Angeles to the Lan** 

coin Highway parallels the Owens Valley branch of the Southern 

Pacific from Mojave to Cantil, where it turns northward away from 

the railroad. This road is used considerably not only by persons? 

going to and from the northwestern part of the Mohave Desert region
202 % THE MOHAVE DESEKT RECKON, CALIFORNIA

but also by many transcontinental tourists and by persons goingto Yosemite National Park. From Cantil a less traveled road continues northeastward along the railroad and leads by way of Garlock 

to Randsburg and Johannesburg and other points. Randsburg and 

Johannesburg are also reached by a road that leads northeastward 

from Mojave to Atolia and thence northward. The distance from 

Mojave to Randsburg is almost the same by the two routes. The 

route by way of Cantil has the advantage of being close to the railroad for most of the distance, whereas the other passes through unsettled territory for many miles. However, the route by way of 

Atolia is most generally used, partly because important mines are 

situated near it between Atolia and Randsburg. A road leads from 

Mojave westward along the Southern Pacific Railroad through Tehachapi Pass to San Joaquin Valley. Two alternative routes lead 

southward from Mojave to Los Angeles, and a road leads eastward 

from Mojave along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway toBarstow. Numerous less traveled roads lead to ranches and mines in 

different parts of the valley.

Mojave and Randsburg, at the southwest and northeast ends of 

the valley, respectively, are the principal towns. Mojave is especially 

important as a railroad junction. Randsburg is not on a railroad 

but is only a mile from Johannesburg, on the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway. Both towns have good stores, several good but 

small hotels, and good garages. Gasoline and oil and some food supplies may be obtained at Cantil and sometimes at Ricardo, in Redrock Canyon, several miles farther northwest. A salt mill is located 

at Saltdale, and a section crew live at Garlock. The other stations 

on the Owens Valley branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad are only 

sidings.

A number of ranches are scattered in different parts of the valley, 

but as late as the winter of 1919-20 the only successful development 

had been in the lowest part of the valley, near Cantil. Mining has 

been active in several parts of the valley. The most extensive developments have been in Randsburg, where more than $10,000,000 in gold 

has been produced. The greater part of this gold has come from the 

Yellow Aster mine. A considerable quantity of gold has been obtained from "dry placers" in the valley west of Randsburg and 

several miles farther north, at Summit Diggings. Several million 

dollars' worth of tungsten has been produced from the mountains 

south of Randsburg, but the greater part if not all of the output of 

this mineral has come from land just east of the border of Fremont 

Valley. (See p. 227.) Salt is produced from Kane Dry Lake at 

Saltdale. Some borax has been produced from these salt beds.36 

It is said that they also contain potash in workable quantities.

to Brown, O. C., Mines and mineral resources of Kern County: State Mineralogist Eept. for 1913-14, 

' Mln. Bur., p. 51,1915.
FBBMONT VALLEY 203 

PRECIPITATION

The average annual precipitation at Tehachapi, about 2 miles west 

of the southwest border of the basin, for a period of 38 years, from 

1877 to 1914, was about 10.5 inches. At Mojave for a period of 37 

years, from 1877 to 1913, it was about ,5 inches. (See pp. 90-91 and 

pi. 6.) The altitude of Tehachapi is 3,964 feet above sea level and 

of Mojave 2,751 feet.

The difference in the average annual precipitation is due in- part 

to the difference in altitude, but also in a large degree to the fact that 

the Tehachapi Mountains and southern Sierra Nevada form a con^ 

tinuous barrier to the moisture-bearing winds that move from the 

west. In rising over the mountains the air is cooled and the moisture 

condenses. As it descends again on the desert side it becomes warmer 

again and the farther it moves from the mountains the less rain falls. 

Accordingly, in the parts of Fremont Valley that lie at about the same 

elevation as Mojave but farther east the average annual precipitation is probably less than 5 inches. At lower altitudes, as near Kane 

Dry Lake, it may also be less. Toward the Tehachapi Mountains 

and Sierra Nevada it increases. At some places in these mountains 

the altitude is considerably greater than at Tehachapi, exceeding 

5,000 feet above sea level, and the average annual precipitation is 

doubtless somewhat greater. Although the El Paso and Rand Mountains rise to a greater altitude than Tehachapi they do not form as 

continuous a barrier as the Sierra Nevada, but the winds may pass 

around them. For this reason it is probable that the average annual 

precipitation in these mountains is not as great as at equal altitudes

in the Sierra Nevada.

VEGETATION

As a result of the great altitude of the southern Sierra Nevada and 

consequent great rainfall, conifers and other trees grow in these 

mountains. No trees were observed in the El Paso and Rand 

Mountains or other mountainous parts of the basin. The vegetation 

of the alluvial slopes is characterized principally by the creosote bush 

and its associates, but some giant yuccas occur on the higher slopes. 

In the lowest part of the basin scattered mesquite grow, and near 

Kane Dry Lake, particularly near Koehn Springs, salt grass is 

abundant.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The boundary of the drainage basin of Fremont Valley is shown on 

Plate 7. The basin is slightly elongated from northeast to southwest. A playa, commonly known as Kane or Cane Dry Lake, lies 

in the lowest part of the basin a little to the northeast of the center of 

the basin.
THE MOHAVE DlfeERT BBGtON, CALIFORNIA

The northern boundary of the basin is formed in part by the El 

Paso Mountains, including the Black Mountains, which trend northeast. These mountains form a triangular mass, with the base at the 

northeast and the apex at the mouth of Bedrock Canyon near Cantil. 

The southeast face of the range is very straight and steep sr and 

marks the line of the Garlock fault, which continues northeastward 

for many miles.38 (See p. 118.)

The faulting probably occurred not longer ago than the Pliocene 

epoch, as it affected rocks at the south end of the Slate Range which, 

according to Gregory and Noble,, are probably Pliocene. There are 

some indications of rather recent movement in the truncated alluvial 

fans near Garlock station and small troughlike depressions near the 

Goler well.

The northeast end of the El Paso Mountains is composed of 

granitic rocks; Between these rocks and Goler Gulch lie sedimentary 

rocks including quartzite, siliceous shale, and limestones.89 Farther 

southwest these rocks are overlain by beds of Tertiary sedimentary 

and volcanic rocks which were originally referred to the "Rosamond 

series" *° but which have more recently been considered to be a distinct and younger formation, called by Merriam 41 the Ricardo forma* 

tion. These beds he believes to be late Miocene or early Pliocene. 

The upper part of the series consists principally of sand and clay, which 

are considered to be waste slope and playa deposits. The lower part 

of the section includes a number of beds of tuff and basalt. A 14-inch, 

bed of coal is reported near the base of the series.42 The Ricardo beds 

generally dip toward the northwest. They, as well as the older 

rocks farther north, are overlain in part of the area by basalt, which 

probably had its origin in Black Mountain.

The El Paso Mountains may be considered as ending at Redrock 

Canyon, near Cantil. Southwest of this locality for 4 or 5 miles, as 

far as Jawbone Canyon, the mountains give way to high hills, and an 

area of badlands cut in the Ricardo series extends westward from 

5 to 10 miles to the foot of the Sierra Nevada. The scenery in this 

section, particularly in Redrock Canyon, is very picturesque. In

« On Plate 16 the contour interval is 100 feet in the valley but only 500 feet in the mountains, so that the 

relief does not stand out strongly.

M Hess, J. L., Gold mining in the Randsburg quadrangle, Calif.: TJ. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 430, pp. 25-* 

26,1910. Gregory, H. E., and Noble, L. F., Notes on a geological traverse from Mohave, Calif., to the 

mouth of the San Juan River, Utah: Am. Jour. Sci., 5th ser., vol. 5, p. 230,1923. Baker, C. L., Physiography and structure of the western El Paso Range and the southern Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. 

Geology Bull., vol. 7, pp. 129-132,136,1912.

* Hess, F. L., op. cit., p. 29.

' Baker, C. L., cit., pp. 123-126; Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mdhave Desert region in 

southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, pp. 333-383,1911. 

f * Merriam, J. C., Tertiary mammalian faunas of the Mohava Desert: California UnSv. Dept. Geology, 

Boll., vol. 11, No. 5, pp. 440-441, 147-448, 528-529, 1919.

" Idem, p. 445.
FE1H0NT VALLEY 205

this area the divide of the drainage basin lies a short distance north 

of Redrook Canyon and is underlain by alluvium. North of the 

divide a large alluvial slope descends from an altitude about 100 feet 

above Eedrock Canyon gradually for may miles northeastward to 

Indian Wells Valley.

In the El Paso Mountains the divide is not along the highest part 

of the range, except at Black Mountain, but at least three large canyons have been cut completely through the main crest and drain a 

large part of the northwest slope of the range. (See p. 206.)

Southwest of Jawbone Canyon high mountains rise with a steep, 

rather straight border that is similar to the front of the El Paso 

Range and doubtless marks a continuation of the Garlock fault. 

These mountains stretch many miles westward and form the south 

end of the Sierra Nevada. In this area the drainage divide lies from 

6 to 20 miles back from the front of the range.

The southern Sierra Nevada consists of a basement complex of 

pre-Cretaeeous intrusive rocks and deformed metamorphosed stratified rocks. The metamorphic rocks include crystalline limestone, 

qmartzite, and mica schist. This complex is overlain unconformably 

by a series of little-deformed igneous and sedimentary rocks, whkhi 

are separated from the basement complex by a marked unconformity.43 In the vicinity of Tehachapi the upper series consists of alluvial 

debris, andesitic lava flows and tuffs, and fresh-water lake or playa 

beds.*4 At two localities in the series Miocene mammalian fossils 

have been found.*5

The southern boundary of the drainage basin is somewhat indefinite. In T. 11 N., Rs. 9, 10, and 11 W. San Bernardino meridian, it 

is formed by low rock hills. Between these hills and the mountains 

on the west the divide lies on an alluvial fan, and its location in some 

places can not be determined except by instrumental leveling. la 

the southeastern part of the basin the divide is formed in part b«y 

low hills and in part by rather smooth, gentle slopes, where it is also 

difficult to determine the exact divide. In this part of the region the 

divide as shown on Plates 7 and 16 may be considerably hi error. The 

low hills that rise above the alluvial slopes in the southern and southeastern part of the basin are composed in part of granitic rocks. 

Some of the knobs, as Desert Butte, in T. 12 N., R. 10 W. San Bernardino meridian, and Castle Butte, in T. 32 S., R. 38 E. Mount 

Diablo meridian, show volcanic and sedimentary rocks of probable 

Tertiary age, and these rocks may be more widespread than is shown

u Bawalda, 3. P., Structure of the southern Sierra Nevada (abstract): Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 36, 

p. 403,1915. Lawson, A. C., The geomorphogeny of the Tehachapi Valley system: California Univ. Dept. 

Geology Bull., vol. 4, p. 437,1906.

« Lawson, A. C., op. dt., pp. 439-446.

« Buwalda, J. P., New mammalian faunas from Miocene sediments near Tehaohapi Pass, in the southern 

Sierra Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 10, No. 6, pp. 76-86,1916.
206 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

on Plate 8. Over many square miles in the southeastern part of the 

basin the surface has a gentle slope that gives the impression of an 

alluvial slope. However, in a number of places rock crops out in 

erosion channels and prospect shafts, and it is apparent that the slope 

is in part an eroded rock surface or pediment.

In the northeastern part of the basin the divide lies in the Summit 

Range, Klinker Mountain, Red Mountain, and the extreme northeast 

end of the Rand Mountains. The geology of this part of the basin 

has been described by Hess 46 and Hulin.47 Klinker and Red Mountains are composed largely of Tertiary volcanic rocks. The Rand 

Mountains and the Summit Range consist largely of granitic rocks 

and schist. Minor areas of sedimentary rocks of supposed Tertiary 

age occur at several places in the Summit Range and Klinker and Red 

Mountains. The Rand Mountains lie almost wholly within the 

drainage basin. They have a northeasterly trend, approximately 

parallel to the El Paso Mountains. They are much steeper^ on the 

northwest side than on the southeast, and it is possible that they are 

an unlifted fault block.

The drainage system of Fremont Basin presents some unusual 

features. In the El Paso Mountains, the southern Sierra Nevada, 

and the Rand Mountains the divide does not everywhere lie along 

the principal ridges, as it commonly does in mountainous areas. On 

the contrary, in a number of places the drainage channels have cut 

entirely through the principal ridges and drain large areas on the side 

of the mountains farthest from the main part of the valley. Thus 

Goler Gulch, Last Chance Gulch, and Redrock Canyon head on the 

northwest side of the main range of the El Paso Mountains and cut 

through it in a southeasterly direction. The course of Last Chance 

Gulch is especially peculiar in that it extends for several miles in a 

southwesterly direction on the far side of the range and approximately 

parallel to it and then turns at right angles across it. Redrock 

Canyon, on the other hand, rises more than 10 miles northwest of the 

El Paso Range, and its course for its entire length is in general at 

right angles to the range.

Similarly the drainage channels of the southeastern or far slope of 

the Rand Mountains, which start in a southeasterly direction, gradually trend westward and reach a large wash that carries the drainage 

around to the northwest side of the range.

In the southern Sierra Nevada from Jawbone Canyon to Tehachapi 

Pass a large mountain mass rises steeply from the valley. This mass 

has almost been isolated into a low ridge by Jawbone Canyon and

«Hess, P. L., Gold mining in the Kandsburg quadrangle, Calif.: TJ. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 430, 

pp. 23-47, 1910.

« Hulin, C. D., Gteology and ore deposits of the Eandsburg quadrangle: California State Mining Bur. 

Bull. 95, 1925.
FBBMONT VALLEY 207

Cache Creek. Cache Creek rises on the northwest side of the ridge 

and has a course analogous to that of Last Chance Gulch in the M 

Paso Mountains. The peculiarities of drainage of the basin, parties 

ularly those in the El Paso Mountains and southern Sierra Nevada, 

are to a large extent related to orogenic movements in the region 

The unusual drainage features of the El Paso Mountains have been 

discussed by Baker ffi and those of the southern Sierra Nevada near 

Tehachapi Pass by Lawson.49

A notable feature of the drainage is the extent to which the run-off 

from large mountainous areas is concentrated into a few principal 

channels. The drainage of a very large part of the El Paso Mountains is carried into three canyons Goler Gulch, Last Chance Gulch^ 

and Redrock Canyon. In the southern Sierra Nevada the drainage 

from an area of about 350 square miles is concentrated into four 

streams Cache Creek, Lone Tree Canyon, Jawbone Canyon, and 

to a lesser extent Redrock Canyon. Most of this area lies at an 

altitude greater than 4,000 feet, and a considerable part is higher 

tjaan 5,000 feet. The drainage from the Summit Range, Klinker 

Mountain, and Red Mountain is concentrated into a single channel 

near Rand station, on the Southern Pacific Railroad. The drainage 

from most of the southeast side of the Rand Mountains is concentrated into a single channel that extends northward through the west 

side of Tps. 31 and 32 S., R. 38 E. Mount Diablo meridian.

The significance of this concentration of drainage is that at tunes 

of heavy rains a much larger quantity of water is poured into the 

valley to be absorbed by the alluvium than if a great many smaller 

channels discharged water on to the alluvium. Under the latter 

condition a considerable proportion of the run-off would be required 

to moisten the surface soil and would be evaporated in a short time. 

Where the drainage is concentrated into fewer channels a relatively 

smaller proportion of the water is lost in this manner, and more is 

available for reqharge of the water table. However, so far as the 

drainage of the southeast side of the Rand Mountains is concerned, 

the slope of the land is so gentle that most of the run-off is probably 

dissipated before it reaches the main channel.

According to planimeter measurements the total area of Fremont 

Basin is about 1,050 square miles, of which about 525 square miles, 

or 50 per cent, is mountains and about 15 square miles, or a little more 

than 1 per cent, is playa. The remaining area, about 510 square 

miles consists mostly of alluvial slopes but includes some low hills.

"Baker, C. L., Physiography and structure of the western El Paso Range and the southern Sierra 

Nevada: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 6, pp. 134-136,1912.

« Lawson, A. C., The geomorphogeny of the Tehachapi Valley system: California Univ. Dept. Geology 

Bull., vol. 4, No. 19, pp. 431-454,1906.
208 THE MOHAVE DS8BBT REGION, CALIFOKNIA

The lowest part of Fremont Valley is occupied by a playa called 

Kane or Cane Dry Lake, which is a playa of the moist type. Ground 

water is close to the surface beneath it, and there is a discharge of 

ground water by capillary rise and evaporation from it. It is surrounded by vegetation that discharges ground water by transpiration. 

The playa deposits are more saline than those of many of the other 

playas in the Mohare Desert region. Salt is produced from the 

surface deposits.

The relative purity of the salt deposits raises a question as to their 

origin. No data are available as to whether they extend to a great 

depth, as hi Searles Lake. It is therefore not clear whether the salt 

is the result of evaporation of a large lake that may have existed 

formerly, as in the Searles Lake basin, or whether the salt is formed 

by the evaporation of the storm water that collects from time to time, 

together with some resulting from the evaporation of salt water. 

No unmistakable evidences of a lake, such as the wave-cut cliffs or 

deposits of tufa which are found in the Searles Basin, have yet been 

discovered around Kane Dry Lake. Beds of blue sand and clay have 

been found at different depths down to at least 735 feet from the 

surface. (See log, p. 209.) Blue clay is said to have been struck in 

a well drilled about 8 miles southwest of Randsburg by the Valmedath. 

fining Co. The clay was reached at a depth of about 250 feet and 

apparently extended to a depth of about 500 feet. These blue bedsmay indicate deposition hi a perennial body of water. It is not 

unlikely that a lake existed in the basin during the Pleistocene epoch, 

when lakes are known to have existed in other parts of the Mohave 

Desert region. The mountainous area tributary to, the valley i» 

large. The high Sierra Nevada, which now receives a rather abundant 

rainfall, constitutes about a third of the entire basin, and in a moister 

period it undoubtedly produced a considerable run-off. Furthermore, there is some reason to believe that a lake existed hi Antelope 

Valley, south of Fremont Valley, and that it overflowed into Fremont 

Valley near the north end of the present playa known as Rogers Dry 

Lake. (See p. 303.) It seems that the water supplied from the two 

sources mentioned would have been sufficient to form a perennial 

lake. Further investigation may bring to light evidence of such a 

lake.

The alluvium in the lower part of Fremont Valley, east and southeast of Cantil, appears to be unusually clayey, and according to logs 

of wells fine alluvium continues to a considerable depth, as is shown 

by the following log of a well on the ranch of Fred Hartsook:
FBEMONT TALOJY 209

Log of wett of Fred Bart&ook, in SE. % NE. % sec. 86, T. SO S., R, 37 M. 

[Furnished by S. J. Oaty, drffler]

son.. ............................

Clay

Dark clay » .

Dark clay. ____________

Sand and fine gravel (casing perClay.... __ ...... _ . _ ........

Thickness 

, (feet)

7

22

11

12

4

28

6

27

30

10

10

8

1243-

16

63

46

6

12

4

6

Depth 

(feet)

7

29

40

52

106

110

138

144

171

180

210

220

230

238

260

293

309

372

418

424

436

440

446

Clay.-.-..... .................

Good gravel (casing perforated) 

Sand and fine gravel (casing perTMck. 

D«8S

(testy

4

- 7'

,6

121

20

80

24

10

8

9

32

20

29

8

8

6

64

5

9

3

9

8

2

Depth 

(feet)

450

41?

463

584

fi04

ftOA

708

71S

726

7*8

787

WS16

824

. 832

838

902

907

916

919

938

986

988

In this well only 94 feet of gravel, or sand and gravel, was straek, or 

about 10 per cent of the total depth of the well. For more than 86 

per cent of the total depth this well passed through clay beds. This 

proportion of clay to gravel is unusual as compared to that in wells 

in other parts of the Mohave Desert region for which data are available. (Compare wells in Lower Mohave Valley, p. 487.) The clay 

beds, particularly the blue clays, were probably laid down in playa 

lakes or perennial lakes. Apparently this locality has been the low 

part of a closed basin for a long period. Near the borders of the 

valley the alluvium is undoubtedly coarser. The wells of the Yellow 

Aster Mining & Milling Co. at Goler penetrate coarse gravel that 

contains many large boulders.

WATER RESOURCES

SUEPACE WATEE

At several places in the southern Sierra Nevada there are short 

stretches of perennial streams. For longer stretches streams probably 

flow for several months of the year but are dry during the hot summer. 

Running water is said to persist for several months at abort stretches 

in Red Rock Canyon and Last Chance Gulch, in the El Paso Mountains. So far as is known there are no other streams in tne valley.

GROUND WATEE 

QEHBEAI FBATUEBS

Data in regard to 57 wells, including most of the wells in the valley, 

are given in the table on pages 221-222, and the location of these wefts 

is shown on Plate 16. In the short time that the writer could spend in
210 THE MOHA.VE DESEBT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

Fremont Valley it was possible to visit only a very few of these wells, 

and the data for many of them were reported to him by persons other 

than the owners of the wells. As frequently happens when data are 

obtained in this manner there are some evident discrepancies. However, sufficient data were obtained to show the conditions in most 

of the valley.

Nearly all the wells are situated in the large alluvium-filled tracts, 

but the public supplies of the two principal towns in the valley, Mojave 

and Randsburg, come from wells in the mountains. The groundwater conditions may therefore be considered in two parts ground 

water in the mountains and ground water in the valley.

GROUND WATER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Ground-water supplies in the mountains that border Fremont 

Valley are of relatively little consequence. The only notable developments, as mentioned above, are the wells that supply Mojave and 

Randsburg and adjacent towns. These places are so situated that 

water can not easily be obtained from wells in the main valley, and 

the sources in the mountains have been developed.

WeUs oj Randsburg Water Co. For some years the public supply of 

Randsburg and Johannesburg has been furnished by the Randsburg 

Water Co. In 1917 the service was extended to Atolia, where previously water for all purposes had been hauled by train from Hinkley. 

It is understood that during the silver boom that began in 1919, 

the increase in the quantity of water required for milling and other 

purposes was so great that it became necessary to develop additional 

supplies. No data are available in regard to these recent developments.

The Randsburg Water Co. in 1917 obtained water from three wells, 

known as the Mountain Well, the Skilling Well, and the Squaw 

Spring Well. These wells are about 5 miles east and northeast of 

Randsburg, in T. 29 S., R. 41 E the Mountain Well in the NE. ^ 

sec. 27, the Skilling Well in the SE. % sec. 22, and the Squaw Spring 

Well in the SE. % sec. 34. The Squaw Spring Well is in the drainage 

basin of Golden Valley and is described on page 231. One of the other 

two wells may also be just over the divide in that basin, but the two 

wells are so near to each other that they are here described together.

The principal source of supply is the Mountain Well (No. 2 in 

table on p. 221 and on pi. 16.) The well is really a shaft about 7 

by 9 feet in area and 380 feet deep. There is a 30-foot drift at the 

bottom. The depth to water in 1917 was about 375 feet. The 

shaft is sunk through the lava that forms Klinker Mountain. The 

water comes from crevices in the rock at the bottom of the shaft. 

The well is pumped with an electrically operated Fulton triplex pump 

set at the bottom of the well. The yield of the well in 1917 was
FREMONT VALLEY 211

about 40,000 gallons in 24 hours. At this rate of pumping the well 

practically went dry each day. Prior to the summer of 1916 the 

well was less than 372 feet deep, and the water stood several feet above 

the level in 1917. In 1916 the well was deepened to 372 feet, and it 

yielded about 60,000 gallons a day. In the spring of 1917 the yield 

dropped to about 7,500 gallons a day. It was increased again by 

further deepening and shooting to open up the crevices. It is said 

that in 1919 there again was a marked decrease in the yield.

An analysis of a sample from the Mountain Well shows that it is 

moderately mineralized and contains 387 parts per million of total 

solids. (See analysis 1, p. 223.) It is good for domestic use, but only 

fair for boilers because it contains fairly large quantities of scaleforming and foaming constituents.

The Skilling Well (No. 1, pi. 16) is a double-compartment shaft, 

about 8 by 12 feet in cross section. It is 400 feet deep and at the 

bottom a drift 400 feet long leads toward the Mountain Well, ending 

about 450 feet from it. It is estimated that the bottom of the Skilling 

Well is about 70 feet below the bottom of the Mountain Well. This 

well is also in lava rock, and the water comes from crevices in the 

face of the drift. The depth to water when not pumping is 390 feet. 

About 5,000 gallons collects in the sump hi 24 hours, and this is 

pumped out in about 1% hours. The well is pumped by a 2-cylinder 

mine pump with the electrically operated power head at the surface 

of the ground.

Three other wells have been put down near the wells described, 

but in 1917 they had been abandoned. One, drilled by the Yellow 

Aster Mining & Milling Co., is said to have been about 1,700 feet 

deep, and the depth to water about 600 feet. The yield was about 

45,000 gallons in 24 hours. The water in this well apparently came 

from a different horizon than that in the wells now pumped, for it 

was poorer in quality. The location of this well with respect to the 

others just described is not known.

An unusual condition at the wells being pumped is that the water 

level is generally higher in summer than in winter and the yield 

accordingly is a little greater. This condition is in contrast to that 

hi many parts of the desert, where the water table is highest in the 

early spring and lowest in the fall, at the end of the pumping season. 

The reason for this difference is not known. It may be that it takes 

the water a longer time to percolate downward to the water table at 

the wells.

Although the wells in use are of considerable cross section and the 

drifts offer a large percolating area, the yield of the wells is relatively 

small. The Mountain Well yields less than 30 gallons a minute. 

Even with this low rate of pumping in recent years the water table 

has dropped several feet. It is evident that the ground-water supply
212 THE MOHAVE DES1ET BBQIOH, CAHFOBNIA

in this locality is not great, and the wells now seem to be depleting the 

supply.

Water has been struck in several shafts in the Randsburg district, 

but in none of these has the supply been very great. The large 

consumers of water, principally the ore mills, have been obliged to 

seek water elsewhere. The Yellow Aster Mining & Milling Co. has 

for a number of years pumped water from wells about 7 miles northwest of its mill, lifting it 440 feet to the surface and then boosting it 

more than 1,000 feet to the mill. (See p. 213.) There seems to be 

little hope that water sufficient for all purposes can be obtained from 

wells in the mountains near Randsburg.

In 1917 the Randsburg public supply was carried to the town in 6 

miles of 5^-inch pipe. The water is pumped first to a pressure 

reservoir at the old Yellow Aster mill, which is high above the town, 

and pressure ranged from 250 pounds to the square inch in the lowest 

part of the town to 100 pounds in higher parts. The water was 

furnished to most domestic users at a flat rate, which for families was 

$3.50 a month. Water delivered to large consumers was metered, 

and the rate for less than 1,000 gallons was 1 cent a gallon; between 

1,000 and 5,000 gallons, % cent; between 5,000 and 20,000 gallons, 

% cent; between 20,000 and 30,000 gallons, ^ cent; between 30,000 

and 150,000 gallons, y$ cent a gallon, or $2 per 1,000 gallons; over 

150,000 gallons, 11.50 per 1,000 gallons.

Water supply for Mojave. Although Mojave is situated in the 

alluvium-filled valley, its water supply is brought by pipe line from 

Cameron, about 8 miles northwest (12 miles by the railroad). Water 

could perhaps be obtained in drilled wells at Mojave, but the depth 

to water probably would be at least 500 feet. It is possible, however, 

that bedrock might be struck before water was reached. If this 

happened it is unlikely that much water would be found in the rock.

At Cameron the Southern Pacific Co. has several wells. One well, 

about 150 feet deep, is reported to yield about 900 gallons a minute. 

Other wells yield only about 300 gallons a minute. The wells were 

not visited, and very little definite information was obtained in 

regard to them. It is believed, however, that they are hi alluvium that 

fills the narrow valley of Cache Creek. Some water is obtained from 

& spring. The water is carried to Mohave hi a 12-inch pipe line 

under a head of several hundred feet.

0&er weUs in the mountains. At Ricardo, in Redrock Canyon, ia a 

well 60 feet deep. In 1917 it yielded about 23,000 gallons a day 

(about 16 gallons a minute). No data were collected in regard to 

any other weUs in the mountains. However, there are doubtless 

other wells in canyons, especially in the southern Sierra Nevada.
TT. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

R-35 E. R.36 E

WATER-SUPPLY PAPEB 578 PLATE 16 

R.4O E. R-4t E.

Contour intervals 5QOft.anct\lOOft.

Boundary of drainage basin Flowing well ( number refers to 

(uncertain where line is broken) table in text)

Non flowing well 

MAP OF FREMONT VALLEY SHOWING BOUNDARY OF DRAINAGE BASIN AND LOCATION ;OF WELLS

The area in which wells are obtained from the alluvium mfty fee 

divided into two parts that lying northeast of Kane Dry Lake attd 

that lying south and southeast of it. Most of the wells lie south a&d 

southeast of the playa. ' -

NORTHBASTEBN PART OF-THE VALLBY , t

Goler WeUs. The most productive wells northeast of the playa are 

those of the Yellow Aster Mining & Milling Co., probably in sec. 12, 

T, 2§,S., R. 39 E. Mount Diablo meridian, and known as the 

Wells. The wells are within a few hundred yards of the base of 

El Paso Mountains, on an alluvial fan built in front of Goler Gulch. 

The wells are very near to the Garlock fault line, which lies along tiif 

base of the El Paso Mountains. (See p. 204.) One well (the QGB& 

pany's No. 5 but No. 3 in the table on p. 221 and on pi. 16) is near the 

wash, and another (company No. 3 but No. 4 on pi. 18) is on aa 

elevated tongue of alluvium, about 40 feet higher than No. 5.

The company's well 5 is 12 inches in diameter and 1,400 feet deejp. 

l%e depth to water in 1917, when not pumping, was reported to be 

440'feet. The well is cased with screw casing, 12 inches in diameter, 

to a depth of 700 feet, 10 inches from 700 to 900 feet, and 8 oiches 

from 900 to 1,400 feet. It is perforated from 816 to 563 feet aal 

from 1,300 to 1,400 feet. Most of the water comes from beds between 516 and 563 feet. The well apparently j>enetrated sand, 

gravel,^and bouWfc&s-nearly to the bottom. It is generally pumped 

at the rate of only 65 gallons a minute, but this is not its capacity. 

The drawdown at this rate is 40 feet.

The company's well 3 is 9% niches in diameter and 520 feet deep. 

The depth to water hi 1917 was 460 feet. The well is cased to this 

bottom with screw casing. It is generally pumped at the rate of SI 

gaions a minute. The temperature of the water from this well ifi 

reported to be 80° F.

: The two wells are operated by electrically driven plunger pumps, 

with the motors at the surface and the plungers actuated by cable§. 

Near the wells is an old shaft 450 feet deep, which penetrated only 

alluvium. This was the original sourc^ of supply, an$ the water was 

raised hi 500*gallon buckets. When ijhe deeper new" wells were put 

into use the shaft became dry. In 19lt7 the water from the wells was 

raised to a tank in a drift at the bottom of the shaft, from which 

another pump boosted it to the surfape. A third pump raised tiftft 

wtEteVfroin" the station to Randsburg ^gainst a head of about 1,000 

feet.

The water from, the Goler Wells is uaed principally, for 

milling. As1 shown by analysis 2 on page 22S, it is highly mineralized, 

15
214 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

containing 1,008 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It is only 

fair for domestic use, being rather hard. It is bad for boilers because it contains a large quantity of both scale-forming and foaming 

constituents. The water would be of good quality for irrigation, but 

the great lift prevents its use for this purpose. Calcium sulphate is 

abundant in the water, and in this respect it is different from most 

other waters in the region. The immediate source of this constituent 

is not known.

Other wetts. About 3 miles southwest of the Goler Wells, west of 

the road to Mojave, probably in the SW. H sec. 14, T. 29 S., K. 39 E,, 

there are three holes within 250 yards of one another. One of thes«, 

a dug well 4 feet in diameter, is 65 feet deep, and on October 1,1917, 

the depth to water was 55.7 feet. Another well, 250 yards southwest of the first well, is more than 70 feet deep, but it could not be 

measured. The third, about 200 yards south of the first, was 42* feet 

deep and was dry when visited.

There are several wells at the settlement of Garlock, which is 

about 2 miles northeast of the siding of that name. In these wells 

the depth to water ranged from 28 to 42 feet (see Nos. 6 to 9 in table, 

p, 221), but the difference is due, in part at least, to difference in the 

altitude of the surface. Southeast of these wells a number of *>tjaers 

have been put down in the axial part of the valley. Near the northeast end of Kane Dry Lake water stands within a few feet of the 

surface, but the depth increases away from the play a until im sec. 27, 

T. 29 S., R. 39 E.,.it is said to be 200 feet to water. (See Nos, 10, 

11, and 12, p. 221.) A well drilled for the Valmedath Mining Co. at* 

a place indefinitely described as 8 miles southwest of Randsburg is 

502 feet deep, and the depth to water is 170 feet. This well is reported to have yielded about 180 gallons a minute with a deep-well 

plunger pump. . It is said that there was very little drawdo.wB whan 

pumping at thiso-ate, so that doubtless more water could be pumped. 

The water level in wells 5, 7, 8, and 9, near Garlock, is about 150 

feet higher than i» well 10, in the central part of the vaUey, ttnd 

about 100 feet above the level in the Goler Wells (Nos* 3, and 4), 

although the Goler wells are farther up the valley. The causes ef 

these great differences are not clear, but perhaps the water level, in 

the wells near Garlock is affected in some way by the Garlock fault. 

A mile or two southwest of these wells the Mesquite Springs issue 

from the base of a scarp, which may be due to faulting, and this fact 

supports the belief that the conditions in the wells may be affected 

by, the faults.

No data were obtained hi regard to the yield of any of the wells 

except that of the Valmedath Mining Co. It is probable, however, 

that yields of at least 450 gallons a minute could be obtained from 

properly constructed wells in the area northeast of the playa. How-
PRBMONT VALLEY

ever, the wells already) drilled show that within 3 or 4 miles of the 

playa the depth to water becomes so great that pumping for irrigation would not be profitable. At best the belt in which irrigafcioo 

may be successful appears to be only a mile or two wide from 

aorthwest to southeast and possibly 2 or 3 miles across the valley. 

No analyses have been made of the water.

SOUTHWESTERN PART OF THE VALLEY

Depth to water. In the area south and southeast of Kane Dry 

Lake at least 40 or 50 wells have been drilled. Near Kane Dry Lake 

the water table is within a few feet of the surface and several deep 

wells flow at the surface. (See Nos. 15, 19, 21, and 22 in table, " 

p. 221, and on pi. 16.) Salt grass and other plants that transpire 

ground water cover a considerable area, which extends as ftr--<As 

2 miles from the edge of the playa. The water table rises more car 

less uniformly toward the south and southeast. The rise of the 

surface of the land in the same direction, however, is so much greater 

that the depth to water is greater at points progressively farther* from 

the playa. As shown by well 25, the depth to water of 100. feet i» 

reached at points about 10 miles from the playa. The maximum 

depth to water reported is 425 feet hi well 47, in the SW. J£ BOC- $8t 

T. 32 S., R. 36 E. Mount Diabio meridian. In well 53, belonging 

to George A. Arper, in the NW. U sec. 12, T. 11 N., R. 12 W. Sdi 

Bernardino meridian, the depth to water is said to be 400 feet.

According to the data given in the table on page 221, there are some 

marked changes in the depth to water that do not seem to be accounted for by difference in the altitude of the surface at the weU». 

Thus in wells 33 and 34 the depth to water is a little more than 300 

feet, whereas in wells 44, 45, and 46, which according to the topographic map are at a higher altitude, it is less than 275 feet to water. 

Also in well 55 the depth to water is about 200 feet, whereas in 

well 48, about 3J^ miles north of west of well 55 and certainly At 

no greater altitude, it is reported to be 245 feet to water.

These discrepancies may be due in part to errors hi the reports 

received from different persons and to lack of actual measurements 

made at approximately the same time. However, it seems possible 

that they may result from the geologic conditions.

The gradient of the water table is evidently greater in the higher 

southwestern part of the valley than in the lower part of the valley. 

Thus between Kane Dry Lake and well 33 it is between 10 «®d 15 

feet to the mile, whereas between wells 33 and 47 it is between 40 

and 50 feet to the mile. Between the playa and well 44 it is between 

15 and 20 feet to the mile, and between wells 44 and 47 it is at least 

between 30 and 40 feet to the mile. The explanation of this 

dition is believed to'be as follows: 
216 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Of the wells reported the water table is highest in No. 47, This 

well is not far from the apex of a large alluvia! cone that has been 

built out by Cache Creek where it emerges from the mountains. This 

stream drains a large area of the southern Sierra Nevada and, undoubtedly contributes most of the water that is absorbed by the alluvium 

in the southwestern part of the valley. Near the apex of the cone a 

relatively large quantity of water is poured onto a small area. It 

can not percolate rapidly and piles up, as it were. As the water 

moves farther and farther from the mountains it spreads over a larger 

and larger area, and the lower part of the cone is more readily drained, 

so that the gradient becomes gentler. On the other hand, in the lower 

part of the basin the cross section through which percolation occurs 

is smaller than farther south, and the water table is also held near 

the surface because the basin is nearly or wholly impervious. As 

a result the water piles up again in the lower part of the basin and the 

gradient is lessened.

An unusual condition is found in the southern part of the valley, 

where hi wells near the boundary of the basin the depth to water is 

less than in wells at lower altitudes. Thus in well 57, which is near 

the divide but is probably in Antelope Valley, the depth to water is 

106 feet. In well 56 it is 170 feet; in well 55 it is 199 feet, in well 48 

it is 245 feet, in well 46 it is 258 feet, and in well 44 it is 242 feet. 

9he profile of the water table between these wells is shown in Figure 5. These wells are on the sides or near the axial line of a marked 

surface drainage line that extends southward from Kane Dry Lake 

to the border of the drainage basin in the northwestern part of T. 

11 N., R. 9 W. San Bernardino meridian. As suggested on pages 

208 and 303 it is probable that a lake orice existed in Antelope 

Valley and overflowed into Fremont Valley at the low place in the 

.dividein sees. 17 and 18, T. 11 N., R. 0 W. The divide appears to be 

composed of alluvium, but it is not known to what depth the alluvium 

may reach. Tber water table in Antelope Valley several mile* semtfe. 

of the divide is at least 150 feet higher than it is in well 55. The 

conditions are thus favorable for movement of the ground water 

from Antelope Valley to Fremont Valley. The increase in the depth 

to water northward from the divide as shown in the wells mentioned 

above suggests very strongly that there is movement from Antelope 

Valley at this point. (See fig. 5 and p. 324.)

No information was obtained as to any wells on the long slope on 

the south side of the Rand Mountains and east of the large wash that 

stretches, about due south from Kane Dry Lake. It is believed that 

only a few if any wells have been drilled in this part of the. valley. 

In this area bedrock probably lies at no great depth, and it may be 

struck before water is reached. However, if the alluvium is thick it 

is nevertheless likely that the depth to water k very great in mos| of
 THBMONT YJ&UBY 81?

this area, probably at least 300 or 400 feet. 

This depth would be expected because of the 

great altitude of the surface above parts of 

the Ymlley where the water table is at a depth 

of 200 feet or more, as in well 44.

Artesian conditions. Throughout a large 

part of the valley south of Kane Dry Lake 

the ground water is under more or less artesian 

pressure. Within 3Ji miles of the playa there 

are several flowing wells. The farthest well 

which is known to flow is No. 19, in the 

NE. 14 sec. 36, T. 30 S., R. 37 E. Mount 

Diablo meridian, owned by Fred Hartsook. 

This well, which is 900 feet deep, is reported to 

flow about 45 gallons a minute. Another well 

owned by Mr. Hartsook, No. 31, in the NW. 

Y± sec. 20, T. 30 S., R. 38 E., is reported to 

spout about 10 inches above the top of a 2- 

inch pipe that is 1 foot above the surface. 

A well of A. J. Crookshank, No. 21, near the 

center of sec. 19, T. 30 S., R. 38 E., which is 

900 feet deep, originally flowed about 90 gallons 

a minute. Another well, No. 20, which belongs 

to Mr. Crookshank, about half a mile to the 

south, does not flow, although it is at least a 

mile nearer to the playa than well 19, which 

flows. Possibly the difference is due to the 

fact that No. 20 may not penetrate to as great a 

depth as No. 19, but the depth of No. 20 could 

not be learned accurately.

No data were obtained in regard to the depth 

at which the artesian beds were struck. In 

wells 20 and 21 the first water-bearing stratum 

was struck at 45 and 35 feet, respectively, but it 

is not clear whether the water at this depth rose 

to the surface or was merely "surf ace" water.

South of the area of flowing wells the water 

is reported to be under pressure in a number 

of wells. In well 17, which is near the border 

of the area of flowing wells, water that was 

struck at 140 feet rose to 65 feet below the 

surface. In this well the first water was struck 

at 76 feet. In the Conklin well, No. 44, in the 

SW. Y± sec. 24, T. 32 S., $. 37 E., the water 

Was struck at about 270 feet and rose about <O
218 THE MOHAVE BESEBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

30 feet. In well 48 the water is reported to have risen about 25 feet 

after being struck at 270 feet.

Yield of wKs. Most of the wells for which data were obtained 

furnish enough water for irrigation. Some of them in the lowest 

part of the valley yield very large quantities. Thus well 19, which 

belongs to Fred Hartsook, is reported to yield fully 1,200 gallons a 

minute (about 132 "inches" w) with a drawdown of 60 feet. Well 

21, which belongs to A. J. Crookshank, is reported to yield 1,125 

gallons a minute (125 inches). Both these wells are 000 feet deep. 

Few wells in the Mohave Desert region yield as much as these. 

Several other wells near Cantil yield from 800 to 1,000 gallons a 

minute.

Apparently most of the wells that have been adequately tested 

yield at least 270 gallons a minute (30 inches). A few wells yield 

less than this quantity, but in some of them it is evident that the 

yield is low either because the pump is not large enough to pump the 

well to its capacity or because the well is poorly constructed. Several 

wells on the upper parts of the alluvial slopes are reported to make good 

yields, notably well 49, which is said to yield 450 gallons a minute. 

The standing depth to water in this well is 205 feet. No complaints 

that wells did not yield enough water were heard by the writer.

Springs. Springs occur at several places around the borders of 

Kane Dry Lake. One of the best-known localities is Kane or Koehn 

Springs, the last name being that of the present owner. These 

springs are near the center of sec. 8, T. 30 S., R. 38 E. At this place 

water is near the surface over a large area, as is shown by the presence 

of salt grass. Water flows at the surface from a dug well that is 

19 feet deep.

Most of tiie springs are not far from the playa and are probably 

due to the cutting of the water-bearing stratum by surface erosion. 

However, one spring, known as Desert Spring, is about 2 miles from 

the playa, probably in the southeast corner of sec. 24, T. 30 S., 

K. 37 E. The flow from this spring is considerable but could not 

be measured. The opening has been dug out and curbed with boards. 

The spring is doubtless fed by water that comes up along a channel 

from a stratum in which it is confined under pressure and may be 

termed an artesian spring. The quality of the water from this spring 

is discussed briefly on page 219.

Quality of water. Analyses were made of samples of water collected 

by the writer from wells 20 and 21 in the southern part of Frernont 

Valley and from Desert Spring, and an analysis of water from the 

railroad pumping plant at Cantil was furnished by the Southern 

Pacific Co. These analyses are given on page 223. The mineral

* The miner's inch as established by law in California is one-fortieth of a cubic foot a second, or 11.2 gallons a minute. In southern California, however, the unit miner's inch, sometimes called the agricultural 

inch, is one-fiftieth of a cubic foot a second, or 8.97 gallons a minute (approximately 9 gallons a minute). 

The latter unit is used ha this report.
: r IfOSMOiST VAMJJY

content in each of the samples is moderate, and the greatest m m 

well 20, which contains 531 parts per million oi total solids, The 

least mineralized, No. 21, contains 366 parts per million of total solids. 

This sample came from a 900-foot well that is within a mile of JCane, 

Dry Lake, nearer to it than any of the other sources from wMehi, 

samples were taken. It shows that good water can be obtained ^ 

feast within a mile of the saline playa. The first perforations in 

this well are at a depth of about 100 feet.

All the samples analyzed are good for domestic use, although those 

from well 21 and Desert Spring are rather hard. The water from 

well 20 (sample 4, p. 223) is fair for boiler use, but that frgm the spring 

(sample 6) is poor because it contains considerable quantities of both 

scale-forming and foaming constituents. The water from all the 

wells sampled is good for irrigation.

The waters are of the same general character, with bicarbonate the 

predominating acid constituent. The sodium is about equaL to the 

magnesium and calcium, but on account of slight variation the samples 

from well 21 and Desert Spring are calcium carbonate waters and 

that from well 20 is a sodium carbonate water. The relatively 

slight variations in the quality are doubtless due to the wells drawing 

their supplies from different beds.

All the samples analyzed come from sources that are within 2 or 3 

miles of Kane Dry Lake. Although none were collected from wells 

farther south and southwest, there is little doubt that in that part 

of the region the water will be of as good quality as the samples 

analyzed.

IRRIGATION

There has been very little if any irrigation with ground water ia 

the part of Fremont Valley northeast of Kane Dry Lake. Near the 

playa, where the water table is close to the surface, there is more or 

less alkali in the soil. Farther away from the playa the depth to 

water increases so greatly that within 2% miles it is more than 100 

feet, and 4 miles from the playa it is 200 feet. Where the depth to 

water is so great the pumping lift is doubtless prohibitive under 

present economic conditions. Where the depth is not more than 

100 or 150 feet the irrigation of high-priced crops might prove feasible. 

The irrigable area is limited by soil conditions and pumping lift 

to an area about 3 miles wide that extends 2 or 2J^ miles northeast1- 

ward from the playa.

In the area south and southeast of Kane Dry Lake there has been 

considerable use of ground water for irrigation. The successful 

developments, however, have been confined almost entirely to an 

area^ that extends not more than 4 or 5 miles from the playa.. At 

places farther than that the depth to water is more than 100 feet, 

and the pumping cost is so great that irrigation of ordinary crops is
220 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

unprofitable. Several ranchers have get out fruit orchards, but at 

the time of the writer's visit none had been planted long enough to 

determine whether fruit could be produced at a profit. Some of 

the orchards were situated where the depth to water is known to be 

at least 240 feet, and the pumping lift is undoubtedly somewhai 

more. ,

In the region where irrigation has been successful the principal 

crops have been alfalfa and melons. A considerable acreage has 

been set in fruit trees, but most of them were not bearing hi 1919. 

About 200 tons of alfalfa was shipped from Can til in 1919, and nearly 

all of it came from one ranch. In addition, considerable alfalfa was 

fed to cattle. Alfalfa is said to yield as much as 1-5^ to 1^ tons to 

the acre for each cutting, with seven cuttings a year. Melons have 

proved a good crop. One man reported selling locally about $400 

Worth of casabas and watermelons from about 10 acres. Another man 

obtained about 3 tons an acre from 20 acres of casaba melons. In 

the midst of the season these sold for $30 to $40 a ton f. o. b., and 

the highest price was $80 a ton. Melons were being shipped as late 

as the first week in February, 1920.

The conditions appear to be favorable for additional development 

in an area about 4 miles wide that extends about 5 miles southwestward from Kane Dry Lake. The southwest limit of this area will 

be determined by the depth from which pumping will be profitable. 

There seems to be no danger that draft on the ground-water supply 

in this area will be so great as to lower the water table, as is tnie 

in other desert valleys, notably Antelope Valley, directly south fcf 

Fremont Valley. This statement is believed to be true because the 

ground-water reservoir is recharged by the run-off from a large area 

of mountains where the precipitation is relatively abundant; and QB 

the other hand the area to which irrigation is limited by the economic 

pumping lift is comparatively small.

In view of the fact that there is so large an area of land which would 

be suitable for agriculture if water were available but in which the 

depth to water is excessive, landowners in Fremont Valley have 

sought additional sources. They have joined with landowners in 

Indian Wells Valley, on the north, in a proposed plan to bring water 

from the Mono Lake Basin, about 200 miles north of Fremont 

Valley. The project would compare in magnitude with the construction of the Los Angeles aqueduct and would be very expensive. 

The principal features of the project and the results of preliminary 

investigations are described on pages 168-169.
Records of well* in Fremont Valley, Calif

£

§

a

3 

4

« 

6 

7

8

|

13 

14

15 

W

17 

18

m

32

S

1*

Location (Mount Diablo 

: meridian)

Quarter

SI .

NE...

SW.T. 

NW.?. 

?......

NB...

Center 

f. ..

NE 

SW...

NW...

sw...

Near 

center. 

WW...

See.

22

27 

12 

12

14? 

23? 

22?

38? 

22? 

27 

83 

82 

8 

34? 

30 

24

26

26 

36 

19

19

30 

M

n

T.S.

29

29 

39 

39

29 

29 

29

29 

29 

3» 

29 

39 

30 

29 

30 

30

30

80 

30 

30

30

30 

30 

30

1Sr

R.E.

41

41 

39 

39

39 

39 

39

39 

39

39 

39 

39 

38 

37 

38 

37

37

37 

37 

38

38 

38 

3ft

Name of owner or entryman

Yellow Aster Mining & 

Milling Co. (Skilfing 

well). 

Raadsburg Water Co. 

(Mountain well). 

Yellow Aster Mining & 

Muling Co. No. 5. 

Yellow Aster Mining & 

Milling Co. No. 3. 

Jack Watson 

..... do ..........

C. A. Koehn ............

H.E. Bean. ............

Southern Pacific R. R_. 

Blaylock & Dean.......

L. E. Van.Winkle .. 

Fred Hartsook .......... 

A. J. Crookshank ...... .

.....do. ..............

E.H. Price.. ...........

Ti Vi Van WtaM*

do ... :.*,.

Type of 

weB

Dug,- 

...do......

Drilled.... 

...do. 

Dug. .

...do......

 do. 

Drilled....

Dug ...

Drilled....

... do 

...do ... 

...do. .. 

 do. ..

...do. ..

dn

Drilled- 

.do ...

Drffled....

9ue.rn.-w

Depth 

of well 

(feel)

400

380 

1,400 

520

 65.2 

30

"48

4« 

" 102

300 

295 

19 

60

431 

350

840

938 

880?

828

130 

615

Sf» 

300 

174

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

96 by 144

84 by 108 

12

48

60 by 60

12

12 

12 

12

12

6

Water 

level 

below 

surface 

(feet)

390

375 

440 

460

"65.7

"42.1

"28

200 

130 

90 

Flows. 

?

»60,4 

65

60 

Flows. 

12

Flows.

6 

13

27 

100 

124

Method 

Airlift...

Rotary

do 

Horizontal c

* Measured by D. a. Thompson Oet. 2,191?. > ©*ptb to ttafcria aummerof 1919. 
Records of wetta in Fremonl Vattey, Calif- Con

No. onPL161

28

29 

30 

31 

31-A 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43

44

45 

46 

47 

48

49 

50

51 

52 

53

54 

®

Location (Mount Diablo 

meridian)

Quarter

Near 

venter.

NE... 

NW... 

NW... 

SE.... 

SW... 

NE.?. 

NE... 

NE... 

NE.?. 

B.M-. 

NW... 

NW... 

SW... 

SE.?.. 

SB.... 

SE....

SW...

N>$"

SE."?".".

NW... 

SE.... 

SW...

!%"?"

E.H--

Sec.

12

13 

6 

20 

8 

18 

30 

31 

32 

26 

30 

2 

8 

19 

14? 

17 

22

24

26 

26 

28 

36?

8 

26 

2 

31 

12 

34 

35

6 

18

T. S.

31

31 

31 

30 

30 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32 

32

32

32 

32 

32 

32

San 

nan 

mer 

T.N. 

11 

11 

11 

12 

11 

12 

12

11 

11

R.E.

37

37 

38 

38 

38 

38 

37 

37 

37 

37 

38 

37 

37 

37 

37 

38 

37

37

37 

37 

36 

37 

Berlino 

dian 

R.W. 

11 

12 

11 

10 

12 

10 

10

9 

9

Name of owner or entryman

 Giddings (?)........

W. E. Garitt ____ ....

G.S.Tmtfll. ...........

Desert well (abandoned)

Chester C. Conklin ..... 

J. Coykendall ...........

C. W. Townsend . ....

Frank H. Forbes ........

Type of 

well

Drilled .

Drilled 

...do . 

...do 

...do. ..

Drilled 

 do 

...do ...

Dug 

Drilled .

...do . 

... do 

...do . 

...do- .

...do..-..

Drilled 

.y

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

600

349 

320 

374

446 

410 

98

90 

518

337

335 

515 

287

250

380

150 

<878

236 

140

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

7

16 

10 and 6

16

8

12 

12

8

14

Water 

level 

below 

surface 

(feet)

96

130 

35 

Flows. 

Flows.

140 

"304 

«307 

275 

*233 

230 

244 

370 

Dry.

*312 

242

268? 

258 

425 

245

205 

155 

92? 

156 

400?

<»199

170 

106

Method 

Windmill .

Windmill. ...

Deep-well lif

* Measured by D. G. Thompson Oct. 3,1917. ' Measured B
GOLDEN VALLEY

Analyses of ground water frem Frem&nt Vattey, Cali/. 

{Parts per mfllion]

223

Silica (SiOj). .

Iron (Fte). , __ ...

Cafeium(Ca) . _____________

Carbonate radicle (CO8). ___ - ..........

Sulphate radicle (SO4)___._ __ . ____ .

Chloride radicle (Cl)...........,..........

Nitrate radicle (NOs) _ - _ - _ - ___

Total dissolved solids at 180° C ............

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated). ....

1

74

.09

32

9.7 »67

10

176

59

27

6.4

387

120 (')

2

£6

.15

99

52

154

0

285

468

21

.83

1,008

461(«)

3

 32

65

14

90

294

116

37

"499

220 ( )

4

31

.22

38

9.6

83

0

214

33

66

2.0

366

134 

«

5

66

**'

60

15

90

0

302

127

25

.94

531

212 

CO

« ,

80 ;

 '*» tif*

18 *78

0

294

124

36

2.3

487

ymW --k.

Analysts: 1, A. A, Chambers, 17.8. Geological Survey; 2,4,5, and 6, Margaret D. Poster, U. 8. Geolog**

cal Survey; 3, Southern Pacific System. f-.*

0 Includes silica (SiOs) and iron and aluminum oxides (FeaOa+AljOs). , -/'

* Calculated. 

« Oct. 5,1917,

* Oct. 2,1917. 

« June 7,1909. 

/ Oct. 3, 1917.

* Feb. 5,1920.

1. Well 2, pi. 16 and table on p. 221; Randsburg Water Co., owner.

2. Well 4, pi. 16 and table on p. 221; Yellow Aster Mining & Milling Co., owner.

3. Well 16, pi. 16 and table on p. 221; Southern Pacific Railroad, owner. Analysis furnished by the 

owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per United States gallon.

4. Well 20, pi. 16 and table on p. 221; A. J. Crookshank, owner.

5. Well 21, pi. 16 and table on p. 221; A. J. Crookshank, owner.

6. Desert Spring, in SE.% see. 24, T. 30 S., R. 37 E. Mount Diablo meridian.

GOLDEN VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Golden Valley lies in the northwestern part of San Bernardino 

County, a few miles southeast of Randsburg. The valley has sometimes been called Cuddeback Valley or Willard Valley, these names 

being given at different times to a playa that lies in the lowest part.

A number of homesteads have been taken up in the valley, and about 

10 wells have been drilled. In these wells the depth to water is froitt 

50 to 160 feet, which is too great to pump water for alfalfa but yet 

probably within the limit of economic pumping for fruit. The 

quality of water in a number of the wells is reported to have been 

poor, and some of the homestead entries have been relinquished on 

this account. Conditions in the valley are not favorable for any great 

agricultural development. The western part of the valley has valuable mineral deposits, which are described briefly below in the section 

on geology (p. 227).

The drainage basin of Golden Valley is shown in Figure 6. The 

Kramer-Johannesburg branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Pe 

Kailway crosses the west side of the basin. On this railway is 

Atolia. The towns of Johannesburg and Randsburg are about & 

mile beyond the northwest boundary of the basin.

AtoHa is in the center of a district that contains valuable 

of tungsten, and for a number of years the population of the
224 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

numbered several hundred. After the war tungsten was imported 

from Asiatic countries so cheaply that American producers could 

not. compete, and consequently the mines were closed down. An 

opportune and unexpected discovery of rich silver ores about 3 miles 

north of Atolia, however, has kept the town alive. General supplies 

and good hotel and garage accommodations could be obtained in

Atolia, Eandsburg, or Johannesburg in 1920, and as long as mining 

activity continues in the vicinity one or more of these places may be 

regarded as reliable supply points.

Roads lead across the valley from Randsburg and Johannesburg, 

either by way of Atolia or Mountain Wells, to Blackwater Well 

and Granite Wells, and thence to Barstow or to Silver Lake and points 

in Death Valley and Panamint Valley. A road also leads southeast-
YAMIEY "

ward-from Atolia to Barstow by way<of Harper Valley. Most of the 

travel :to Rarstow, however, goes south from Atolia to Kramer, and 

thence east along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. A 

road leads southwest from Atolia toMojave. *

No data are available in regard to climatic conditions ia 

Conditions in regard to precipitation and temperature are * 

about the same as in the Superior Valley. (See p. 245. ) : At

or two places do the mountains that border the basin rise to ah altitude 

of 5,000 feet, and most of the drainage basin is less than 4$<W fe$t 

above sea level. The annual rainfall is probably not more'tlatt'S 

inches. In the winter the temperature doubtless falls several degf^e 

below freezing. ;

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The part of the basin west of latitude 117° 30' has been described 

by Hess 51 and Hulin.52 The part of the geologic map (pi. 8) covered 

by Hess's report is compiled from an unpublished map by him, tot 

the units are necessarily more generalized than on his map.

On the south side of the basin the divide is formed b(y Fremont 

Peak, which is high and steep on the side that faces Golden Valley 

but which has a more gentle slope to the southwest. Northwest 01 

Fremont Peak the divide is formed by a low ridge.

The drainage basin is elongated from east to west, but the playa 

in its lowest part, called Cuddeback or Willard Dry Lake, is elongated 

from north to south. Hence there is not much valley .land afc the 

north and south ends of the playa, for the mountains reach withiii 0 

or 3 miles of the £laya. Toward the east and west, however, the land 

rises gradually, in some places practically to the border !of, the eli**nage basin, 8 or 10 miles from the playa. These long elopes have $Jbe 

appearance of alluvial slopes, but in several places it is evident that 

they are eroded rock surfaces or mountain pediments, beveled across 

hard rocks and covered with alluvium only to a comparatively, slight 

depth. (See p. 102.) Around Atolia bedrock has been reached in 

placer diggings for tungsten and gold at depths ranging from a f^w 

inches to 215 feet.83 Probably the entire slope west of Atolia is composed of rock with only a thin covering of soil. The eastern border 

of this rock slope is not known. Hess states that a shaft about 2 

miles east of St. Elmo did not reach rock at a depth of 250 feet but 

that granite crops out about halfway between St. Elmo and the shall.6* 

A well in the SW. }& sec. 7, T. 30 S., E. 42 E. Mount Diablo meridiift, 

dug to a depth of 162 feet, did not reach bedrock. On the east -fide

« Hess, F. L.f Gold mining in the Randsburg quadrangle, Calif.: U. S. Geol. Survey Ball. «80i !pp. 

VHR, 1910.

 " Hulin, C. D., Geology and ore deposits of the Bandsbnrg fuadrangle: California State Mining Bar. 

Bull. 95, 1926.

8 Cloadnma, H. C., aad others, Mines and mineral resources of San Bernardino County, Calif., pp.*59, 

85, pi. 3/6, California State Min. Bur., 1917.

M Hess, F. L., op. cit., p. 31.
226 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFORNIA

of the valley many small outcrops of rock, especially near the borders 

of the basin, show that a large part of the seeming alluvial slope is an 

erosional slope on bedrock, as on the west side.

The rocks of the basin include intrusive rocks of probably at least 

two ages, a series of ancient metamorphic rocks, volcanic rocks of 

presumably Tertiary age, Tertiary sedimentary rocks, and Quaternary alluvium.

According to Hess the Band Mountains consist of a series of schists, 

in which occur small areas of quartzite and metamorphosed limestone, 

intruded by granite. The age of the schists is not known, but as the 

granite is presumably Mesozoic they are probably at least as old as 

Paleozoic and may be pre-Cambrian.

In addition to the granite in the Kand Mountains, intrusive rocks 

are also found south of Atolia, and Fremont Peak is probably composed of these rocks. Granite crops out in washes in the northeastern 

part of the basin along the road from Mountain Wells to Granite 

Wells. Low hills east of Blackwater Well are composed of granite, 

and the soil all along the road from the well westward to Cuddeback 

Lake apparently is derived largely from granite. Several of the hills 

on the east side of the valley, however, are composed of volcanic 

rocks. Probably the conditions there are similar to those a little 

farther east, near Pilot Knob, where Tertiary volcanic rocks rest on 

an erosion surface of granite, (See p. 242.) Hess believes that the 

granite in the vicinity of Randsburg may represent two different 

periods of intrusion. The younger rock is probably coincident with 

diorite and granite of presumable Mesozoic age which form the 

great mass of the Sierra Nevada. The other granite seems to be 

older than the schists. Observations in other parts of the basin were 

not sufficiently detailed to determine the age relations of the granite.

Bed Mountain, Klinker Mountain, and the mountain east of 

Klinker Mountain are composed principally of lavas, including, 

according to Hess, andesite, basalt, rhyoHte, and probably latite aM 

dacite. Some of the low hills in the northeastern and eastern part 

of the basin are also probably composed of volcanic rocks. These 

mountains also probably contain small patches of sedimentary rocks. 

On a lithologic basis the volcanic rocks are believed to be of Tertiary 

age.

Low hills in the southeast corner of the basin are formed of a series 

of clay, shale, sand, and limestone, interbedded with ash and lava 

that are considered to be of Tertiary age.35 Small areas of Tertiary 

sedimentary rocks are also found in the northwestern part of the 

drainage basin.

The Quaternary alluvium consists of clay, sand, and gravel. The 

clay seems to be confined largely to the playa deposit in the lowest

M Pack, E. W'., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, Calif.: U. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 841, 

pp. 148-149,1913.
GCWURBN VAL&BY 227

part of the valley. Along the road from Atolia to Blackwater Well

& narrow belt o 

as if it were a

Boulders are abundant at a number of places, particularly on the 

alluvial slope s

sec. 7, T. 30 S. 

the mountain,

utheast of Red Mountain. In a well in the SW. M 

R. 42 E. Mount Diablo meridian, about a mile from 

xmlders as much as 10 inches in diameter were abundant to a dept L of 154 feet. These boulders are rounded, as if they 

had been waterworn. Placer gold and tungsten are found in the 

alluvium on tho west side of the valley near Atolia.

The playa known as Cuddeback Dry Lake is hard and smooth 

except that it is traversed by cracks. The dumps around two weBs 

on the playa consist entirely of clay. The water table lies at a depth 

of about 50 feet, and there are no water-indicating plants around it. 

In all respects it is a typical playa of the dry type. A short distance

east of the pi 

occurs a belt o 

ft belt of sand 

existed in the 

drainage area i

lya, on the road from Atolia to Blackwater Well,

sandy soil which may be either an old shore line or

unes. There is no evidence that any large lake ever

>asin, however, and none would be expected, for the

not great.

Valuable 

on the western 

knows no 

part of the

The product 

occurs in fissure 

northwest of A 

the name 

of the ore has 

mine near St.

The tungstei 

in the United 

the district

sand was observed a short distance east of the playa, 

each ridge, but otherwise the soil is not very sandy.

MINERAL DEPOSITS

deposits of gold, silver, and tungsten have been mined 

side of the valley near Atolia, but so far as the writer 

deposits of commercial value have, been found in any other 

region. , 

on of gold has been of the least value. The gold 

veins on the north slope of the Rand Mountains 

66 The veins are narrow and thus give rise to 

district. Most of the mines are small, but some 

been rich. Some gold has also been taken from a 

Elmo.

Atolia 

Stringer

deposits around Atolia are among the most valuable 

States and in the world, and the total production horn 

probably has been more than $10,000,000.57 (See p. 27.-)

w Considerable infor nation 

the annual reports of the 

umes of Mineral Besot trees of tbe United

" Hess, F. L., op. dt., pp. 42-45.

on tbe geology and production of tbe Atolia district is scattered through 

California State Mining Bureau on mineral production and in tbe annual volStates since 1005. Tbe following are tbe more useful references 

bis report are based: Cloudman, H. C., and otbers, Mines and mineral resources 

Cointy: California State Mineralogist Rept. for 1915-16, pp. 66-65,1917. Bradfcf, 

ral production for 1920: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 80, pp. 79-«0,1921. Hesg, 

Qeol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1909, pt. 1, pp. 577-678,1911; 1915, pt. i, pp. 

791-792,1919; 1917, pt. 1, pp. 939-940,1921; 1918, pt. 1, pp. 979-481,1921. 8ea ateo 

tbe Randsburg tungsten district: Min. and Eng. Jour., vol. 46, No. 1, pp. 7-8, 

Tungsten mining at Atolia, Calif.: Min. and Oil Bull., vol. 2, No. 2, pp."81^32, 

Notes on tbe Randsburg tungsten district: Min. and Oil Bull., vol. 2, No. f, pp. 

D., Geology and ore deposits of tbe Randsburg quadrangle: California State

on which the notes hi 

of San Bernardino 

W. W., California mini 

P. L., Tungsten: U. S 

825,1917; 1916, pt. 1, pi 

Nevius, J. N., Notes 

1918. Glasgow, J. W., 

19W. Nevius, J. N., 

126-123, 1916. Hulin, 

Min. Bur. Bull. 95, IK
228 THE MOHAVE DESERT KEGION, CALIFORNIA

The first commercial production of tungsten in this region was 

made in 1905, in the Stringer gold district, on the extreme western 

edge of the basin near the summit of the Band Mountains. Here 

the tungsten occurs as scheelite in narrow veins or stringers in schist,58 

It is associated with gold, but the gold and tungsten generally do 

mot occur in the same veins.

In 1906 production began from the Atolia district proper, wMeh 

has since been the larger producer. The productive area seems to 

be a zone about half a mile wide which extends approximately east 

and west for a mile or two on each side of Atolia. The ore occurs as 

 scheelite in veins in granite. On the slope between the Stringer 

district and the Atolia granite area both gold and tungsten occur in 

placer deposits. In the granite area the granite is decomposed -into 

sand in which occur pieces of scheelite. Of this nature was the 

"spud patch" of the Atolia Mining Co., east of th« town. The 

name is derived from the fact that the pieces of scheelite were mined 

much an potatoes are dug from the ground. Masses of scheelite weighing as much as 100 pounds were obtained from the spud patch. 

The placer deposits extend for only a little more than a mile east of 

Atolia.

From 1905 to 1914 the production of tungsten was comparatively 

small and the total production for the entire State, which was practically sail from the Atolia district, was only about $1,500,000. In 

1915) however, as a result of the war demands, the production increased rapidly. In the four years 1915 to 1918 the production <of 

tungsten in San Bernardino County was valued at about $9,000/000, 

and most of it came from the Atolia district. The peak was reached 

in 1916, when, under the influence of prices as much as 10 times the 

previous normal price,58 tungsten worth nearly $4,000,000 was produced. The high prices offered a great inducement to "high graders," 

who made money by carrying rich pieces of ore from the mines or 

by stealing concentrates from stock piles or cars.

The stimulation of high prices soon resulted in overproduction, 

and the price dropped greatly. The production in 1917 and 1918 

was much less than in 1916, although it amounted to considerably 

more than $1,000,000 in each year. Since the end of the war tungsten 

produced by coolie labor in Asiatic countries has been imported 

into the United States so cheaply that it has been unprofitable to 

operate the mines in this country. Only a small quantity was sold 

in 1919, and none in 1920.80 The greatest part of the production has 

been made by the Atolia Mining Co. In the 11 years from 1908 to

" Cloudman, H. C., and olbers, op. cit,, p. 66.

» H9SS, F. L., 17. 8. Geol. Surrey Mineral Resources, 1916, pt. 1, pp. 704-795,1919.

* Bradtey, W. W., op. cit., p, 80.
, /--tf^v: i; GOIiDEN VAiLEY , .- v ,".« -''.';<

tins company produced tungsten valued at more than $9,000,(M>Q, 

nod sinee 1907 it ias paid dividends of more t&an $5,OQt,00(Mt i/1

In April, 1019, lick silver deposits were discovered about 2 miles 

north of Atolia.62 As a result of the discoveries of valuable gold sad 

tungsten ores, the entire region had previously been carefidly covered 

by prospectors, and yet the rich silver deposit had remained unknowtt. 

The discovery was made within a few hundred feet of a main road 

traveled by hundreds of persons, on a ledge that apparently had been 

blasted as a part of assessment work on a claim which wa& still valid 

and on which there was a shaft 130 feet deep. But the men who did 

the assessment work were looking for gold and did not recognise the 

.silver ore, which was horn silver (silver chloride or cerargyrite). 

It is said that the ore was so rich that for a long time every bit mioed 

was shipped, and the mine was without a dump until dividends 

amounting to $96,000 had been paid. - ; v

The silver ore is found at the contact between schist and granite.53 

According to published descriptions the ore is in the schist, which is 

cut by a siliceous or porphyritic dike. A fault zone, above which 

there is no ore, has cut off all surface indication of silver-bearing veins 

except the discovery outcrop, and that is almost hidden. If erosion 

had stopped a short time (in the geologic sense) before it did, or if it 

had gone on more slowly, the discovery vein also would still be ewered 

and this rich silver deposit would not have been found. The discovery and development of these deposits furnish an excellent example 

of the way in which Dame Fortune once in a long while smiles upon 

the -desert prospector. A<

WATER RESOURCES

GENERAL FEATURES

There are no streams in the drainage basin of Golden Valley, and 

so fair as the writer is aware no springs now exist. Squaw Spring; in 

sec. 34, T. 29 S., R. 41 E. Mount Diablo meridian, ceased to f&w 

when its supply was tapped by a well and tunnel. All water used i& 

the vafley is obtained from wells or shafts or i« hauled in on the 

railroad.

In recent years considerable water, both for domestic use and for 

milling^ has been required in the tungsten and silver district around 

Atolia, and the lack of a good supply has been a great disadvantage 

to mining activity. For a number of years the water for all uses, 

including the water for the Atolia mill, was hauled in tank cars from

* Hess, F. L., 17. 8. Qeol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1918, pt. 1, p. 979,1921.

*»Items, A. B., The California Band silver mime: Min. and Sci. Press, vol. 123, No. 20, pp. 667-675, 

1921 (the story of the enterprise); idem, No. 25, pp. 855-859, 1921 (geology, development, and jAteJng); 

idem, vol. 124, No. 1, pp. 11-17, 1922 (metallurgy, concentration by flotation). Wray, J. 0., tbe Band 

silver zone: Min. and Oil Bull., vol. 7, No. 13, pp. 783-786,1921.

*> Parsons, A. B., op. cit., p. 855.

5631 29 16
230 THE MOHAVE DESEKT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

Hinkley, a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, at 

a distance of 47 miles. Until August, 1909, the water cost $15 a car 

of 9,406 gallons, but at that time the rate was raised to $24.30 a car.*4 

In 1915 water was reached at a depth of 500 feet in a mine near 

Randsburg, and this was piped 5 miles to the concentration mill of 

the Atolia Mining Co. The company also caught all possible water 

from the scanty rainfall by means of gutters on its buildings. The 

tailings were run to settling ponds, and the water was used again. 

It was still necessary to haul some water by railroad from Hinkdey, 

and in 1916 the cost was $18.40 a car of 10,500 gallons. In 1917 the 

pipe line of the Randsburg Water Co. was being extended to Atolia, 

and this helped out in some measure. It is understood, however, 

that the supply from this source is failing, and that in 1920, if it had 

not been for a decrease in the population, the system would not have 

been able to meet the demands on it. (See p. 210.) In 1921 water was 

hauled from Hinkley for use at the silver mines at the rate of $28 a 

car.65

As a result of the scarcity of water several types of dry concentrators and "dry washers" were used.66 It is probable, however, that 

if .sufficient water, were available for more efficient washing, a considerable amount of gold and tungsten could be recovered from placer 

ground that could not be worked under present conditions.

The mines and mills are in or near the mountains, several miles 

from the nearest place where water is obtained from alluvium. In 

view of this fact any information on the possibility of obtaining 

ground water in the area underlain by bedrock is valuable, and the 

occurrence of ground water in rock and in the alluvium is discussed 

under separate headings.

WATEE IN BEDROCK

Only two wells in the valley are known to be dug in bedrock. 

Blackwafcer Well, near the line between sees. 2 and 3, T. 30 S., B. 

43 E. Mount Diablo meridian, is apparently dug in granite. Rock 

hills stand near by, and if the well does not reach rock it can not be 

far below the surface. The well is dug and is about 5 by 7 feet in 

diameter. On October 5, 1917, it was 32.6 feet deep, and the depth 

to water was 31.6 feet. On January 24, 1920, the depth to water 

was only 21 feet that is, 10 feet higher than in 1917. At the time 

of the writer's first visit the well had apparently just been pumped 

a short time before his arrival. If so, the water supply is not abundant, as the water level had not risen very far. In 1917 the well was 

equipped with a small gasoline engine and pump, but hi 1920 theje

« Hess, F. L., U. 8. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1909, pt. 1, p. 576,1911.

« Parsons, A. B., op. clt., p. 12.

 * Cloudman, H. C., and others, op. cit., pp. 58-62.
GOLDEN VALLEY 231

was no pump in the well. An iron tank in a corral on lower ground 

about 500 feet north of the well had water in it. A ditch led from 

this tank toward the well, and although no pipe was visible the tank 

is doubtless fed from the well, the supply being regulated by a 

float I valve. There was no other means of obtaining water unless 

on« had a rope and bucket. The well is used for watering cattle.

s also a watering place for travelers. The water is of good quality

domestic use. (See analysis 3, p. 236.) It is a sodiumvearbonate

ter and contains 416 parts per million of total solids. The name

ickwater is said to have come from the fact that the water becomes

flo 

ag 

fr

It

fo

w

Bl

dark after standing, but this feature was not observed in a sample

co lected by the writer.

The only other well known to be dug in bedrock is the Squaw 

Spring Well, on the northeast slope of Red Mountain in T, 29 S,, 

R. 41 E. Mount Diablo meridian. According to C. S. Knight, manager of the Randsburg Water Co., this well is in the NW. J^ sec. 27, 

bub on the General Land Office township plat it is hi the SE. J£ 

set;. 34. This well is one of several wells from which the Randaburg Water Co. obtains its supply. (See p. 210.) Originally Squaw 

S] ring, in the bottom of a wash, is said to have had a small flow 

throughout the year. In order to avoid damage from cloudburst, 

the water company sunk a shaft at a point about 50 feet higher than 

the spring. This shaft is 7 by 9 feet in diameter and is 180 feet deep. 

At the bottom a drift is cut toward the spring. The shaft; was. 4ug 

al the way through a rock described as porphyrjtic "malpais," which 

is doubtless a Tertiary volcanic rock. " When 'the well is 'not being 

pumped the water stands about 50 feet below the surface, at about 

tho same level as the old spring, which ceased to flow after the well 

wss dug. The surface altitude at the well is. about 3,400 feet. In 

1917 the well was pumped with an Ames deep-well pump driven by a 

15-horsepower Lambert gas engine. The supply is-nokgr&at^ for the 

we i can be pumped only 4 J^ hours, daily.,, or 9, hours ever^ other; day. 

T le yield when so pumped is about 4,800 gallons a clay, or W gallons 

a minute. A reservoir cemented in solid rock, which has an estimated 

capacity of 100,000 gallons, is situated 535 feet higher than the well and 

about a quarter of a mile distant. No sample was taken of the water, 

but it is said to be soft and of good quality, slightly better than the 

water from the Mountain Well, which furnishes part of the supply for 

Randsburg. (See p. 211.)

.n addition to the Squaw Spring Well the Randsburg Water Co. 

obtains water from other deep wells or shafts in lava on the southwest side of Klinker Mountain, several hundred feet above the valley

r. All these wells, except possibly one, are situated in the drainbasin of Fremont Valley, but close to the divide separating it

m Golden Valley. (See p. 210.) Water was also struck at a depth
232 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

of about 500 feet in a shaft of the Consolidated Mining Go, at the 

southeast end of Randsburg, just outside of the Golden Valley drainage basin. (See p. 212.) The surface altitude is about 3,70ft.feet and 

the water level is about 3,200 feet.

The occurrence-of water in rock at the wells and shafts just described 

suggests that water may be obtained from rock in other mountainous 

parts of the basin. However, although water has been obtained 

from rock at two or three places the prospects are not bright that 

any large quantity can be obtained in this way. The shaft of the 

No. 1 mine of the Atolia Mining Co., about a mile west of Atolia, is 

reported to have been bone-dry at a depth of 900 feet. The shaft is 

probably sunk in granite. If a continuous body of ground water 

extended from the alluvium of the valley to the wells and shafts 

described, it would be expected that water would be found in the No. 

1 shaft considerably above the bottom. The fact that it is not so 

found shows that there is no such continuous body of ground water 

and that the water at the other localities occurs under special conditions and is probably present only in small quantities.

The water at the Squaw Spring Well and Mountain Wells of the 

Randsburg Water Co. comes from lavas which are badly fissured. 

The water in'the Consolidated shaft comes from schist, which doubtless is also more or less fissured. The granite of the No. 1 shaft, 

except near the surface, is probably very tight, with few cracks 

along which the water can move. Although the water in the Blackwater Well presumably comes from granite, it probably occurs only 

in a thin zone at the top, or it may occur along the contact between 

the residual soil and the underlying solid rock. At any rate the 

quantity is small. Doubtless in the granitic area around the No. 1 

mine a small quantity of water occurs along the contact between 

the soil and the rock, but if encountered in the No. 1 shaft, it was 

so small as to have been scarcely noticed.

Although water may be, obtained from the bedrock in some places 

it is riot likely to occur in sufficient quantities to supply the demand 

for milling. The supply of the Mountain Wells of the Randsburg 

Water Co. has been failing, requiring new development work, and 

the yield from the other wells and shafts is also small. The conditions as a whole are so unfavorable that they do not warrant prospecting for water alone. Possibly more water will be found in some shafts, 

but its presence*can not be predicted.

WATER IN THE ALLUVIUM

At least 10 wells have been put down in the alluvium that fills the 

lower part of the drainage basin. Unfortunately, all but two of the 

homesteads visited by the writer in the fall of 1917 were deserted, 

and no definite information could be obtained as to the materials
GOLDEN VAl*LEY

penetrated, yield of wells, or success in irrigation. Most o£ the 

wells lot which any data wera obtained are northwest ^f the; play** 

The principal data are given in the accompanying table, which 

also includes data on the Squaw Spring Well and Black water Well.

1 ' . .- .-1 -.- .

Records of wells in Golden Valley, Calif*

mon Fig. 

6

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9

:NO.

on 

Fig. 

6

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6

7 

8 

9

Name of owner or of well

Randsburg Water Co. (Squaw Spring Well).

W. E. C

Jos. Stel

taines ________________

Blackwi 

Blackha

Depth 

to water 

(feet)

60 

&107.3 

159 

*89.3 

100 

»46.9

M9.5

*31.8 

»20.9 

140(?)

rter Well _____________ .

Date of 

measurement

Oct. 5, 1917

Oct. 6, 1917

Oct. 6, 1917 

.....do........

Oct. 5, 1917 

Jan. 24,1920

Location {Mount Disblo merfdiair)

Quarter

SE.?_... 

8W.?....

SW.....

NW.7... 

SE.?.... sw.?..._

NE.?-~-

NE..,_.

NE-. 

Reference point for measurement

Top of casing 1 ft 

playa. 

Top of cover level wi

Top of wood casing

x>t above 

th ground.

Sec.

 34? 

4 

7 

17? 

18? 

21? 

22? 

3? 

13

T. 8.

29 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30 

30

R. E.

41 

42 

42 

42 

42 

42 

42 

42 

41

Depth 

of well 

(feot)

180 

336 

162 

90.6 

160 

117.8 

59.6 32.8 «140

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

*4bylOJ

IS10.

48,by60 

80 &y*

Remarks

In rock. See p. 231. 

Na pump; abandoned. 

Dug well. Can be pumped dry by hand. 

No pump. Uncased below 6 feet. 

Hand pump. See analysis, pi 236. 

At edge of playa. Abandoned, No pump.

Dug well at edge of playa. Equipped 

with windmill. See analysis, p. 236. 

See description, p. 230, and analysis; p, 236.

Good water at 140 feet; bad water in lowtfc 

strata. See p. 236. ;:,

 See p. 231.

* Measured by the writer; other depths are those reported by owner or other person. ' ' 

« Exact depth not known, except that it is greater than 140 feet.

Two wells are located on the playa in the lowest part of thsi b& > 

One of these (No. 7), near the northeast edge of the playa, is a dug 

well 60 feet deep. The depth to water when measured was 49J* 

feet. This well is on a mound about 3 feet above the playa. Ito 

the past this well has been a watering place for travelers on the road 

from Mojave and Atolia to Blackwater Well and Granite Welku 

The well was equipped with a windmill, but it was out of order when 

visited. The dump around the well indicates that the material 

penetrated was all clay, similar to that on the surface of Ifee playa. 

An abandoned drilled well (No. 6), 117.5 feet deep, is located on 

the west side of the lake near the road from Atolia to Blackwater 

Well. The depth to water in it was 46.9 feet. The water table in 

the two wells is apparently at about the same altitude. The dump 

around this well was also all clay.

Three wells were visited northwesjt of the playa. la these wells 

the depth to water was increasingly greater away from the playa.
234 THE MOHAVE DESERT REai0*f, CALIFORNIA

The maximum depth to water is 159 feet in a well (No. 3) in tfeeSW. }£ 

sec. 7, T. 30 S., R. 42 E. This is a dug well 162 feet deep. Boulders 

as much as 10 inches in diameter and rounded as if by moving water 

were found in it to a depth of 154 feet. Below that depth there was 

7 inches of clay, followed by 5 feet of gravel, which was mostly 

composed of pebbles less than half an inch in diameter. The Blackhawk* Well, a iftaft sunk to obtain water for milling in the NE. M 

sec. 13, T. 30 S., R. 41 E. Mount Diablo meridian, is said to have 

struck water of good quality at 140 feet. This well is probably 

situated on a little lower ground than the Gaines Well. No data are 

available as to the materials penetrated in it. Two wells are said 

to have been drilled on the southeast side of the playa, and the depth 

to water in each was about 100 feet. No accurate data are available 

in regard to the surface altitude of the wells measured, but an approximate estimate from the topographic map shows that the water table 

at well 3 is at about the same altitude as it is beneath the playa.

No data of value were obtained as to the yield of any of the wells. 

The Gaines Well (No. 3), in the SW. M sec. 7, T. 30 S., R. 42 E., can 

be pumped dry in a few minutes with a hand pump.. After about a 

barrel has been pumped it is necessary to wait about 10 minutes, 

and then a similar quantity can be pumped. One other well was 

equipped with a hand pump, and the supply was apparently sufficient 

for it. One well on the southeast side of the valley is reported to have 

yielded between 180 and 270 gallons a minute (20 to 30 miner's 

inches). A shaft sunk about 5 miles east of the Rand Silver mine is 

reported to yield only 1,500 gallons a day (about 1 gallon a minute) 

at a depth of 130 feet.67 This shaft was sunk by the California Rand 

Co. in an attempt to get water for milling. The exact location is 

not known, but it is believed to be near the Gaines Well (No. 3).

Analyses were made of samples of water from two wells in the 

alluvium. One of these samples came from the dug well (No. 7) on 

the east side of the playa. (See analysis 2, below.) The well apparently had not been used recently, and as the sample was drawn by 

hand it might not represent the character of the water after the well 

had been pumped for some time. It is a highly mineralized sodium 

chloride water that can, however, be used for drinking and cooking. 

It is considered very bad for boiler use and poor for irrigation. The 

second sample came from the well of Joseph Stehuck (No. 5), probably 

in the SE. M sec. 18, T. 30 S., R. 42 E. (See analysis 1, p. 236.) 

Although the well is \% miles from the playa and some distance up 

the alluvial slope, where the water would be expected to be better, 

it is even poorer than the other sample. It is a sodium chloride water

« Paisons, A. B., The California Band silver mine: MIn. and Scl. Press, vol. 124, No. 1, p. 12,1922.
QOUKBN YAMiEY : 235

but is also unusually high in calcium. It has a slightly alkaline taste 

and is poor for domestic use because of the hardness, high chloride, 

and high total solids. It is very bad for boiler use and poor for irrigation. W. E. Gaines states that the water from his well (No. 3) 

: northwest of the Stehuck well is better than that from either of the 

two wells sampled. It is said that the water from other wells in the 

valley is somewhat alkaline, and that in one well at least, it was so, 

soncentrated that it killed grain which was irrigated with it. It is re* 

ported that when the Blackhawk Well, in the NE. M sec. 13, T. 30 S., K. 

41 E. Mount Diablo meridian, was being dug, water of good quality 

was reached at a depth of 140 feet. Subsequently, when it was deepened, the water in the lower strata was so bad as to be unfit for domestic and boiler use. The well, which was then used to furnish 'ft 

supply for milling, was abandoned because of the poor quality of the 

water. Several homesteaders have relinquished their claims because 

Of their failure to get good water. The data at hand are insufficient 

Ito show whether or not water of poor quality is obtained throughout 

fthe valley.

I The two samples of water analyzed from wells in the alluvium are 

fciigh in chloride and in total dissolved solids. They are considerably 

[different from a sample from Superior Valley, the adjoining valley on 

ithe east, where the general conditions that affect the occurrence of 

ground water seem to be about the same. The sample from the B. B. 

iCrutts well (see analysis, p. 252), which is near one of the playas hi 

[Superior Valley, contained less than one-fifth as much total solids as 

[the Stehuck well, and the chloride was only 28 parts per million, as 

jcompared to 888 in the Stehuck well. The reason for this difference 

jis not known. So far as is known, the rocks of the Golden Valley basin 

[are chiefly granite or volcanic rocks, and these should not contribute 

unusually large quantities of soluble material.

! The analyses of samples from Blackwater Well (No. 1, p.236), which 

jis in granite, and of the Mountain Wells (No. 1 , p. 223), just outside the 

basin, which are in lava, show that these waters are entirely different 

from the water in the alluvium, and they are much better. So far as 

[the writer is aware, no unusual amounts of soluble salts occur in the 

basin. If the salt hi the water in Superior Valley and in Golden Valley 

is the result of ordinary concentration of material dissolved by the 

ground water, some condition must have been present in Golden Valley, 

to cause a considerably greater concentration. The greater extent 

[of the area in Golden Valley in which the water is poor suggests that, 

[the playa beds at an earlier period were more extensive than at presenjb.
236 THE MOHAVE DK8EKT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Analyses of ground waters from Golden FoJ&y, Calif. 

[Collectad Got. 6,1917. Parts per million]

Silica (810s). . ». _____ .... __ ,. . .......... ^®f®6""'r"""i"i""""""""r""""""""r""in"

Carbonate radicle (OOa).. __________ ........ _ ... ......

Bf«8B*on»teradiele(HCOj). .......................................

Sulphate radicle (8OO. ..........................................

Chiforide redide (Cl). .............................................. Nitrate radicle (NOs) . ..

Total dissolved solids at 180° O.._.......... ...__............,...

1

66

1.4

171

31

401

0

138

35

888

7.8

1,720

556

Z

85

.05

W

12

336

0

188

74

500

3.5

1,1W

222

3

66.14.

&

8.1 *72 '

3.4

164

66

58

416*01

116

 Oaloulated.

Analysts: 1 and 2, Addle T. Geiger and G. H. Kidwell, U. S. Geological Survey; 3, Margaret D, Foster, 

IT. 8. Geological Survey.

1. Well 5, table on p. 233; Joseph Stehuck, owner.

2. Wen 7, table on p. 233.

3. Blaofcwater Well, No. 8, table on p. 233.

The total area of the drainage basin is not great nor is the area of 

the mountains that would furnish most of the water to the ground 

reservoir. Furthermore, the fact that the water table lies 50 feet 

below the playa is believed to indicate that there is leakage of ground 

water from the basin. The adjoining valleys are lower on all sides 

except the east, and the divide in that direction is apparently composed of impervious granitic rocks. The divide east of Fremont 

Peak, on the south side of the basin, may be composed of alluvium, 

and there may be leakage at that place or possibly through alluvium 

south of Atolia or in passes between the lava mountains on the north 

side of the valley. Perhaps there is even some leakage beneath the 

lava of Ked Mountain or Klinker Mountain, on the northwest, as, 

some lavas permit the ready passage of ground water. At any rate, 

the considerable depth to the water table is believed to indicate that' 

tjie quantity of water that can be withdrawn annually is not great. 

It is probable, however, that water in sufficient quantity for use in. 

milling can be obtained from the alluvium. An undertaking to, 

obtain water in this way would have two disadvantages. In the first 

place, if the mills were located near Atolia the water would have to 

be lifted from 100 to 200 feet to the surface and at least 500 feet more 

for a distance of probably at least 3 to 5 miles to the town. It is. 

uncertain whether such a project would be less expensive than the 

present method of hauling water from Hinkley. The Yellow Aster 

Mining Co. has for a number of years pumped water for its mills aY 

distance of about 7 miles, lifting the water nearly 500 feet to the 

surface and more than 1,000 feet to the mine. (See p. 213.)

A factor which may prove a serious drawback is the.quality of the 

water. It would seem, however, that the water from wells driven 

on the alluvial slope ought to be better than that from wells in the 

bottom of the basin. For that reason in putting down wells it would
GOI^DEN VALliEY ' '>>;/ u^ US?

>e desirable to drill them as far wisest of the playa as possible without 

laving them too far west to encounter bedrock before- the water 

table is reached. No data are available as to how far west water 

may be found in the alluvium, but it can probably be found at least 

&s far west as sees. 24 and 25, T. 30 S., B. 41 R, and perhaps a i»il0 

arther west. . .«, -; 

The conditions in the valley do not seem to be favorable for toy 

great development of irrigation. The minimum lift is near the ecolomic Emit of pumping for alfalfa. Doubtless properly constructed 

wells would yield enough water for fruit trees, but it remains to ,be 

^en whether the water is good enough for irrigation. The area that 

san be irrigated is not great. It is limited on the one hand by the 

mmping lift and in some places probably by the fact that welk dose 

K> the mountains may strike bedrock before sufficient water is obtained, and on the other hand by the fact that the-total quantity 

available is probably not great. As indicated by the well of W. E. 

ijraines, hi which the depth to water is 159 feet, the pumping lift 

is probably at least 200 feet wherever the land is 2,700 feet above sea 

!evel, It is doubtful whether water can be pumped this high economically for fruit growing hi the valley. ;

I SUPERIOR VALLEY i

| GENERAL FEATURES

I Superior Valley is a femall valley about 25 miles due north of 

Barstow. (See pi. 7.) Conditions hi this valley, hi so far as settlement and future development are concerned, are typical tit many 

yalleys in the desert. The valley has a large area of gently sloping 

land that requires but little effort to make it ready for farming. It 

is practically undeveloped, and to the prospective rancher who may 

tye ignorant of the difficulties of desert farming it seems to offer a 

rip-eat opportunity. During the last 8 or 10 years a number of persons 

tyave settled in the valley, and in January, 1918, 20 or more wells had 

been drilled. Several homesteaders had set out orchards or planted 

grain, but for one reason or another most of the crops failed, and a 

liumber of the settlers moved out of the valley. When the writer 

gassed through it in January, 1920, there was no evidence of any 

successful development, but on the contrary several deserted homesteads were seen. A study of the water resources of the region shows 

t lat no great development may be expected.

-As a result of the apparently favorable conditions in the vall^f it 

l.as been easy for the so-called "land locators" to make money by 

"locating" prospective homesteaders on land that is open to entry. 

F0* this service fees as hjigh as $100 a quarter section or 50 cents an 

acre lor larger areas are charged. In Superior VaHey, loaitor® are 

said to have told prospective settlers that water for irrigation could
238 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA.

be obtained at depths of 60 to 75 feet, whereas in no well so far put 

down was it less than 90 feet to water. Although the prospects foe 

Superior Valley are not bright, it is probable that from time to time 

new settlers will arrive in the valley. Some of them may succeed «a 

the most favorably situated land, but many of them will be disap* 

pointed.

Most of the data on which the following report of conditions in 

Superior Valley is based were collected by the writer in September,

07 

Well

*4 

Dry hole

Numbers refer to table 

in text

Spring

PI aye

Boundary of drainage Approximete boundbasin, uncertain where ary of area in which 

lina is broken wells may obtain sufficient water for irrigation

FIOXTBE 7. Map of Superior and Goldstone Valleys, showing boundaries of drainage basins and location

of wells

1917. Some information incorporated in the report was obtained by 

G. A. Waring, of the United States Geological Survey, in the fall of 

1916. Most of the well data were furnished by D. K. Crutts, who 

drilled nearly all the wells in the valley.

Part of the basin of Superior Valley is shown on the Searles Lake 

topographic map, and on this map the divide is shown fairly definitely. 

On the north, northwest, and west it is formed by mountains and low 

connecting hills, the principal peaks of which are Eagle Crags, Pilot
VALMBY 289

Knob, and Slocum Mountain. On the southwest it is more indefinite* 

Opal Mountain forms a-definite boundary, but between that mountain and Slocum Mountain the divide cam not be accurately determined from the topographic map. It is possible that an a£e$;of 

25 square miles or more on the west side of Slocum Mountain drains 

to Superior Valley. On the map of the valley (fig. 7) it hag not been 

included in the drainage basin. On the south the divide is formed in 

part by low hills and in part by a gently sloping plain. On this plain 

the divide is indefinite.

On the east and southeast the divide is not definitely known. A 

rock ridge extends approximately from Lane Mountain, in T. 82 S., 

R. 47 E. Mount Diablo meridian, northward as far as sec. 17, T. 31 

S., R. 47 E. To the north, in sec. 5 of the same township and approximately in line with the ridge, stand two isolated buttes, and farther 

north and northwest rise low mountains. From the west the ridge 

and the buttes north of it seem to form the eastern border of ,thf 

drainage basin, but east of the buttes and the ridge lies a considerable 

area of nearly level land. Part of this eastern area probably drains 

southeast to Coyote Lake, and part probably lies in the drainage 

basin of Superior Valley, but this was not definitely determined. The 

eastern boundary of the drainage basin as shown on Plate 7 and 

Figure 7 may be somewhat in error.

The total area of the drainage basin as shown on Plate 7 is 280 

square miles, of which approximately 30 square miles is occupied by 

mountains, 245 square miles by alluvial slopes, and 5 square miles by 

playas. *

The valley is reached by a good road from Barstow, which crosses 

the valley from southeast to northwest. On the northwest this road 

leads to Randsburg and points north, and to Ballarat and the northern 

part of Death Valley. A branch road leads north on the east side of 

the valley to Indian Spring and thence to Leach Spring and to South 

Death Valley. These two roads are connected on the north by a roa4 

that stretches east and west. Numerous minor roads lead to all part® 

of the valley and to adjoining valleys.

Along the principal routes of travel water is obtainable at Indian 

Spring, at a poorly protected well or spring at Copper City, and 

possibly at several homesteads. Along the main road from Barstow 

to Copper City in January, 1920, water could be obtained by hand 

pump at the Crutts ranch, although there was no one at the place 

when visited by the writer. The other ranches along this road were 

apparently abandoned, and the pumps had either been pulled up. 

were not in working order.

There are no towns in the valley. Mail was brought from Barstow 

to Crutts post office, which was located in a rancher's house in the 

south-central part of the valley, but the post office wits discontinued
24$ THE MOHAVE DESERT REG-ION, CALIFORNIA

in 1922. Settlers' cabins are scattered throughout the valley. In 

If 16 a town site was laid out at the mining camp of Goldstone, on 

the northeast border of the valley, but in the fall of 1917 all mining 

activity had ceased. So far as is known mineral deposits have not 

been developed at any other place in the drainage basin, although 

iome prospecting has been done in the vicinity of Copper GLty, an 

abandoned prospector's camp, now marked only by a well.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

Superior Valley is an elevated valley which consists mostly of 

nearly level land that slopes to a central depression and is surrounded 

by a relatively narrow border of mountainous territory. The lowest 

part of the valley is slightly elongated along an eastward-trending 

axis, which is somewhat south of the center of the drainage basin.

The lowest part of the valley lies at an altitude of about 3,000 feet, 

which is from 400 to 1,000 feet higher than the lowest part of adjacent 

drainage basins, except perhaps a small drainage basin on the northeast, which in this report is called the Goldstone Basin. From the 

lowest part of the valley the land rises gradually in all directions to 

rock hills and mountains. The valley lands rise more steeply on the 

north and west sides of the valley than on the south and east. The 

mountains on the north and west likewise are steeper and rise to 

greater altitudes than those on the opposite sides. The border of 

the basin on the east and south is formed of several more or less 

isolated buttes and ridges, none of which reach altitudes much greater 

than about 4,000 feet, and these are separated by much lower areas 

that are underlain by unconsolidated alluvium. On the north and 

west most of the,divide is above 4,000 feet and several peaks rise 

above 5,000 feet. In that part of the basin the divide is apparently 

entirely formed by bedrock. Slocum Mountain and the Eagle Crags 

are the only large mountains, however. Most of the border on the 

north and west is formed by a relatively narrow ridge from which 

rise numerous knobs.

From the lowest part of the valley the land rises southward with a 

rather gentle uniform slope above which several isolated rock buttes 

rise steeply. The slope seems to be a typical alluvial slope, but at a 

number of places rock crops out in shallow washes, and in dry placer 

workings near the Williams well, a short distance south of the divide, 

bedrock is found at a depth of 3 or 4 feet. Apparently the slope on 

the south side of the valley is not an alluvial slope due to deposition 

but rather an erosional slope or mountain pediment, beveled across 

rocks and covered with a thin veneer of alluvium. Well records 

show that in even the lower part of the valley the alluvium is not 

very thick. On the north side of the valley rock was struck at a depth 

of 85 feet in well 1 (see table on p. 247 and fig. 7), i
T. 30 N., E; 45 E. Mount Diablo meridian; at the same depth in 

well 3, in the SE. }4 sec. 24 of the same township j and at 9& feefcjn 

weli<% ia the SW.. ^ sec. 19, T. 30 8^ R, 46 E.w .... s , i^

On the south side of the valley rock was struck at 135 feet at UM* 

Cnilts ranch well (No. 19), in the SW. A 1 sec.- 31, T. 31 

at 95 feet in well 20, in the NE. Y± of the same section; and a 

in well 18, in the SE. J^ sec. 19 of the same township. A well 

at Goldstone reached rock at a depth of 50 feet. *Roek' was 

reached in wells in the center of the valley, but the deepest well ia 

only 306 feet deep.

The central portion of the valley is occupied by three playas, 

which lie almost in an east-west line. According to the topographic 

map the west playa is 3,015 feet above sea level, the middle playa 

3,000 feet (bench mark 3006, at the south side of the playa is about 5 

feet above, the playa surface), and the east playa 2,980 feet." Ill 

some other valleys where several playas occupy the same basin, as 

in Antelope Valley, the altitude of the playas is practically the same. 

In such places the different playas have been formed by the dismemberment of a single large playa through the formation of sand dunes or 

the building out of alluvial fans. The difference in altitude of the 

three playas in Superior Valley suggests a slope of the land to tk6 

east before the drainage was cut off, probably owing to the building 

out of the alluvial slopes from the north or south.

The borders of the playas in most places are marked, by a rather

abrupt rise of about 5 feet. This rise is doubtless a poorly de

- ' - *. _ - - :; it .1 -, i. _ . _ -"

bench that was cut when the playas were covered with sufficient 

water to permit wave action. No beach ridges or other ancient 

shore features were observed, and the drainage area is so small that 

it is not likely that a perennial lake existed here during Pleistocene 

time.

The surface of the playas in dry weather is. hard and .smoXith. It 

is said to be covered by water each .winter, but the water,is. generally 

so shallow that it is frequently blown from one side of the playas to 

the other. It is said that when the water is thus blown to one ftMe 

the recently uncovered surface is so hard that one can walk across it. 

This condition is hi contrast to that of many playa surfaces, wfiieii 

become plastic and muddy under similar circumstances. It may be 

due to the fineness of the clay, or perhaps to the fact that the soil 

of the playa deposits, as shown by a sample from the middle 

contains a high percentage of calcium carbonate, which

* According to the official township plats of recent resurveys in Superior Valley by tbe General l^d 

Office, the township lines on the Searles Lake topographic map are ab^pi a quarter of a mile too far taa^. 

The data are not sufficient to locate the township lines correctly OB Figtue 7, which is compiled from tti» 

Searles Lake map, and they are shown as qn that map. Tbe w«Da, however, are located as accurately st 

possible with respect to topographic features and roads as shown on tbe township plat. For this reason 

they do not appear te te located properly with respect to the township lines on the SearJe* Lake map.
242 THE MOHAVE DESEKT BBGHON, CAUFOENIA

much of the fine material into minute concretions and renders it 

impervious. (See analysis, p. 67.) The ground-water level lie.s 

nearly 100 feet below the playas, and in every respect they are good 

examples of the dry type of playa. (See p. 1250 Near the southwest border of the basin, in the southeastern part of T. 31 S., R. 44 

E., and T. 32 S., R. 45 E., are three small playas. These seem to 

occupy small distinct basins of their own, but for convenience one 

of them is included in Superior Valley and the other two in Harper 

Valley. None of them were seen by the writer.

GEOLOGY

STEATIGEAPHY

The rocks exposed in the region consist of granitic rocks, volcanic 

rocks of both Tertiary and Pleistocene age, a pre-Tertiary sedimentary series, a sedimentary series that is probably Tertiary or 

Pleistocene, and Recent alluvium.

Near Copper City the rocks are principally granitic or dioritic 

intrusives. West and northwest of that place, especially at Pilot 

Knob, the granite is overlain by isolated patches of volcanic rocks 

of Tertiary age, which stand out as prominent knobs. Numerous 

small knobs shown on the topographic map in the territory northeast 

of Pilot Knob are doubtless also composed of volcanic rocks that rest 

on a basement of intrusive rocks. Slocum Mountain, as seen from 

a distance, is apparently composed of the same intrusive rocks as 

those that occur near Copper City. The ridge that extends north 

and south in Tps. 31 and 32 S., R. 47 E., consists of granitic rocks. 

West of the ridge, where the conditions suggest a mountain pediment, granite of the same series probably occurs at a depth of a few 

feet. The buttes that rise above the pediment in several places 

are apparently formed of rocks of the same series as those at Pilot 

Knob (see below), and they probably likewise rest on the eroded 

surface of the granite. Well logs indicate that rocks of the same 

intrusive series underlie a large part of the valley. The age of the 

intrusive rocks is not known, but the dioritic character of the rocks 

in some places shows that it is doubtless Mesozoic. 

. Volcanic rocks of probable Tertiary age occur at a number of places 

as steep-sided buttes. The most prominent of these is Pilot Knob, 

approximately in sec. 24, T. 29 S., R. 44 E. Mount Diablo meridian. 

The knob is a nearly flat-topped butte composed of bedded rocks, 

red above and white and greenish below, which rest on granitic 

rocks. (See pi. 14, B.) The butte was not visited by the writer, 

but according to Gilbert 69 and Spurr,70 the capping of the knob is

« Gilbert, O. K., Report on the geology of portions of Nevada, Utah, California, and Arizona examined 

in the years 1871 and 1872: U. S. Qeog. and Geol. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Bept., vol. 3, p. 124,1875.

« Spurr, J. E., Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portiona of 

California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 208, pp. 216-217,1903.
SUPERIOR YA1LEY 248

basaltic lava and the underlying rocks are volcanic products, probably 

tuffs. Pilot Knob is one of the highest peaks for many miles, and 

its characteristic shape and color make it a landmark that can b© 

seen from nearly all points within a radius of 25 miles. On clear 

days it may be recognized from the north base of the San Gabriel 

Mountains, about 75 miles away.

Other steep-sided buttes at different places in the drainage basin, 

especially on the south side, are composed of volcanic rocks that 

probably belong to the same general series as those of Pilot Knob. 

The rocks of the Eagle Crags, in the northeastern part of the basin, 

are also believed to belong to the same series. These crags were 

not visited, but as observed from the road near Indian Spring the 

mountain mass that forms them consists of high, steep-sided ridges 

made by the cutting of several large canyons. In these ridges are 

exposed a series of purplish, reddish, and grayish bedded rocks. 

On the south, where the beds appear in almost vertical cliffs, they 

dip about 15° W.

Lava, probably of Quaternary age, isJtound hi at least two places 

in the region. A lava flow lies west of the north-south road that is 

near the east line of T. 32 S., K. 45 E. This flow apparently extends 

some miles to the northwest and may reach Opal Mountain. Has 

mountain, however, as seen from a distance, is composed of purplishred rock at the top with white below, and these may be Tertiary 

volcanic rocks. The lava flow near the road mentioned above is 

rather fresh in appearance, although it seems to be more weathered 

than the lava flow near Lavic, along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway. (See p. 653.) The basaltic lava that forms Black 

Mountain, a few miles farther west, is considered to be Quaternary, 

and the lava flow that borders Superior Valley is doubtless related 

to it. A small tongue of lava was observed north of the road about 

midway between Copper City and Indian Spring. From its blabk 

color and unweathered appearance it is probably of Quaternary age*

A series of sedimentary rocks older than Tertiary occurs- in the 

northeastern part of the drainage basin around Goldstone. According to C. C. Jones,71 the rocks in the vicinity of Goldstone consist 

of a series of limestone, quartzite, slate, sericite schist, and shale 

that has a total thickness of at least 10,000 feet. The strike of the 

beds is approximately northwest, and they dip 25°-35° NE. The 

rocks are cut by a series of altered dikes, probably originally diorite, 

which are approximately parallel to the bedding. The following 

log shows the rocks struck in a well drilled near the Goldstone town 

site. (See p. 250.)

« Jones, C. C.; editorial note in article by A. E. Ran, Goldstone district, San Bernardino County, Calif.: 

Mia< and Oil Boll., vol. 2, No. 7, pp. 149-155, 1918. . T -
244 TEE MOHAVE I>ESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Log of well near Goldatdnt, Calif. 

[DriUed for Ooldstone Mining Co. by D. K. CratteJ

Lime shale __ ___ _ . __ . . __ _ - .., _ . ......

Blue limestone.-- __ _ __ _ .... __ .' __

Black borostone and pyrite, with traces of copper ________________

Thickness 

(feet)

23

22

5

37

30

178

13

12

26

Depth 

Tfeet)

28

46

60

87

117

295

320 2>4.it

Traces of gold were found at a number of places in the well. Water was not found.

The rocks contain gold, silver, lead, and copper bearing minerals, 

but mining has been done principally for the gold. So far as the 

writer is aware, no evidence has been found as to the age of the rocks. 

No fossils were found during a hasty search of the dump pile from a 

shaft 325 feet deep. The rock in this dump was principally a dense 

blue limestone. Jones states that the sedimentary series was laid 

down on a basement of granitic rocks. These rocks may be either 

the pre-Cambrian or the Mesozoic granite. However, as the sedir 

mentary series is cut by dioritic dikes and as the Mesozoic intrusive 

masses in the region contain dioritic phases the sediments are probr 

ably Paleozoic.

Sedimentary beds of probable Tertiary or Pleistocene age ; ar$ 

exposed on the south flank of the Eagle Crags, where wide, deep 

washes have been cut in what is apparently an ancient alluvial fan 

built out from the mountains. The age of these beds is .uncertain, 

but they are certainly older than the recent alluvium and may be as 

old as Tertiary. A prominent outcrop of a well-consolidated conglomerate at the road junction a quarter of a mile east of Indian 

Spring may belong to the same series, but it is more consolidated ftttd 

probably is somewhat older.

, The alluvial deposits, which occur in the central portion of the valley 

are essentially similar to those in other valleys and consist of sand, 

gravel, and clay. Apparently there is more coarse material than in 

some of the other valleys, for beds of boulders are reported in several 

well logs. The clay deposits do not form so large a proportion of thq 

beds as elsewhere. The clay beds of the playas and the soil around tfc$ 

playas apparently contain more calcium carbonate than is found itt 

most of the other valleys.

STRUCTURE

As previously stated, on the southeastern border of the vaHey stands 

a more or less continuous ridge that extends northward from Lane 

Mountain. The ridge gradually becomes lower toward the nortii and 

ends ift MKS. 17, T. 31 S., E. 47 E. Mount Diablo meridian, about 2
SUPERIOR Y4HJBY ' 246

miles south of the Ausland ranch, trat buttes and low hills northwest 

of that place are in line with the ridge. In its. southern part the ridge 

does not rise very high above the mountain pediment on the west, 

but on the east there is a steep descent to a valley that drains to 

Coyote Dry Lake. Canyons that drain to Coyote Dry Lake by 

headword erosion have cut westward entirely through the ridge 

and have captured small areas that formerly drained westward. 

The topographic features suggest strongly that the ridge has been 

faulted upward with respect to the valley east of it. There is further 

evidence of a fault along the line of the ridge and near-by buttes in 

tile depth to water on each side of the buttes near the Ausland ranch. 

As shown in the section on ground water, the water table at the Ausland 

ranch is nearly 150 feet lower than at ranches west of the buttes. 

Apparently the change in the water level is abrupt, as if there were a 

barrier or dam which held the water higher on the west side.

The steep cliffs of the Eagle Crags, the dip of the beds exposed in 

the cliffs of those mountains, and the dissection of the alluvial beds 

on the south side of the mountains suggest that this mass is an upfaulted block, but there was no opportunity to look for critical 

evidence. The numerous isolated buttes composed of Tertiary volcanic rocks may be faulted blocks. However, they do not seem to be 

greatly disturbed, and it is quite likely that they are remnants of 

flows which covered a much larger area and which have now been 

nearly all eroded.

CLIMATE

No reliable climatic data are available for Superior Valley. According to measurements by D. K. Crutts the rainfall was 16 niches 

in 1915-16 and less than 7 inches hi the following year. His measurements, however, were made in an open pan and probably were subject to error. There is no large mountain mass that would greatly 

influence precipitation, and it is doubtful whether the normal rainfall 

is as great as 12 niches. It is believed that the average amount is 

not more than 5 to 7 inches.

On account of the comparatively high altitude of the valley the 

temperature both hi summer and in winter is probably somewhat 

lower than that hi most of the other desert valleys. Mr. Crutts 

reports a minimum temperature as low as 6° above zero in the winter 

of 1916-17, and as low as 10° in the two preceding winters. Winter 

morning temperatures several degrees below freezing are common. 

A maximum summer temperature of 116° has been recorded, but hi 

1915 the maximum was only 98°, and in 1916 it was 106°. 

5631 29 17
246 THE MOHA.VE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

SOILS

A sample of soil from the central playa contained much calcium 

carbonate. (See p. 67.) Although no other samples were collected, the soils of the lower part of the alluvial slope for some distance 

around the playas also seem to be high in this constituent, and 

some of the soil is in a hardened form similar to caliche. Farther 

away from the playas the soils in the valley seem to be of the usual 

type of compact sandy soil derived from the mechanical disintegration 

of granitic rocks.

VEGETATION

Creosote bush, the common desert plant, is found on the alluvial 

slopes but not near the playas. Ground water is not close to the surface, and the soil apparently is not alkaline, as is common where 

creosote is absent near playas. Its absence near the playas is not 

due to ground water and apparently not to alkali in the soil, but it 

may be due to the high content of calcium carbonate in the soil.

A good growth of bunch grass, better than that in most parts of 

the Mohave Desert region, was observed at several places in the valley, especially in the northwestern part. Some cattle are fed on this 

grass, but the forage is not sufficient to support any large number. 

A few yuccas grow in the valley. No water-indicating plants were 

observed except in a wash near Indian Spring, where ground water 

may occur close to the surface beneath a small area.

WATER RESOURCES

GENERAL FEATURES

There are no streams in Superior Valley, and all the water supply is 

derived from underground sources. Data were collected in regard to20 wells that have been drilled in the valley, and these give a good 

idea as to the ground-water conditions. The location of these wellsis shown on Figure 7, and data in regard to them are given in the 

accompanying table. In brief, the data show that the depth to water 

everywhere in the valley is nearly 100 feet or more. In a large part 

of the valley rock is likely to be encountered before ground water is. 

struck, and the quantity of water available is not great.

As stated in the description of the physical features, the valley ispartly divided by a ridge that extends approximately north and 

south through T. 31 S., R. 47 E., and by buttes north of this ridge,, 

which are possibly a continuation of it. The ground-water conditions 

east of the buttes are somewhat different from those west of it, and, 

for convenience the conditions west of the buttes are discussed first*
Records of wells in Superior VoMey, Calif.

No. 

on 

fig.7

1 

2 

3

4 

5 

6

7

8

9 

ID 

11 

12 

13 

14

15 

14

17 

13

19 

20

Location (Mount DJablo 

meridian)

Quarter

NE. 

SW.

SE. 

? 

NW. 

NE.

NE.

NE.

NE. 

SE. 

SW. 

SE. 

SE.

SW. 

SW.

SE. 

SE.

SW.

NE.

Sec.

14 

19 

24 

26 

1 

1 

5

2

(") 

12 

5 

7 

15 

IS

24 

19

19 

19

21 

21

T.N.

30 

30 

30 

30 

31 

31 

31

31

30 

31 

31 

31 

31 

31

31 

31

31 

31

31 

31

R.E.

45 

46 

45 

45 

45 

45 

46

46

47 

45 

47 

46 

45 

46

45 

46

46 

46

46 

46

Owner

E. V. Edmonds ........

E. V. Edmonds ........

L. H. Baker. __ . __ .

Goldstone Mining Co.. 

O. J. Eekley __

Mrs. M. A. Moffat ..... 

P. P. Correll.. .........

O.N.King.............

.....do ...............

B. B. Crutts ______

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

105 

99 

85 

209 

230 

250 

306

225

345 

201 

278 

136 

220 

200

208 

120

150 

192

150 

135

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

8 

8 

8

8 

8 

12

8

8 

12 

8 

8 

12 

8

8 

8

8 

8

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

Dry. 

Dry. 

Dry. 

175 

»118 

125 

105

105

Dry. 

 95.6 

249 

113 

115 

113

122 

112

135 

Dry.

121 

Dry?

Drawdown 

(feet)

........

11

........

12

8

Method of lift

................

Windmill .....

"Turbinel""" 

Jack pump ....

Hand bailer

Lift...... .....

Ee

porte

yiel

(gallo

pe

min

ute

.....

18

 45

""72

 225

 ISO

« Al Imeasorements, unless otherwise stated in footnotes are those given by owner, well driller, or other person; 

not known.

* Measured by D. Q. Thompson, Jan. 24,1920; reference point for measurement, top of casing, 2 feet above surf

« Measured by D. K. Crutts by means of weir.

' Eiact location uncertain. Well said to be near township line and presumably near Goldstone town site.

* Measured by D. O. Thompson, Jan. 24? 1930; reference point for measurement, top of casing level with ground
248 TEE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA 

GKOtTND WATEB IN WESTEBN PART OF VALLEY

In only one well (Mo. 10), in the NE. Y± sec. 12, T. 31 S., R. 45 E., 

is the depth to water less than 100 feet, and in that well it was 95.6 

feet when measured. This well is in the central part of the valley. 

In other wells in the central part of the valley, where the water should 

be nearest the surface, the depth to the water table is at least 100 

feet. Except in one well, however, the depth to water is not more 

than 125 feet. In well 4, in sec. 26, T. 30 S., E. 45 E., the depth to 

water is reported to have been 175 feet when the well was drilled. 

This well is at least 50 to 75 feet higher than the other wells in which 

water has been reached.

Approximate altitudes determined from the topographic map 

show that the water table in the valley as far east as the township 

line between Rs. 46 and 47 E., is probably nearly flat, although 

perhaps it rises slightly toward the north and south.

The materials penetrated in the wells consist of alternating beds of 

clay, sand, and gravel, in places with large boulders, and some of the 

wells penetrated bedrock. In some places the boulders seem to be 

mixed with clay, in others they are mixed in the gravel, and in still 

others there seem to be boulder beds that contain practically no fine 

material. In several wells clay similar to the clay of the playas was 

encountered. Such clay beds were thin, and except in one well they 

were near the surface. The logs of the wells do not show that the 

playa deposits are very thick or extend far beyond the surface limits 

of the present flats.

Although local inhabitants have considered that the alluvium 

contains water at two distinct horizons, there is no evidence in the 

well logs that such is the condition over any large area. In some wells 

gravel extends nearly all the way from the surface to a depth of 200 

feet, and in other wells a mile or two distant the gravel beds may be 

separated by two or more clay beds. The beds are apparently all 

deposited by wash from the mountains, and it is to be expected that 

no distinct beds would extend over a large area.

Bedrock was struck in at least eight wells in the western part of the 

drainage basin. In several the rock was struck before water was 

reached, and these wells are dry. Rock was reached at depths of 

60 and 70 feet in two wells in the SE. ^ see. 19, T. 31 S., R. 46 E. 

No water was obtained in either well, although one of them (No. 18) 

was drilled to a depth of 192 feet. In another well (No. 17), about a 

quarter of a mile north of No. 18, rock described as quartzite was 

struck at 54 feet, and water was struck at 135 feet. The waterbearing bed, which was only 6 inches thick, was reported as gravel, 

but it probably was really only a crevice in the rock. In well 16, in 

the SW. % of the same section, rock was struck in the bottom of the
V&LEJBTY

71 3

<*N 777,

well at a depth, of 120 feet. Water was found in this wsll in gravel

at 112 feet. The welk juet mentioned are a

short distance north and northwest of a low

reek m In well 20, in tbe NE. M sec. 21, T.

31 $., K, 46 E., rock described by the driller as

qimrtzcte was struck at $5 feet and extended

to 13ft feet, and below that for 5 feet rock

described as gabbro was penetrated. No water

was found and the well was abandoned. In the

lowest part of the valley, around the playas

and for a mile or two north of them, rock has

not been reached in wells, bat the deepest well

(No. 7) is only 306 feet deep. On the north

sidle of the valley rock has been reached in

three wells (Nos. 1, 2r and 3) at depths of 85 to

100 feet. The relation of the water table to the

alluvium and bedrock is shown in Figure 8.

The information obtained from the few wells 

that have been drilled shows that throughout 

a large part of the valley the bedrock lies at a 

depth of 50 to 150 feet, and jock may be struck 

before the wate? table is reached. In this 

territory water might be obtained from crevices 

in the rock if the wells are drilled deep enough, 

bat thk is not certain. The rocks are apparently crystalline rocks, which are not porous, 

so that even if water were obtained from them 

the quantity would be sufficient only for 

household use or to water a few head of cattle. 

It is therefore evident that a large part of the 

land that is otherwise suitable for farming can 

not be irrigated because there is no water 

supply for it.

The area in which it is believed that sufficient 

water for irrigation may be obtained before rock 

is struck is outlined approximately on Figure 7< 

Except near wells 14 to 18 the location of the 

boundary may be hi .error by a mile or two, but 

nevertheless it gives some idea of the restricted 

area in which water may be obtained for 

irrigation.

113 M

GBOTTND WATER IN EASTEEN PAET OF VALLEY

The data available in regard to ground-water § $ 3 S- 3

conditions in the eastern part of the drainage 

basin are meager. So far as is known only one well, the Ausland
250 THE MOHAVE DESEET EEGION, CALIFOBNIA.

(No. 11), reached water. This well, which is about half a mile 

southeast of two rock buttes, is 278 feet deep. Water was apparently found only near the bottom, but when the water-bearing stratum 

was reached the water rose in the well and stands about 249 feet 

from the top. The materials penetrated are said to have been 

compact sand or gravel like the soil formed of decomposed granite, 

which is found throughout a large part of the desert. Although 

boulders were found in a number of the wells in the western part of 

the valley, they were absent in the Ausland well. This fact is rather 

surprising, in view of the closeness of the well to rock buttes about 

half a mile to the northwest. It suggests that the buried slope of the 

buttes must descend rather steeply to the east.

The water level in the Ausland well is more than 100 feet lower 

than the water table in the western part of the valley. Apparently 

the change in the altitude of the water table is not gradual. In a 

well (No. 3) in the NE. ^ sec. 2, T. 31 S., R. 46 E., about 3J^ miles 

west of the Ausland well, the depth to water is only 105 feet. The 

altitude of the water table there is about the same as farther west, 

whereas if the water table sloped eastward to the Ausland well, it 

should be considerably lower at well 3. The two rock buttes about 

half a mile west of the Ausland well are in line with the long ridge 

that forms the southeast boundary of the basin. As suggested in the 

section on geology this ridge may be a block raised by faulting, and 

the buttes west of the Ausland well may be a continuation of this 

uplifted block. A buried dam formed in this way would explain the 

difference in the altitude of the water table in the eastern and central 

parts of the basin.

The only other well in the eastern part of the valley is one drilled 

for the Goldstone Mining Co. In this well rock was struck at 45 feet, 

and the well was drilled to a depth of 345 feet without finding water. 

(See log, p. 244.) The exact location of this well is not known, but 

it is said to be near the east line of T. 30 S., R. 47 E. Mount Diablo 

meridian, near the town site of Goldstone. This location would 

place it in a small arm of the valley almost entirely surrounded by 

rock hills, and it is not surprising that rock was struck so close to the 

surface. The surface at the well is approximately 300 feet above the 

Ausland well, where the depth to water is 249 feet. Thus the bottom 

of the Goldstone well is about 200 feet above the water table in the 

lower part of the valley. Possibly water might have been obtained 

if the well had been drilled to that depth, but the rocks may be so 

tight that they contain no water.
-. u? "fi .".-' JUTHBBOB

YIELD OP WELLS

The yield of wells in the central part of the valley seems fco.be 

sufficient for irrigation, although actual tests are available for only 

one or two wells. The well of O. J. Eckley (No. 3), in the NB. M 

sec. 12, T. 31 S., R. 45 E., is said to have yielded approximately 720 

gallons a minute (80 miner's inches), with a drawdown of 16 feet. 

The pumping plant at this well was dismantled in 1918. The well of 

D. W. Longwell (No. 7), in the NE. % sec. 5, T. 31 S., R. 46 E,, 

yielded 450 gallons a minute (50 miner's inches) with a drawdown of 

11 feet when tested with a weir by D. K. Crutts. The driller estimated that the well of Paul P. Covell (No. 13) would yield 225 gallons 

a minute (25 miner's inches). The yield of two other wells (Nos. 6 

and 15) was estimated by the driller at 180 gallons a minute (20 

miner's niches) each, but they had not been tested when the field 

data were obtained. The yield of several other wells was given as 

less than 10 gallons each. Most of the wells with small yield are 

those which struck rock. These wells are on the border of the watercontaining beds, or in some places the water comes from the rock 

itself.

QUALITY OF WATER

The quality of water in the three springs on the borders of the 

valley is discussed elsewhere. (See p. 254.) Only one analysis 

(No. 1, p. 252) is available for the water from a deep well in the central 

part of the valley. This analysis represents a sample collected by G. 

A. Waring from the weU of B. B. Crutts (No. 19), in sec. 21, T. 31 

S., R. 46 E. Mount Diablo meridian. The water is a sodium carbonate water that contains 334 parts of total dissolved solids per million. 

It is good for domestic use and fair for use in boilers and for irrigation. 

Although no other analyses are available of water from wells in the 

central part of the valley, the water is probably in general of as good 

quality, for no bad water was reported in the wells for which logs were 

obtained. The samples from Indian Springs and from the well at 

Copper City are of the same general character as that from the Crutts 

Well. The more concentrated water from the spring half a mile east 

of Copper City apparently comes from a formation of small extent. 

There is no reason to believe that water in most of the valley should 

be of other than good quality.
252 THE MOHAVE DE8EET KJQION, CALIFORNIA

Analyses of ground waters from Superior Valley, Calif. 

[Farts per million]

SaiearSiOs)........ .................. ............

Iron(Fe) _-...- . . ._--._.. 

Calcium (Ca).... ___________________

Magnesium (Mg) .. _______________

Sodium and potassium (Na+K). _ . _________

Carbonate radicle (COa) ________________

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOa) _______________

Sulphate radicle (SOi) _ . _____ . .................

Chloride radicle <C1)..... .. ....................

Nitrate radicle (NOs)~ . . ...............

Total dissolved solids at 180° C _____________

Total hardness as CaCOi (calculated) ..................

Date of collection... __________________

1

30

22

8.3

 77

0

197

42

28

14

334

89

(»)

2

107

.05

13

7.8

 39

12

96

21

12

14

289

65

W

8

46

.33

21

3.3

117

0

138

97

58

3.2

421

66 («)

4

S8

.20

122

38

810

0

456

405

216

6.4

1,406

461 (')

« Calculated. 

» Aug. 21,1918. 

« Sept. 22,1917. 

« Jan. 10,1918.

Analysts: 1, 8. C. Dinsmore; 2 and 4, Margaret D. Foster, IT. S. Geological Survey; 3, Addle T. Qeiger 

and C. H. Kidwell, IT. S. Geological Survey.

1. Well 19, Figure 7 and table on page 247; B. B. Crutts, owner.

2. Indian Spring, in sec. 4, T. 30 S., R. 46 £. Mount Diablo meridian. (See p. 253.)

3. Well at Copper City, in sec. 6, T. 30 S., B. 45 E. Mount Dtoblo meridian. (See p. 254.)

4. Unnamed spring in sec. 5, T. 30 S., R. 45 E. Mount Diablo meridian. (See p. 254.)

QUANTITY OF GEOUND WATEE AVAILABLE

The quantity of ground water available for use in Superior Valley 

is apparently not great, because the precipitation is low and the 

drainage area is relatively small, so that the initial supply is not 

large, and because apparently much of the water that is absorbed by 

the alluvium drains to adjacent basins.

The average annual rainfall is probably not more than 5 inches. 

Most of the drainage area is nearly level land with a mantle of alluvium, and in this part much of the rain is evaporated before it has 

penetrated far into the soil. The mountainous part of the drainage 

area covers only 30 square miles and is composed largely of isolated 

hills. As a result there is very little concentration of the run-off. 

The conditions are not favorable for the absorption of a large quantity 

of water.

The fact that the water table lies at a depth of nearly 100 feet or 

even more throughout the valley is significant. If a basin is watertight the water table will stand within a few feet of the surface. 

If, however, the water table lies at a considerable depth it is reasonably certain that there is an underground leakage from the basin. 

This is apparently the condition in Superior Valley. The valley is 

several hundred feet above the valleys that adjoin it, and there are 

at least two places where, it is believed, underground drainage is 

possible. The border of the southwest corner of the basin, in T. 32 

S., K. 45 E., is composed of a basaltic lava flow of Quaternary age 

In other places where such lava is found it is much fractured, and 

water passes through it freely. It therefore seems possible that
StfPBBIOR VAUJEY 253

ground water can drain from Superior Valley southwestward to Harper 

Valley, nearly 1,000 feet lower, where the water table is. dose to the 

surface and in places is under artesian pressure. The southeastern 

border of the valley, in the northeastern part of T, 1£ N., IL 1 E. 

San Bemardino meridian, is apparently composed of alluvium, but 

this has not been definitely ascertained. If it is, the ground water 

could drain southward on the east side of Lane Mourttam and thence 

southeastward to Coyote Dry Lake, on the west side- of which tt« 

ground water is under sufficient artesian pressure to produce flowing 

wells. It seems certain that there is underground drainage- is the 

eastern part of the basin, for if there were not the water level in the 

Ausland well should be at least as high as that in the wells farther 

west. This condition would exist because even if the eastern part of 

the valley forms an independent ground-water basin, in the absence 

of an underground outlet the water table would rise- until it reached 

the surface or found an outlet into the western part of the valley, 

The fact that the water table is so much lower in the eastern part of 

the valley points very strongly to an outlet from that part of the 

basin, even if there is no outlet in the southwest. It is possible that 

there may be underground leakage at other places not suspected.

If there is underground leakage from the valley most of the water 

that reaches the water table annually must drain out of the underground reservoir and is not available for use in the valley. This loss 

from the valley could doubtless be prevented if the water table could 

be lowered below the lowest point of the buried imperviofBa rim by 

pumping.

WATEKING PLACES

Data were obtained in regard to three springs in the valley. They 

are all near the border of the valley and are useful only as roadside 

watering places or for watering, cattle.

Indian Spring, situated approximately in see. 4, T,30 S.r R. 46 E» 

Mount Diablo meridian, is a valuable watering place on the road 

from Barstow to South Death Valley by way of Leach Spring. It 

is the last reliable watering place before Leach Spring is reached, a 

distance of about 25 miles. The spring is in a low wash about a 

fifth of a mile west of the junction of roads from Copper City and 

from Barstow. It is about 100 feet north of the road, and when 

visited by the writer the brush was so high that one would not suspectthe ^presence of a spring. The wash in which it lies is marked by 

many boulders and is just at the point where the road to Copper City 

bends to the southwest. The spring is in a low mound of gravel and 

boulders. -When visited it was well boxed and covered, (See 

pi. 15, B.) The water was about 2*4 feet deep, and it stood about 

level with the bottom of the wash. There was no apparent outflow. 

The source apparently is the gravelly wash that reaches out from
254 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

the Eagle Crags. Probably water is close to the surface for some 

distance along the wash. An analysis of the water (No. 2 in table, 

p. 252) shows that it contains only 289 parts of total dissolved solids 

per million and is of good quality for domestic use.

A watering place known as Copper City is approximately in the 

SE. M sec. 6, T. 30 S., R. 45 E. Mount Diablo meridian. Formerly 

there were several houses at this place, but these are now destroyed. 

The well is about 100 yards north of the junction of the road between 

Barstow and Granite Wells and roads leading westward to Blackwater Well and southward on the west side of Slocuin Mountain. 

The junction is marked by signs erected by the United States Geological Survey and the Automobile Club of Southern California. 

The watering place is perhaps more truly a well than a spring, for it 

is a hole about 5 feet in diameter dug to a depth of 13 feet in a small 

gulch eroded in a granitic rock. It is partly walled in on the downhill 

side but not cemented, so that when filled by rain water it can overflow, but animals can not reach it. Although the hole is probably 

filled by surface run-off during storms some water doubtless enters 

it in dry periods by seeping in from fractures in the rock. When 

visited on September 22, 1917, the water stood 8 feet below the 

surface, but on January 24, 1920, it was 2 or 3 feet higher. It was 

necessary to use a rope and bucket to reach the water. An analysis 

of a sample (No. 3, p. 252) collected in September, 1917, showed the 

water to be good for household use. It is a sodium carbonate water 

that contains 421 parts of dissolved solids per million. When the 

sample was taken the water was clear, but when the spring was visited 

in January, 1920, the water was dirty and covered with a green scum, 

which made it uninviting.

About 0.6 mile east of Copper City and 0.3 mile north of the road 

to Barstow is an unnamed spring. The water comes from a trench 

dug into the hillside in white clay that contains angular pebbles of 

a dark crystalline rock. The exact nature and origift of the formation were not ascertained. In January, 1920, the water was carried 

by a small pipe to a trough near by. Water trickled from the pipe 

at the rate of about a pint a minute, but the trough was nearly full. 

This spring is used for watering stock, as considerable good bunch 

grass grows near by. An analysis of a sample (No. 4, p. 252) taken 

from the spring in September, 1917, showed the water to be of only 

fair quality for domestic use. It contains 1,406 parts of total solids 

and is a sodium sulphate water.

IRRIGATION

At the time the field work was done, in September, 1917*, there had 

not been sufficient development in the valley to determine its agricultural possibilities. The first homesteaders entered the valley in
GOIJ3STONE TALLEY 255

1914, and the progress of development shortly thereafter wa» doubt* 

less hindered by the adverse economic and other conditions incident 

to the World War. Only two pumping plants large enough for irriga-* 

tion had been installed in 1917, and one of these was later dismantled. 

At both plants small tracts of fruit trees and grain had been planted 

with varying degrees of success. At one of the places, where 36 acres 

of fruit trees had been set out, 60 per cent of the trees were said to 

have been lost the first year. These trees were replaced, but many 

were lost again. Apparently the loss was due to improper care in 

cultivation and irrigation.

The pumping lift throughout the valley is at least 100 feet. This 

lift is so great that water can not be pumped economically for alfalfa 

or other crops that yield low returns. In some places in southern 

California, however, water is pumped considerably higher than this 

for irrigating fruits. The winters in Superior Valley are too cold for 

citrus fruits but deciduous fruits could be raised.

The valley is 25 miles from Barstow, the nearest shipping point, 

and the long haul over desert roads would involve considerable 

expense. The area that can be irrigated is so small that no large 

community can be developed.

GOLDSTONE VALLEY

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The name "Goldstone Valley" is given in this report to a small 

valley northeast of Superior Valley. The town site of Goldstone is 

in the drainage basin of Superior Valley, but the Goldstone mine is 

in low hills that form the south border of this valley.

The valley was not visited but was observed from the hills at 

Goldstone. So far as the writer knows, there are no regularly 

traveled roads in it. The only signs of habitation were two or three 

small areas of cleared land on the south side of the valley. The 

physical conditions are unfavorable to any great development of the 

valley.

On the south the valley is separated by low rocky hills from the 

arm of Superior Valley in which Goldstone is located. On the west 

it is separated by low mountains from Superior Valley and a long 

wash that drains to Panamint Valley. On the north and east the 

boundary is not definitely known. About 2 miles northeast of the 

Goldstone mine there is a long ridge which extends northwestward 

for several miles and which may form the divide on the east side 

of the basin. The township plats of the General Land Office, however, 

show another mountain ridge 2 or 3 miles farther northeast that iff 

approximately parallel with the one just mentioned. As seen from 

the hills at Goldstone it seemed to form the divide, and it is so shown 

on Figure 7. The area of the drainage basin as outlined on the map
256 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFORNIA

is 70 square miles, of which approximately 30 square miles consists 

of mountains and 40 square miles of gently sloping valley lands.

The lowest part of the basin, several miles north of the Goldstone 

Hills, is covered by a playa. This playa is wedged in between Mils 

on the east and west that reach to its edge. On the south the land 

rises very gradually to the low hills at Goldstone. On the north 

the rise seenis more abrupt. On the east the playa is bordered by 

the long ridge mentioned above that lies 2 or 3 miles northeast of 

Goldstone.

The physical aspect of the ridge, as seen from the Goldstone Hills, 

and its relation to the playa are very striking. It is several hundred 

feet high at its southeast end, but it slopes northwestward and disappears under the playa. A small outlier that rises out of the playa 

shows that the rocks of the ridge do not lie far beneath the playa 

surface. The top of the ridge appears to be rather smooth. The 

southwest face of the ridge is steep in places and is marked by a series 

of declivities. These steep slopes are suggestive of fault scarps. 

From a distance the ridge seemed to be formed by a lava flow. If 

it is a flow the steep slopes may be original surface forms due to rapid 

cooling of the lava or to erosion of soft beds overlain by a harder cap.

The rocks of the Goldstone Hills, on the south border of the drainage 

basin, are a series of pre-Tertiary sediments, more or less metamorphosed and intruded by dikes. (See p. 243.) Probably some of 

the same series also occur in the low mountains on the west side of 

the basin. The rocks on the northwest side of the basin are probably 

Tertiary volcanic rocks, more or less similar to those of Pilot Knob 

and the Eagle Crags. Such rocks were observed along the road 

hat runs just west of the basin. The mountains on the northeast 

iide of the basin had the characteristic appearance of mountains 

formed of granitic rocks, but they were seen only from so great a 

distance that nothing definite can be said as to their composition.

The land between the Goldstone Hills and the long ridge northeast 

of them does not seem to be very high above the lowest part of the 

basin. The general impression the writer got by observing the 

valley from the Goldstone Hills was that it had at one time drained 

southeastward to either Langford or Coyote Basin and that it had been 

closed by the formation of the long ridge northeast of Goldstone. 

Apparently this change came about by an outpouring of lava, but it 

may have been due to faulting. The building of alluvial fans from the 

hills on each side probably helped to close the gap.

Climatic conditions in the valley are presumably about the same as 

in Superior Valley. The soil at the south end of the valley near the 

Goldstone Hills is rocky, as if the bedrock were not far below the 

surface. The vegetation appeared to be scantier than in some other 

desert valleys, and there was no evidence of good forage.
BICTCLE VAM2BY % 257 

GROUND WATER

No information was obtainable as to whether there are any wells 

or springs in the drainage basin. There is no reason to beHere that 

water is close to the surface. No clumps of mesquite, such as those 

that grow where water is near the surface, were observed around the 

playa in the basin. The bottom of the basin is apparently higher 

than that of the adjacent basins except Superior Valley. The boundary of the basin on the southeast is apparently composed of lava and 

alluvium, through which ground water might readily move from thevalley. Some water could perhaps be obtained from deep wells, but 

it would not be surprising if rock were struck before water was; 

reached.

BICYCLE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

The name Bicycle Valley is given in this report to the valley thai 

drains to a small playa, Bicycle Dry Lake, in the southeastern part 

of T. 14 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian! On some of the old 

maps this playa is called Garlic Lake, but current usage favors 

Bicycle Lake. Garlic Spring, about 2 miles south of the piaya, is 

not in the drainage basin of Bicycle Lake.

On the east the boundary of the drainage basin is formed by a high, 

rather steep mountain known as Tiefort Mountain. The southern 

boundary is formed by low hills that are continuous with Tiefort 

Mountain. On the west the divide apparently is formed partly by a 

low ridge along the'west boundary of T. 14 N., R. 3 E., and partly 

by the alluvial slope from mountains to the north. The divide on the 

northwest and north is formed by an unnamed mountain range, 

which is connected by low hills with the east end of the Granite Mountains. On the east it probably passes through low hills on the southCentral part of T. 15 N., R. 4 E. San Bernardino meridian.

On the northwest Bicycle Valley is separated from Granite Valley 

by low hills that connect the Granite Mountains with a range on the 

southwest. This basin was not visited, and it is not known whether 

there is any surface or underground drainage from it to Bicycle 

Valley. (See p. 201.)

According to approximate barometric observations made independently by G. A. Waring, of the United States Geological Survey, and 

by E. T. Ham, county surveyor of San Bernardino County, thealtitude of Bicycle Lake is between 2,250 and 2,500 feet above sea, 

level, and the summit of the Granite Mountains where it is crossed 

by the Barstow-Silver Lake road is between 3,700 and 4,000 feet* 

A large part of the valley is probably less than 3,000 feet above sealevd.
258 THE. MOHAVE DICTRT .REGION, CALIFORNIA

The valley was entirely uninhabited in 1918. It is crossed by the 

road from Barstow and Daggett to Silver Lake and Death Valley. 

From the north side of Bicycle Dry Lake a poorly defined road to the 

southwest and west is said to lead to Goldstone. This road is reported to be almost impassable for automobiles. An old road also 

leads eastward around the north end of Tiefort Mountain. There 

are no watering places along the roads in the valley.

The valley apparently has no valuable resources. No mines or 

prospects were seen, and there was no evidence that conditions are 

favorable for cattle raising or irrigation.

Most of the valley area within the mountain borders is a long 

slope that extends southward from the Granite Mountains and mountains west of them to Tiefort Mountain. Tiefort Mountain and the 

low hills adjoining it on the west form a broad V in which the drainage 

of the alluvial slope collects, forming Bicycle Dry Lake. On the 

east and west rise low hills which apparently form the divide on those 

sides of the basin, but this was not definitely determined. In the 

northeastern part of the basin the slope may dram eastward to an 

adjoining basin.

The slope between the Granite Mountains and Bicycle Lake is an 

excellent example of the long slopes that extend from many of the 

mountains in the Mohave Desert region. (See pi. 23, B.) From the 

north end of Bicycle Lake, northeastward along the Barstow Silver 

Lake road, the slope rises 150 feet in about 4}^ miles, or about 35 

feet to the mile, according to barometric observations by G. A. 

Waring. In the next 5 miles to the place where 'the road crosses the 

summit the rise is about 1,300 feet or about'260 feet per mile. The 

steepness of the grade increases gradually from the base of the slope 

to the summit of the mountains. The slope is apparently composed 

of alluvium, but areas of gently sloping land extend back into the 

mountains and the upper part is doubtless a mountain pediment 

composed of hard rocks beveled by erosion.

The Granite Mountains, as the name implies, are composed of 

granite rocks. Tiefort Mountain is probably composed of Tertiary 

volcanic rocks, as debris of a reddish vesicular lava is spread over 

Bicycle Lake. Along the road south of the playa lies a purplishbrown lava. A little farther south, along the road to Barstow, there 

are exposures of gneiss and schist cut by granite.

GROUND WATER

So far as is known no wells now exist in Bicycle Valley, and the indications are that no reliable supplies of either surface water or ground 

water can be obtained. A well reported to have been dry many years 

ago was situated near the Death Valley road, at the northeast edge of 

"No. 4 Dry Lake" (evidently Bicycle Dry Lake), near the southwest
LANGFORD VALLEY 259

end of Tiefort Mountain.78 An old hole* which is doubtless the remains of this well, was found close to the road on the north side of the 

playa. It was caved and filled within 15 feet of the top and showed 

no indications of moisture.

There are no indications of ground water near the surface. The 

playa is smooth and hard and belongs to the dry type. There is no 

salt grass around it nor any other indications of ground-water discharge. According to surface appearances the basin is not watertight. The border of the basin north of Tiefort Mountain and in the 

southwest corner is composed of alluvium, and probably there is 

underground leakage either to the east or southwest. It is possible 

that the water appearing at Garlic Springs, on the south side of the 

hills that form the southern border of the valley, comes from Bicycle 

Valley.

The prospects of obtaining water for irrigation in the valley are 

poor. The precipitation throughout the valley probably does not 

exceed 5 inches. The mountainous area is not great, and as a result 

there is little concentration of the run-off, and absorption of ground 

water is doubtless slight. Probably some water could be obtained in 

the lower part of the valley, but the yield would be very small. 

Although a large part of the land is otherwise well adapted to agriculture except for the lack of water, all indications show that neither 

irrigation nor dry farming is possible.

LANGFORD VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Langford Valley is a short distance northwest of the center of San 

Bernardino County and about 30 miles northeast of Barstow. The 

name is taken from Langford Dry Lake,' a playa in the lowest part of 

the valley, and Langford Well, a well-known roadside watering place. 

The principal features of the valley are shown on Plate 11 and Figure 9.

The valley is uninhabited except that a stockman occasionally lives 

at Garlic Springs. It is crossed by the road from Barstow to Silver 

Lake and Death Valley, which on the northeast side of the valley is 

joined by a road from Daggett.72* The road from Barstow is most 

commonly used, partly on account of a sandy stretch on the Daggett 

road. A road leads eastward from the Daggett road to Bitter Spring 

and thence to Silver Lake. This route is a short cut to Silver Lake, 

but it is seldom used because of heavy sand at several places. A poor 

road leads westward from the Barstow road 'near Garlic Springs to 

Goldstone.

" Mendenhall, W. O., Some desert watering places in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada! 

U. 8. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 64 (well No. 101), 1909. 

"» See p. 555 for note in regard to new road from Barstow to Silver Lake.
260 THE MOHAVE DESERT TUJGION, CALIFORNIA

The valley has no valuable reeoui-cee. No mines or prospects were 

observed. A few cattle are grazed oeeaskx&dUy, The coaditioos ea?e 

mfovorable lor irrigatioaa.

The lowest part of the basin lies at an altitude betweea 2,000 and 

feet, and tiie -siuToiinding Mis probably do not rise more than

R.47E. R. 3 E. R.-4- E.

R.I W.

* Flowing well o Nonf low'mg well $ Dry hole 

*$$$ Playa or dry lake

FIGURE 9. Map of Coyote and Langford Valleys, showing boundaries of drainage basins and location of

weDs and springs

500 feet higher. Accordingly there is no reason for believing the 

average annual precipitation to be great, and it is probably not more 

than that at Bars tow, about 4 niches.

The characteristic vegetation of most of the valley is the creosote 

bush and its common associates. There is no salt grass or other
LANGFOED VALLEY 261

vegetation indicative of water except near Garlic Springs. For a 

distance of several hundred yards around the playa creosote bush is 

lacking, and there the dominant vegetation is a species of salt bush.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND OEOLOOY

Langford Valley is a small valley separated from the adjoining 

valleys by high hills or low mountains. The boundary of the drainage 

basin as shown on Figure 9 is based on a hasty sketch map prepared 

from compass observations and the township plats of tho General 

Land Office,

The divide on the northeast side of the valley is formed trp rock 

ridges that extend from Tiefort Mountain, but the main part «f the 

mountain apparently does not lie in the drainage basin. At Garlic 

Springs and northeast of that place the rocks are principally gneiss 

and schist intruded by granitic rocks. Near the divide along the road 

between Garlic Springs and Bicycle Dry Lake, on the north side of 

these hills, is a purplish lava, and this rock may form the south end 

of Tiefort Mountain. West of Garlic Springs the divide is low and 

apparently formed of alluvium. The southwest border of the basin 

is formed of high hills of granitic rock. Southward from Langford 

Lake a long slope rises for several miles to the divide that separates 

the basin from Coyote Valley. The slope appears to be a typical 

alluvial slope, but west of the Daggett road near the summit stands a 

granite hill, and possibly most of the south side of the valley is a 

mountain pediment or erosion surface with bedrock at a depth of 

only a few feet. The southwestern part of the valley as a whole 

appears to be a maturely eroded surface on which granite appears 

only on the higher hills, but doubtless the granite is dose to the 

surface in much of the area.

The eastern divide is formed in part by a long, low ridge that 

extends northward from the Alvord Mountains and in part by hills 

that stretch southward from Tiefort Mountain. On the east side of 

Langford Lake there is a break in these hills through which the road 

leads to Bitter Spring. The divide is almost imperceptible and 

probably not more than 20 feet above the ,bed of the playa. It is 

partly filled with wind-blown sand, and unconsolidated alluvium, 

apparently extends to a considerable depth. As pointed out on 

page 263, it is probable that there is now underground leakage through 

this pass, and very likely the entire Langford Valley was at one time 

tributary to West Cronise Valley, to the east.

Langford Lake is a small playa, hard and smooth in dry weather, 

that merges very gradually into the alluvial slope. The water table 

is about 50 feet below the surface, and the playa is in every way one 

of the dry type.

5631 29 18
262 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

GROUND WATER

Two dug wells and a spring are the only sources of water in Langford Valley.

Langford well is near the west edge of Langford Dry Lake, probably 

in sec. 23, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian. It is close to 

the Daggett road and is easily found. The well is 4 feet in diameter. 

In September, 1917, its total depth was 55 feet, and the depth to 

water was 49.5 feet below the platform of the curb, about 1 foot 

above the surface. The material on the dump around the well is a 

pebbly clay, and some of the pebbles are as large as an inch in diameter. The well was equipped with a substantial windlass and chain 

and a strong iron bucket. The temperature of the water was 66° F. 

An analysis of the water, given on page 263, shows it to be good for 

domestic use but poor for irrigation and very bad for use in boilers. 

The well is of use only as a roadside watering place.

A second well is situated on the south edge of Langford Lake, 

about a mile southeast of Langford well. This well is 53 feet deep, 

and on February 25, 1918, the depth to water was 48.8 feet. The 

well was equipped with a good windmill, but when the power was 

turned on it did not pump water, perhaps because the pump needed 

priming. There was no bucket or rope, but one might obtain water 

by descending a ladder in the well. This well apparently is used to 

jrater cattle, for two watering troughs stand near by.

Garlic Springs are on the north side of the valley, close to the south 

foot of the hills that extend westward from Tiefort Mountain. They 

are on the Barstow road about 1^ miles west of its junction with the 

Daggett road, approximately in sec. 10, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. The 

locality is marked by a cattleman's house. The two springs are 

about 350 feet north of the road and 100 feet back of the house. 

They are about 25 feet apart. The westerly spring, covered with 

boards and in good condition, is about 3 feet deep and 4 feet in diameter. The other is about 1 foot deep and 3 feet in diameter. The 

springs are apparently dug in alluvium which lies against granitic 

rocks that form the low hills on the north. The water is piped to 

wooden troughs at the road, and an automatic valve keeps the troughs 

full without waste of water. The springs flow 2 or 3 gallons a minute. 

The temperature of the water, as determined by G. A. Waring on 

August 22, 1916, was 72°.

In an earlier report on desert watering places it was stated that the 

water from Garlic Springs is strong with sulphur and sodium and 

magnesium sulphate.73 Analyses of two separate samples collected

?' Mendenhall, W. G., Some desert watering places in soatbeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 61,1909.
LANGFOBD VALLEY 263

in August, 1916, and February, 1918, do not bear out this statement. 

(See table below.) The water is a sodium bicarbonate water, and the 

total solids in the two samples amount to 599 and 592 parts per 

million. The water is good for domestic use but poor for irrigation 

and very bad for boilers. The springs are occasionally used to water 

a few head of cattle, but they are principally used as a watering place 

for travelers. The nearest watering place on the road to Death Valley 

is Cave Springs, 30 miles to the north.

The occurrence of Garlic Springs on the edge of low hills which do 

not furnish a large drainage area, in a region where the precipitation 

is evidently small, is striking. According to barometric observations 

furnished by E. T. Ham, county surveyor of San Bernardino County, 

the springs are fully 150 feet lower than Bicycle Dry Lake, in the 

lowest part of the valley immediately north of Garlic Springs. It is 

therefore possible that the water emerging at the springs is seeping 

from Bicycle Valley.

It is not likely that a large quantity of water sufficient for irrigation 

can be obtained from wells in Langford Valley. The drainage area is 

small and the precipitation is low, so that little-water reaches the 

water table. The fact that the water table is about 50 feet below the 

surface of Langford Dry Lake is believed to indicate that there is 

underground leakage from the basin. The most likely point for such 

leakage is on the east side of the playa, where a low pass in the divide 

that is probably less than 25 feet above the playa is apparently filled 

with alluvium to a sufficient depth to permit underflow.

«

Analyses of ground waters from Langford Valley, Calif.

[Farts per million]

Silica (SiOs)---.._...__-..___-.-..-_..._.-...--....._..--......_.-...

Calcium (Ca)...__.. . .. . ___ ___ .. _____ ...

Carbonate radicle (COs) ............................................

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj) ........................................

Chloride radicle (Cl) __ ...................... ___ ..............

Nitrate radicle (NO!)- .. . ...... . . ... ___ .....

Total dissolved solids at 180° O .....................................

Total hardness as CaCOj (calculated) ..............................

Date of collection _ .. ___ ___ ... .......................

1

52

.48

IS

7.9

 181

22

282

102

62

12

624

77

«

2

66

.08

22

4.9

178

0

240

140

60

2.1

592

75 («)

3

45

24

7.6 162

0

244

144

64

3.0

599

91

W

« Calculated. 

»Sept. 7,1917.

 Feb. 12,1918.

* Aug. 22,1916.

Analysts: 1, Addle T. Geiger, U. S. Geological Survey; 2, Margaret D. Foster, U. S. Geological Survey; 

3,3. O. Dinsmore.

1. Langford well, In sec. 23 or 26, T. 13 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian. See p. 262.

2. Garlic Springs, in sec. 10 or 15, T. 13 N., R. 3 £. San Bernardino meridian. See p. 262.

3. Same as 2; collected by O. A. Waring about 17 months earlier.
264 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

BED PASS

GENEBAL FEATURES

Red Pass Valley is a little northwest of the central part of San 

Bernai-dino County and is bordered by Crontse Valley on the south, 

Bicycle Valley on the west, and parts of the Amargosa (Death Valley) 

and South Amargosa drainage basins on the north and east. (See 

pi. 7.) No name has been given previously to this valley, and the 

name assigned here is taken from a pass on the eastern border of the 

valley. The valley was observed only from the Silver Lake-Randsburg road and the Barstow-Death Valley road, which pass along its 

northern and northwestern borders, and very little information 

concerning it is available.

No one fives in the valley. The road from Barstow and Daggett 

to Cave Springs and Death Valley crosses its northwest corner. 

From this road another road leading to Silver Lake leads southeastward across the northeast side of the valley. This road was formerly 

the main route to Silver Lake and the eastern part of the Mohave 

Desert region, but since the opening of a shorter route farther south 

it is less traveled. It is also used for travel between Randsburg and 

Silver Lake. An alternative road, seldom used, leads a mile or two 

south of the main Randsburg-Silver Lake road, goes through Red 

Pass, and joins the main road again about 5 miles west of Silver 

Lake. (See pi. 11.) Another road from Barstow follows the route 

of the old Salt Lake road and crosses the valley from Bitter Spring 

to Red Pass.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

On the south Red Pass Valley is separated from Cronise Valley 

by a low divide. On the west it is bordered by Tiefort Mountain 

the east end of the Granite Mountains, and the intervening low Mils. 

The northern border is formed by the high Avawatz Mountains. The 

eastern divide is formed in part of low mountains and in part of 

alluvium. The mountains that border the valley are probably in 

large part pre-Tertiary igneous or metamorphic rocks.

The valley is essentially a large alluvial slope that descends southward from the base of the Avawatz Mountains, from which most of 

the alluvium has been brought. As compared to the Avawatz 

Mountains the other ranges are relatively low, and the alluvial slopes 

built out from them are short and do not cover large areas. In consequence of these relations, most of the drainage is toward the south, 

In the northwestern part of the basin the drainage from the Avawatz 

Mountains flows southward to a long ridge that extends diagonally 

northwestward across T. 16 N., R. 5 E. From the base of this ridge 

the drainage turns toward the southeast until the end of the ridge 

is reached, whence it continues southward. The lowest part of the 

valley, marked by a playa, lies on the extreme south side of the basin.
BHI> PASS VALJaET 265

According to barometric data furnished by E. T. Ham, the alluvial 

slope descends from an altitude of about 3,500 feet or more above 

sea level at the base of the Avawatz Mountains to about 2,000 feet 

at the playa.

The divide of the basin where it is crossed by the RandsburgSilver Lake road in the northeastern part of T. 15 N., R. 6 E^ is 

composed of alluvium forming part of the long slope that extends 

southward from the Avawatz Mountains. A great wash that drains 

eastward into Biggs Valley is cutting the divide back toward the west 

by headward erosion and capturing part of Ked Pass Valley. Just 

-east of the divide it has exposed low hills of granite and other preTertiary rocks, and it is not improbable that west of the divide 

similar rocks lie at no great depth below the alluvial covering.

On the northeast side of the ridge mentioned above that trends 

northwestward in T. 16 N., R. 5 E., there are suggestions of faulting 

in the steepness of the slope and in a cliff about 25 feet high at the 

base of the ridge which truncates spurs from it.

In the southwest half of T. 16 N., R. 5 E., and the east half of 

T. 16 N., R. 4 E., lies an area that is almost or completely separated 

from the Red Pass Valley. If it is a completely closed basin the 

divide at its east side that separates it from Red Pass Valley is only 

a few feet high. A small barren tract lies in the lowest part of the 

area, but it does not seem to be a distinct playa. If the surface 

drainage for this area does not reach Red Pass Valley, undoubtedly 

there is underdrainage into it.

GROUND WATER

No springs or wells are known by the writer to exist in Red Pass 

Valley. A well is said to have been dug in or near Red Pass, but 

according to recent information it has been filled with material 

washed in by storm waters.

"No definite information is available in regard to ground-water 

conditions beneath the playa in the lowest part of the valley. As 

seen from a distance the south border of the basin seems to be composed of alluvium through which there might easily be underdrainage 

into Cronise Valley. The presence of Bitter Spring tends to strengthen 

this theory. If there were underdrainage the water would probably 

betconsiderably below the surface. The fact that there are no wells 

around the playa in T. 14 N., R. 6 E., which lay close to the old 

Salt Lake road, is pretty good evidence in itself that the depth to 

water in the lowest part of the basin is great, for if there were any 

indications of water near the surface wells would undoubtedly have 

been dug.

In the upper part of the alluvial slope the depth to water is undoubtedly very great because of the height of the land above the lowest 

part of the basin.
266 THE MOHAVE DBSEKT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

HABPEB VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Harper Valley, in the west-central part of San Bernardino County, 

derives its name from Harper Dry Lake, a playa which occupies the 

lowest part of the basin. (See pi. 7.) The ground-water conditions 

in the extreme southeastern part of the'basin, around Hinkley, are| 

closely related to conditions in the adjoining part of Mohave River! 

basin, and that part of the area is described more fully on pages 425,. j 

428-429.

The south side of the valley is crossed from east to west by the San, 

Francisco line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, and aJ 

branch line from Kramer to Johannesburg crosses the west side, A fairly good road that leads from Barstow to Kramer, Mojave, and ; 

San Joaquin Valley parallels the main line of the railroad. A road j 

leads from Hinkley northwestward across the valley to Atolia and i 

Randsburg, but most travelers to those towns go westward to Kramer 

and thence on a better road that leads nearly due north to Atolia. ' 

Hinkley and Kramer each have a small store, and Hinkley has a | 

post office. A railroad section crew lives at Hawes. Water is obtain- j 

able at these three places and at a number of ranches in the valley- ! 

Other railroad stations shown on the map are only sidings. |

Except for some stock raising and irrigation farming there are no j 

industrial activities in the region. There are no mineral deposits of ; 

great value in the basin. Some placer gold has been mined at the 

Coolgardie camp, in the southwest part of T. 32 S., R. 46 E. Mount 

Diablo meridian, and at another locality several miles northeast of - Coolgardie, but in recent years only one or two persons have been 

working these deposits. "Dry washers" are used in recovering the 

placer gold. (See p. 30.)

During the last 20 years sporadic attempts have been made to find 

oil in the valley despite an adverse report on the area by R. W. Paqk, 

published by the United States Geological Survey in 1913.74 At least 

two wells have been drilled, and from time to time efforts have been 

made to arouse sufficient interest for further work. The most persistent attempt is discussed on pages 36 and 274. There is little hope 

that oil hi commercial quantities can be obtained in the valley, although 

here, as elsewhere in the desert alluvium, small pockets of oil or gas 

may be struck.

SOIL AND VEGETATION

The soil in the lowest part of Harper Valley, particularly at its 

southeast end, is rather clayey. On the east side of the valley the 

soil is sandy, and in some places the roads are difficult to travel because 

of the sand. It is not known whether this condition also exists on

» Fade, K. W, Reconnaissance of the Baratow-Kramer region, Calif.: tr. S. Geol. Survey BoH. 541, 

pp. 141-154,1913.
HARPER VALLEY 267

the west side of the valley. On the alluvial slopes in the southwestern 

part of the valley the soil is generally the typical soil that results 

from the disintegration of granitic rocks.

On the alluvial slopes creosote bush is the characteristic plant. 

Around Harper Dry Lake salt grass is abundant over a considerable 

area*. At tne southeast end of the valley, rabbit brush (Chrymt'ham* 

nus mohavensis) grows abundantly in the outer part of the salt-grass 

zone and extends for about half a mile farther away from the playa. 

This plant is considered to indicate that ground water lies within 

10 or 15 feet of the surface. Mesquite grows at Black's ranch, but 

this plant, which generally indicates water near the surface, was not 

observed elsewhere in the valley. The vegetation north and west of 

the playa was not observed.

PRECIPITATION

No data in regard to precipitation are available for Harper Valley. 

The altitude of most of the valley is about the same as that of Barstow, 

and the average annual precipitation is doubtless about the same as 

at that place. The highest peak stands only 4,600 feet above sea 

level, and most of the mountainous areas do not rise more than 3,500 

to 4,000 feet above sea level, so that they do not exert much influence 

on the precipitation. The average annual precipitation is probably 

not more than 5 inchefc.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The geology of the eastern part of the drainage basin, particularly 

of the Tertiary rocks, has been studied by Baker,75 Pack,78 and others.

The drainage basin tributary to Harper Dry Lake is roughly rectangular and is elongated slightly from east to west. At several 

places the basin presents unusual relations between the relief and the 

drainage, especially in the fact that mountains which at jfirst glance 

appear to form the divide lie almost entirely within the drainage basin. 

(See pis. 10 and 17.) This is shown especially on the topographic 

map of the Searles Lake quadrangle, which covers the northern half 

of the valley.

The lowest part of the basin is occupied by a playa called Harper 

Dry Lake and a smaller playa less than a mile northeast of it. The 

area around the smaller playa is called Water Valley. In the southeastern part of T. 31 S., R. 44 E., and in T. 32 S., R. 45 E., are three 

small playas which seem to lie in distinct basins. However, probably 

there is unclerdrainage from them to the adjoining basins of Superior 

and Harper Valleys, and for convenience on Plate 7 the one in E.

» Baker, C. L., Notes on tha later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region, in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, pp. 342-348,1911.

" Pack, R. W., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, Calif.: II. S. Qeol. Survey Boll: 641, pp. 

141-154,1913.
268 THE MOHAVE DE8EBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

44 B. is included in the drainage basin of Superior Valley and the 

other two in the basin of Harper Valley,

From Harper Dry Lake typical alluvial slopes rise gradually in all 

directions. On the north and east sides of the basin the slopes extend 

only a few miles to high hiUs and low mountains which form an almost 

continuous range that has a general northwest trend. A mountain 

at the east end of the valley is formed in part of a series of volcanic 

and sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age. Farther to the northwest 

stands Black Mountain, so called because it is formed of black basaltic 

lava of Quaternary age. Northwest of Black Mountain the rocks 

belong to the saine Tertiary series as that at the east side of the valley. 

Pre-Tertiary crystalline rocks occur at the extreme northwest end 

of the ridge.

At several places in the mountains northeast of the playas drainage 

channels have cut back far beyond the summit, so that for a considerable distance the drainage divide is beyond the farther base of 

the mountains, and they are drained entirely into Harper Valley. 

This condition exists particularly where Black Canyon cuts the west 

end of Black Mountain. Also in the northeast corner of the basin 

drainage lines reach back beyond the buttes north of Coolgardie to 

a long, gentle slope which rises eastward- for several miles, nearly to 

Lane Mountain. This slope has the appearance of an alluvial slope, 

but at Coolgardie camp and elsewhere bedrock^ is reached at a depth 

of a few feet. Most of the slope is probably an eroded rock surface 

or mountain pediment.

The rocks in the mountains north and northeast of Harper Lake 

are considerably faulted and folded. The nearly straight front of 

the mountains, which cuts northwestward across the Quaternary, 

Tertiary, and pre-Tertiary rocks, and its relation to the trough 

occupied by Harper Dry Lake, which is lower than the surrounding 

basins, suggest that a great fault may cut northwestward across the 

basin.

Northwest of Harper Dry Lake a ridge extends northwestward 

and culminates in Fremont Peak, which reaches an altitude of 4,600 

feet, the highest point in the drainage basin. This ridge is composed 

of pre-Tertiary crystalline rocks. Between Fremont Peak and the 

mountains farther east is a pass leading to Golden Valley on the 

north.

On the west and south sides of the basin there are no mountains, 

but the land rises gently for 10 to 15 miles to high hills on the border 

of the basin. The gentle slope is interrupted at a number of places 

by low knobs, and about 5 miles southwest of Harper Dry Lake the 

slope is somewhat steeper for a distance of about a mile. The hills 

along the western border of the basin north of Kramer are composed 

of granite, and probably all the knobs that rise from the gentle slope 

are formed of the same rock.
U. 8. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATEB-StJPPLY PAPER 678 PLATE 17

R.46E. m'OO' "-47C.

) / x ^4\,, ,),,,.!r<T^6l"!I"ti/\

I \/ ,..-.. I ""' ""*",J>^,.^,~~ -' 

135 

Flowing well Nonflowing well 

Numbers refer io table in fex

Boundary of drainage basin 

(Approximate where /ine is broken)

1-Maya or dry lake

MAP OF HARPER VALLEY AND MIDDLE MOHAVE VALLEY SHOWING BOUNDARIES OF DRAINAGE BASINS AND LOCATION

OF WELLS

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 18

A. SURFACE OF HARPER DRY LAKE 

Shows ridge of alkali-covered " self-rising " ground and less alkaline smooth ground

*; .*i°h-?~-~;*? :+&'*.: ~'Z

B. WASTE FROM UNCAPPED WELL IN THE SE. \i SEC. 

16, T. 7 N., R. 12 W., ANTELOPE VALLEY

HAKPER VALLEY

The gentle slope that rises westward and southwestward from 

Harper Dry Lake appears to be an alluvial slope, but it is doubtful 

whether the alluvium is very thick. Probably a large part of it, 

except within 3 or 4 miles of the play a, is an erosional surface or 

mountain pediment, which is beveled across the bedrock. The low 

rock hills that rise above the slope suggest a rather mature erosion 

surface. Over a large area the rock at the surface is so disintegrated 

as to appear hike alluvium, but in several prospect holes rock was 

observed within a few feet of the surface. On the other hand, according to a log furnished by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway, a well drilled at Kramer penetrated sand and boulders to 

a depth of 871 feet.

As described more fully on page 425, an area of about 20 square 

miles around Hinkley lies within the drainage basin of Harper Dry 

Lake, but it is almost completely shut off from the main part of the 

basin by low hills, and the divide that separates it from the Mohave 

River Basin is very low. Drainage channels from this area lead to 

Harper Dry Lake through a pass near the center of T. 10 N., R. 

2 W. San Bernardino meridian. About 3 miles west of Hinkley 

there is a similar pass, but it is closed to surface drainage by a low 

divide that rises about 20 feet above Hinkley.

Harper Dry Lake, where seen at its southeast end, near Black's 

ranch, appears to be a playa of the wet type. Southeast of Black's 

ranch salt grass is abundant for at least a mile from the edge of the 

playa, and rabbit brush (Chrysothamnus mohavensis), a plant that 

indicates water, reaches beyond the salt grass zone for about half a 

mile. On the playa itself there are patches of alkali-covered "selfrising ground." About a mile west of Black's ranch one such belt 

rises abruptly about 2 feet above the general playa surface, which is 

level but mud-cracked and has practically no alkali on the surface. 

(See pi. 18, A.) When visited in November, 1919, the alkali-covered 

ground was soft and moist. The ground without alkali was cracked 

to a depth of 6 or 8 inches, and the soil was hard and dry to that 

depth, but below that, although very compact, it was slightly moist. 

Analyses of soil from the alkali-covered belt of "self-rising ground'1 

and from the smooth mud-cracked ground show that the "self-rising 

ground" as a whole contains more salts than the smooth ground 

(see analyses, p. 67), apparently owing to rapid discharge of ground 

water by evaporation in the "self-rising ground," resulting in the 

deposition of the salts. Mechanical analyses of samples of soil from 

a depth of about 1 foot in each kind of ground show that the smooth 

ground contains a considerably higher percentage of very fine material. Perhaps the fine material prevents or greatly retards the upward capillary movement of the ground water.
270 THE MOHAVE DE8EBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The small playa in Water Valley northeast of Harper Dry Lake is 

separated from the main playa by low clay knolls. Doubtless the 

two were at one time joined together.

The divide that now separates the Mohave River valley from 

Harper Valley east of Hinkley is so low that in the past some dis* 

charge from the river possibly reached Harper Valley. In that event 

a lake would doubtless have been formed. No outstanding evidence 

of any lake was observed by the writer in the very short time that 

he spent in the valley, but certain features are suggestive. H. A. 

Briggs, of Hinkley, reports that shells were found at a depth of 200 

feet in a well on or near Harper Dry Lake. Blue clay, which is 

believed to indicate deposition in a lake, was penetrated from 102 

to 169 feet in a well about a mile north of the Black ranch. Clayey 

soil, such as might be deposited in a lake, extends for some distance 

from the southeast edge of the present playa. Farther from the 

playa for several miles the soil is unusually sandy, as might be expected if blown from ancient beaches.

GROUND WATER 

CONDITIONS IN DIPPEEENT PAETS OP THE VALLEY

Ground water is the only source of water supply in Harper Valley. 

Data in regard to 50 wells in the drainage *basin are given in the 

following table, and the locations of the wells are shown on Plate 17. 

Many of the data were collected by G. A. Waring in August, 1916. 

Data hi regard to several wells were furnished by H. A. Briggs, who 

has drilled many of the wells in the valley.

In the lower part of the valley, around Harper Dry Lake, ground 

water is reached at a depth of a few feet. In well 96, in sec. 19, T. 

11 N., E. 3 W. San Bernardino meridian, the depth to water is 5 

feet, and at Black's ranch (No. 29), in sec. 30 of the same township, 

it is 11 feet. At the P. E. McDonald ranch (No. 34), in sec. 6, T. 

10 N., R. 3 W. San Bernardino meridian, some distance from Harper 

Dry Lake, in one well it is 12 feet, although two other wells in the 

vicinity flow. In Water Valley (Nos. 25, 26, and 27) water is obtained at depths of 10 to 20 feet. On the west side of the playa 

water is obtained at depths of 15 to 25 feet.

The depth to water increases away from Harper Dry Lake. The 

alluvial slope is gentle for 2 or 3 miles from the playa, and within 

that distance the water is less than 100 feet below the surface in all 

except two wells. In well 28, in sec. 16, T. 11 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian, the depth to water is 110 feet, and in well 7, in sec. 

2, T. 11 N., R. 5 W., the depth to water is said to be 165 feet.

In nearly all the wells where the depth to water is less than 100 

feet, except in very shallow wells, the water is under more or less
Record of wetts in Harper VaUey, Cat

No. 

on 

pi. 

17

1 

2 

3 

4

5 

« 

7 

8

9

10

11

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18

19 

20 

SI 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29

30

Location

Quarter

8£NW... NX.?_

8B_--.

........

SW...

aw...

NW...

NW...

NE... 

SW... 

SB.... 

NW... 

SW... 

Nl...

. ..

III!!"!

Sec.

20 

20 

2 

2

2 

6 

2 

12

12

18 

19

30 

30 

30 

28 

26 

11 

11

21 

23 

14

7

?

20 

16 

30

as

T.N.

11 

11 

10 

10

10 

10 

11 

11

11

11 

11

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

10 

10

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11

11

B.W.

6

7 

7 

7

7 

6 

5 

5

5

4 

4

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

5 

5

S 

S 

5 

4 

4 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3

3

Owner or name

Miss Bioe................. _ .

Atchison, Topefca & Santa Fe 

By.

Estella C. Saecker %.

...-do.........................

W. T. Cann.... 

_ .do _ . _ __ ......

J. G. Haskins

L. O. Stuekey

B. M. Bosh.. .. ...... _ ...

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drilled. 

_ do _

...do....

Drilled. 

...do....

...do___

...do....

...do....

Dug 

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

300 

310 

200 

871

300 

200

58 

150

105 

150

108 

70 

221 

180+? 

222 

800 

2,940

200 

400 

410 

230 

200+ 

100

15

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

8 

10 and 6

8 

8

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

280? 

250 

165 

200

200

165 

48

25

25 

53

60 

30

16 

18 

16 

280 

230

Dry..

94 

80 

40 

15 

19 

10 

110 

11

40

D

mea

» Date oo depth of weO, depth to water, and yield are those reported by 0»^ 

was measured by 0. Q. Thompson.
Record of wells in Harper Valley, Catif. Co

No. 

on

fitS 

9

3?

I

42

4?

44 

45

1 

48 

48 

SO

Location

Quarter

w.::

NE 

SB... wt

(?)

NW... 

8W.?-,

s«e.

28 

27 

34 

6 

6

43? 

15 

11 

14 

28

28

28 

28 

28 

27 

3J 

27

T.N.

11 

11 

U 

10 

W

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10

10

10 

10 

10 

10 

10 

10

E.W.

3

I

3 

3

3

3 

3

8

3 

3 

3 

3

Owner or name

E. J. Bitley __ .. _ . ___ ...

P. E. MeDonald... . .... 

.....do......., ..............

H. jtsFlow,.,.,,,.. .... ....

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

By.

Til. M. Heiming., . . .w.

P. M. Measure. ...

A. P. FUlpot...-. .............

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drilled.

Drilled.

Drilled.

Dug. ...

Depth 

of weH 

(feet)

45

36 

43

56 

95 

61 

80

200 

43

29

30

70

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

12 

4

12

72 and 20

10 and 8 

18

96

Depth 

to 

water 

(tort)

20

m

40 

»147 

Flows.

fc?46 

32 

27 

 26.7 

25 

25 

/19 

11

11

19 

12 

13 

12

75 

17

D

mea

Nov

Nov

Nov

Nov

» Reference point, ton of casing.

 Mows at surface. Yield measured by D. O. Thompson, Nov. 8,1919.

<< Location uncertain. Well ia at bouse about 0.4 mile northwest of road forks.

 Reference point for measurement) 3 notches cut in top of 12 by 12 inch beam on east side of well. 

f Reference point, top of well curb.
HARPER FA1AET 273

artesian pressure, and flowing wells have been obtained at two places. 

Two 6-inch wells at Black's ranch, in sec. 30, T. 11 N., R. 3 W., 

yield small flows, which, according to report, were struck at a depth 

of leas than 200 feet, but the depth to water in a shallow dug weU at 

Black's ranch, is 11 feet. Two 4-inch wells, about 43 feet deep, on 

the P. E. McDonald ranch, in the NW. ^ NE. ^ sec. 6, T. 10 N., 

R. 3 W., also overflow, the artesian water having been struck at 33 

feet. In November, 1919, the flow from one of these wells was about 

2 gallons a minute. The water in wells at the west end of the valley 

appears to be under considerable pressure. In the wells of H. J. 

Saecker (No. 9), in sec. 12, T. 11 N., R. 5 W. San Bernardino meridian, 

water was struck at 43 feet, but it was of poor quality. Better water 

was struck at 101 feet, and it rose within 25 feet of the surface. la 

the well of E. C. Saecker (No. 10), in sec. 18, T. 11 N., R. 4 W., the 

first water, which was salty, was struck at 43 feet. Better water was 

struck at 101 feet and rose within 37 feet of the surface, and good 

water, which was struck at 140 feet, rose within 25 feet of the surface. 

It is said that in well 15, in the SW. M sec. 28, T. 11 1ST., R. 4 W, 

San Bernardino meridian, water struck at 180 feet rose within 18 

feet of the surface. It is reported that well 7, in sec. 2, T. 11 N., 

R. 5 W., is the only well within 2 or 3 miles of the west end of Harper 

Dry Lake in which the water did not rise when struck.

Little information is available in regard to the yield of the wells 

near the play a in which the water is under pressure, The yield of 

the flowing wells at Black's ranch and the McDonald ranch is not 

great. On the other hand, weU 14, in the SW. M sec. 30, T. 11 N., 

R. 4 W., is said to yield 450 gallons a minute, and well 22, hi the NW. 

34 sec. 3, T. 10 N., R. 4 W., is reported to yield 400 gallons a minute. 

It is probable that wells within 2 or 3 miles of the playa, if properly 

constructed, will yield at least 300 gallons a minute, except on the 

north side of the playa, where the yield may be small.

Ground-water conditions around Hinkley and in the pass between 

Hinkley and Harper Dry Lake are closely related to those in the adjoining part of the Mohave River valley and are described in detail on 

pages 428-429. Around Hinkley the depth to water is about 10 feet, 

northeast of that place, toward the pass, the depth gradually increases, 

but nowhere is it as much as 50 feet. The greatest depth to water 

recorded is 35 feet, which was found hi well 36, probably in sec. 3, 

T. 10 N., R. 3 W. The yield of the few wells for which data are 

available ranges between 360 and 675 gallons a minute. It is believed 

that properly constructed wells will obtain sufficient water for irrigation at a reasonable depth nearly everywhere in this part of Harper 

Valley. Wells that are drilled too near the hills, however, may strike 

rock before reaching a good supply of water.
274 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

Except in the pass southeast of Harper Dry Lake and around 

Hinkley, wells more than 2 or 3 miles from the playa have mot obtained 

much water, and the depth to water is great. In two wells of the 

Kramer Consolidated Oil Co. (Nos. 17 and 18), in the NW. ^ sec. 

11, T. 10 N., E. 5 W. San Bernardino meridian, the depth to water is 

230 andi280 feet, respectively. Well 18 was drilled for oil. (See p. 30.) 

No log of this well could be obtained, but workmen at the well said that 

the bottom, at a depth of 2,940 feet, was in dolomitic limestone. It is 

not known at what depth bedrock was reached. At the time of the 

writer's visit the well had been pumped steadily for several months 

with the hope that, if sufficient water were pumped out, oil would 

come in. It is said that before the pumping was begun the depth 

to water was 230 feet, but that during pumping the water level was 

400 feet below the surface. The well was pumped at the rate of 25 

gallons a minute. All water above a depth of 2,000 feet is supposed 

to be cemented off. j The temperature of the water ranges from 106° 

to 112° F. As sho^rn by analysis 1 the water is very highly mineralized and unfit for use. Another well about 20 feet away yields 

better water and is used for domestic supplies and for boilers. (See 

analysis 2, p. 278.) This well is reported to be about 800 feet deep. 

There are no perforations in the casing, but it is rotted open at 

about 400 feet, so that water enters at about that depth. It is said 

that originally the 4epth to water was about 235 feet that is, about 

the same as in the deep well. When pumping of the deep well was 

begun the water level in the 800-foot well dropped to 280 feet and it 

is constant at that level. The temperature of the water from this 

well is 72° F.

Three holes drilled in the vicinity of Hawes are reported to be dry 

at depths of 200 to 410 feet. One of these holes (No. 19), in the 

NE. Y± sec. 21, T. 10 N., R. 5 W., is reported fjo be 200 feet deep, 

another (No. 20), in the SW. J^ sec. 23 of the saline township, to be 

400 feet deep, and the third (No. 21), in the SE. ^i sec. 14, to be 410

feet deep. Anotheif well (No. 6), in sec. 6, T. 10 N., R. 6 W., is

reported to be dry at a depth of 200 feet. According to data furnished by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Bailway, water was 

struck at a depth of 200 feet in the company's well (No. 4) in sec. 2, 

T. 10 N., R. 7 W., at Kramer. The well yielded only 7,200 gallons a 

day of 24 hours (5 gallons a minute), and probably for this reason it 

was abandoned. Water for railroad use at Kramer is hauled from 

Hinkley.

Water is reported at a depth of 250 feet in well No. 2, in the SE.

sec. 26, T. 11 N., R, 7 W., and at a depth of 280 

in the Ni y% sec. 20; T. 11 N., R. 6 W. In the

feet in well No. 1, 

driller's log of well

No. 1 (see table) "strong flows" are reported atjtwo horizons.

Little infonnatioril is available in regard to the conditions that 

govern the occurrence of the ground water in the western part of the
HARPER VALLEY

Harper Valley drainage basin near Hawes and Kramer. The presence of rock buttes at a number of places suggests that bedrock lies 

at no great depth. On the other hand, according to a log furnished 

by the AtcMson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, the well of that company at Kramer penetrated cemented sand from the surface to a 

depth of 400 feet and cemented sand and boulders from 400 to 871 

feet. The driller's log of the well of Miss Rice (well No. 1, pi. 17), in 

the N. Yi sec. 20, T. 11 N., R. 6 W., is given below:

Log of wett of Miss Rice, in the N. % sec. W, T. 11 N., R. 6 W. San Bernardino

meridian

[Furnished by H. A. Briggs, driller]

*

Loofw "gtftnft* forrotition"

Boulders, very bard. . .

Gray granite and boulders .... .......

Clay ... _ ...

Thickness 

(fwt)

tiO

1

11

6

90

12

100

10

8

7

8

Depth 

(feet)

60

61

72

78

168

180

280

290

298

900

80S

Apparently there is an error in the interpretation of materials taken 

from the well, as clay does not generally occur below granite. Mr. 

Briggs has informed the writer by letter that he used the sand bucket 

in the part of the well from 78 to 168 feet, which is recorded as "granite 

and cement." There is little doubt that the material was unconsolidated alluvium, which doubtless was originally derived from 

granitic rocks and therefore looked like drill cuttings of granite.

There is little reason to expect large yields from any wells on the 

upper slopes of the valley in the area between Hawes, Kramer, and 

Fremorit Peak. The rainfall is low and the slopes are gentle, so 

that there is not much concentration of drainage, and the rainfall is 

probably mostly evaporated before it can percolate into the ground. 

The conditions in this area are unfavorable to development of the 

ground water.

SOURCE OF GROUND WATER

The drainage area of Harper Valley is not large and the mountains 

are not very high and do not cover a large part of the basin. Unless 

ground water is contributed to the valley from some outside source the 

quantity available can not be great. There is evidence, however, 

that ground water enters the drainage basin from the Mohave River 

Basin and perhaps from other a4joining basins. .

Tne water table apparently has a continuous slope northward from 

Mohave River near Todd station through the pass to Harper Dry
276 THE MOHAVE DBSEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Lake. The fact that salt grass and rabbit brush reach so far southeastward from Harper Lake toward the pass to Hinkley points to a 

considerable supply of water from that direction. It is quite probable 

that the artesian pressure in wells at the east end of the playa is due 

to the fact that between the playa and Hinkley the water enters 

beds that are overlain by impervious beds deposited either in a lake 

or on the present playa.

The occurrence of water under pressure at the west and southwest 

sides of the playa raises a question as to its source. The low pass to 

the main valley about 3 miles west of Hinkley appears to be filled 

with alluvium, and this may be deep enough to permit underflow 

from Hinkley Valley to the southwest side of Harper Lake. Ground 

water moving through this pass might be impounded beneath impervious beds under considerable pressure. On the other hand, the 

water may pass under the retaining beds from the southwest.

Ground water may percolate into Harper Valley from both Golden 

Valley and Superior Valley, which adjoin Harper Valley on the northwest and .northeast, respectively. In Golden Valley the water table 

is about 500 feet above Harper Dry Lake (see p. 236), and there 

may be movement to Harper Valley, possibly at the pass between 

the two valleys on the east side of Fremont Peak, which is believed 

to be filled with alluvium, or perhaps around the west side of Fremont 

Peak. In Superior Valley the water table is more than 800 feet 

above Harper Dry Lake (see p. 253), and at least part of the divide 

between Superior Valley and Harper Valley is composed of basaltic 

lava, through which, it is believed, water can pass freely.

It is believed that the underflow to Harper Valley from the Mohave 

River Basin is the principal source of ground water in the valley. If 

on account of future developments in the upper part of Mohave 

Valley the surface flow of the river or underflow reaching Hinkley 

Valley should be greatly decreased, the ground-water supply in the 

vicinity of Hinkley and the southeast end of Harper Dry Lake would 

probably be correspondingly decreased. (See pp. 434,497.)

WATEEING PLACES

Water may be obtained at many of the numerous ranches at which 

there are wells, as shown in the table on pages 271-272 and Plate 17. 

However, in the absence of specific information the traveler should not 

depend on finding water at all these places, for where conditions have 

been found unfavorable the wells may have been abandoned and 

pumps removed. Outside of the more settled part of the valley and 

except for the railroad stations at Hinkley, Hawes, and Kramer, only 

two watering places are known in the valley. One of these is the 

McDonald ranch, approximately in sec. 28, T. 32 S., R. 43 E. Mount 

Diablo meridian. The ranch was not visited, but it is believed that
HARPER VAU*BY 277

water is available there. The only other watering place of 

travelers is Williams Well, in the extreme northeast corner of the 

drainage basin, in T. $2 S., R. 47 E. Mount Diablo meridian. The 

well is on one of a network of roads near which are abandoned dry 

placer workings. It is dug, 4 by 5 feet in cross section, and is 8$ feet 

deep. In October, 1917, the depth to water was 82.5 feet. When 

visited the well was equipped with a pump, but the pump was out 

of order. There was a windlass with sufficient rope to reach the 

water, but no bucket. The material penetrated by the well was 

weathered rock of a granitic type below a depth of about 6 feet. 

Because the water is derived from bedrock the yield of the well 

doubtless is not large. As shown by analysis 6 on page 278 the mineral 

content is high, the total solids being 882 parts pet million. The 

water is fair for domestic use and irrigation and very bad for boilers.

QUALITY OF WATEE

Analyses of water from five wells in Harper Valley are tabulated 

on page 278. Two of the samples (3 and 4) are from flowing wells 

n«ar Harper Dry Lake, at the Black ranch and the P. E. McDonald 

ranch, respectively. ' The mineralization of the water from each of 

these wells is moderate; sample 3 contains 329 parts per million of total 

solids, and sample 4 contains 328 parts per million. The two waters 

are similar in character, for both are carbonate waters, but sample 3 

contains more calcium than the other. Both are good for domestic 

use and fair for boilers. Samples 3 and 4 are respectively good and 

fair for irrigation.

A samspirfrom the well of H. A. Briggs (analysis 5) is somewhat 

more mineralized than the water from the wells near the playa, as it 

contains 413 parts per million of total solids. The water is a calcium 

carbonate water. It is good for domestic use and irrigation and fair 

for boilers. It is probable that water of good or fair quality for 

domestic use and irrigation can be obtained practically everywifcere 

hi the region around Hinkley and around Harper Dry Lake, where 

the depth to water is low enough to permit pumping for irrigation. It 

is said that the first water struck in wells on the west side of the playa 

is salty but that water obtained from deeper strata is of better 

quality.

The two other samples analyzed (1 and 2) are from the two wells of 

the Kramer Consolidated Oil Co., in sec. 11, T. 10 N., R. 5 W. The 

sample from the deep well drilled for oil is very highly mineralized^ as 

it contains 14,672 parts per million of fatal solids. It is a sodium 

chloride water but also contains much calcium. The water from the 

800-foot well is much less concentrated, for it contains only 1,168 

parts per million of total solids. It is also a sodium chloride water, 

but the percentage of chloride is much smaller and of sulphate and 

5631 29 19
278 TELE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFORNIA

carbonate much larger, which indicates that the water from the two 

wells does not have a common source. The high concentration of 

the water from the deep well, especially with respect to chloride, 

rakes a question as to the source of the water. A large quantity of 

chloride might come either from saline lake or playa beds of Quaternary or Tertiary age or from older sedimentary rocks that were laid 

down hi the sea, which still contained salt from sea water that was 

inclosed at the time of their formation. The well is 2,940 feet deep, 

and all water above 2,000 feet is supposed to be cemented off. No 

definite information is available as to the strata penetrated by the 

well, except that the bottom is said to be in limestone. No saltbearing rocks are known near the well. The low mineral content of 

the samples from the wells at the east end of the playa shows that the 

high concentration of the water can hardly come from the playa beds 

that are near the surface.

No analyses are available of water from wells in the higher part of 

Harper Valley except Williams Well, which is described on page 277. 

The little information available in regard to the geology of the region 

indicates that the water in most of the wells is probably of good 

enough quality for domestic use.

Analyses of ground waters in Harper Valley 

[Parts per million]

Silica (SiOj)......... ................... Iron (Fe) .* .

Calcium (Ca)_ ___ ... ...................

Magnesium (Mg) ...................

Sodium and potassium (Na+K).. ........

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs) ____ . ......

Sulphate radicle (BOO- - ....

Chloride radicle (Cl)........ ..............

Nitrate radicle (NOi). ....................

Total dissolved solids at 180° 0............

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated) ..... 

Date of collection _____________

1

62

o n

2,070

36

«3,324

28

153

8,636

1.9

14, 672

5,320 

W

2

48

1.7

63

15

»320

0

257

261

303

5.4

1,168

219

( >

3

26

.50

42

6.9 »57

0

197

54

28

.0

329

133 

M

4

43

.16

24

5.7 '80

0

199

43

34

.21

328

83 

C)

5

50

.55

29

25 '72

0

165

94

70

Trace.

413

175 

(0

6

104

.13

94

31

175

15

520

54

195

Trace.

882

362

(')

 Na, 3,288 parts per million; K, 38 parts per mil- * Aug. 17,1916.

lion. Nov. 8,1919.

 Calculated. / Aug. 18,1916.

 Dec. 14,1917. i Oct. 12,1917.

Analysts: 1, O. H. Kidwell, IT. 8. Geological Survey; 2, Addie T. Geiger, IT. 8. Geological Survey; 

8 and 5, 8. C. Dinsmore; 4 and 6, Margaret D. Foster, U. 8. Geological Survey.

1. Well No. 18, pi. 17 and table on p. 271; well drilled for oil by Kramer Consolidated Oil Co: (See p. 274).

2. Well No. 17, pi. 17 and table on p. 271; Kramer Consolidated Oil Co., owner. Water well a few feet 

from well No. 18.

3. Well No. 29, pj. 17 and table on p. 271; at Black ranch; L. C. Stuckey, owner. Collected by G. A. 

Waring.

4. Well No. 35, pi. 17 and table on p. 272; P. E. McDonald, owner.

5. Well No. 43, pi. 17 and table on p. 272; H. A. Briggs, owner.

6. Williams Well, T. 32 S., R. 47 E. Mount Diablo meridian. (See p. 277.)
COTOTB VALLEY 279 

IRRIGATION

In December, 1919, besides small garden patches, there was practically no land irrigated iri Harper Valley except near Hinkley, where 

alfalfa was being raised at several places. Some experimental farming, however, was being done in other parts of the valley. Ground 

water can apparently be obtained for irrigation at moderate depths 

almost everywhere within 1 to 3 miles of Harper Dry Lake, and unless 

the soil is too poor, it seems that irrigation should be feasible. Doubtless a market for some produce could be found at Barstow and, as 

long as the mining activities continue, in the Randsburg district. If 

there were any extensive development, however, most of the products 

would have to be shipped by rail to larger cities.

In a large part of the valley the depth to water is so great that 

pumping for irrigation is probably not feasible on account of the cost.

COYOTE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Coyote Valley lies a little west of the central part of San Bernardino County and adjoins the Lower Mohave Valley on the south. 

Possibly the valley drains into Mohave River through Manix Wash, 

and it is so shown on Plate 7 and Figure 9, but that is not certain, 

and the valley is accordingly described as a separate unit.

There are no towns in the valley. From time to time a few persons live at the Paradise mine, in the western part of the valley, 

at the Alvord mine, in the eastern part, or at homesteads on the 

borders of Coyote Dry Lake. However, the work at the mines and 

by the homesteaders has been very sporadic, and one should not 

count on obtaining help in an emergency at any of these places.

The road from Barstow to Death Valley leads northeastward, 

across the west side of the valley. A road from Daggett and Yermo 

leads northeastward across the central part of the valley and joins 

the road from Barstow 1% miles east of Garlic Springs, in Langford 

Valley. (See p. 259.) Both these roads also lead to Silver Lake, 

either by way of Bicycle Valley and the Randsburg road or by way 

of Bitter Spring and Red Pass. However, in 1923 a shorter route to 

Silver Lake by way of Manix and East Cronise Valley was opened, 

and much of the travel now follows this road.

Besides these main roads a road leads from the Barstow road near 

the Paradise mine westward to Lane Mountain and up a canyon in 

the mountains, past Lane's well to roads in the eastern part of Harper 

Valley and Superior Valley. This road may be in bad condition in 

Lane Mountain. Several roads Ipad southeastward from the Paradise Mountains to Coyote Dry Lake and Coyote Well and eastward 

across the playa to the Alvord Well and mine. Other roads lead to 

homesteads and prospects.
280 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The principal watering places in the valley are Paradise Springs, 

Lane's Well, and Coyote Well. (See pp. 282-288.)

The climate of the valley is doubtless much the same as that at 

Barstow, The lowest part of the valley is 200 to 300 feet lower than 

Barstow and lies on the leeward side of low mountains. These two 

conditions may make the average annual precipitation a little less 

than that at Barstow.

Throughout most of the valley th£ vegetation consists of the 

creosote bush and the species commonly associated with it. Some 

mesquite grows on the northwest side of Coyote Dry Lake. Trees that 

appeared to be mesquite or willow were observed in a wash northwest of Paradise Springs, but as they were seen from a distance of 

half a mile or more their identity is not certain. Salt grass grows 

around Paradise Springs and in small patches around the western 

border of Coyote Dry Lake.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The boundaries of the Coyote drainage basin were not definitely 

determined at several places. The divide of the valley as the writer 

believes it to be situated and the principal geographic features are 

shown in Figure 9. On the northeast the drainage divide is formed by 

the Alvord Mountains and low hills that continue northwest from 

them for at least several miles beyond the Barstow-Death Valley 

road. A large wash that crosses the road probably in sec. 34, T. 13 

N., R. 2 E., apparently receives the drainage from an area extending as far northwest as a large lava hill in the southeastern part 

of T. 14 N., R. 1 E. It may also receive the drainage from mountains at the north end of T. 14 N., R. 2 E. The western border of 

the valley is formed by a more or less continuous ridge that extends 

north and south, the highest part of which is Lane Mountain. The 

southern border of the western part of the valley consists of the 

Calico Mountains, which rise to an altitude of 5,000 feet. Farther 

east the valley is separated from the Lower Mohave Valley by a low, 

broad ridge. Although throughout a considerable area this ridge 

appears to be of alluvium, rock hills rise from it in several places, and 

the entire ridge is probably underlain by bedrock at no great depth.

In the extreme southeastern part of the valley a large wash known 

as Manix Wash extends from Mohave River northwestward toward 

Coyote Dry Lake. The writer did not have an opportunity to trace 

the course of this wash and is without definite information as to 

whether it reaches back to and drains Coyote Dry Lake. Some 

persons report that it drains the playa and others that there is a 

divide between the playa and the wash. According to readings on an 

aneroid barometer made by the writer at Coyote Well and a short 

time afterward at Kouns siding, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Rail-
YALUBY 281

road, Coyote Dry Lake is about 100 feet below the railroad and the 

play a is about 1,775 feet above sea level. According to other barometric observations furnished by E. T. Ham the playa along the 

Daggett-Death Valley road is at least 25 feet lower than the altitude 

determined by the writer. The playa according to Ham's data 

would be at about the same altitude as Manix Wash where it is 

crossed by the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, or possibly a little 

lower. The playa therefore could not be drained" by the w£sh. 

However, as is well known, barometric observations without frequent 

checking at points of known altitude may be considerably in error. 

Even though the east end of Coyote Dry Lake is drained by the wash 

it i& improbable that the surface drainage from the western part of the 

valley crosses the playa. Nevertheless, if the surface drainage does 

not reach Mohave River through Manix Wash the divide east of the 

playa is undoubtedly formed by alluvium, so that the body of ground 

water in Coyote Valley is continuous with that beneath the valley 

drained by Manix Wash. For that reason Coyote Valley is considered 

as coatinumg to Mohave River, as shown on Figure 9. However, 

data on several wells near Manix are given in the section on the Lower 

Mohave Valley.

The divide of Coyote Valley is apparently composed of alluvium 

at several other places, particularly between the Alvord Mountains 

and the Daggett-D^ath Valley road, north of the Paradise Mountains, 

and in the northwest corner of the valley east of the Ausland Well, 

In the first two localities low rock hills at several places make it seem 

probable that bedrock lies near the surface. As shown by groundwater conditions in Superior Valley, however, it is probable that east 

of the Ausland Well the divide is composed of alluvium and there is 

drainage of ground water from Superior Valley. (See pp. 250-253.)

Numerous rock hills and low mountains rise from the floor of the 

valley within its borders. The largest of these are the Paradise 

Mountains. Northeast and north of these mountains are several 

large hills with more rounded outlines in which granite crops out at 

many places. Undoubtedly most of this part of the valley is underlain by rocks at a depth of a few feet, although it has the appearance 

of being filled with alluvium. Between the southwest end of the 

Paradise Mountains and Lane Mountain rock crops out along washes, 

and part of the slope that is apparently of alluvial origin is undoubtedly an eroded rock surface or mountain pediment.

The Calico Mountains are composed of a series of Tertiary volea.nic rocks. (See p. 442.) West of the Barstow-Death Valley road 

there is in addition greenish clay of Tertiary age which is a part 

ol the Barstow formation. Elsewhere in the region the rocks obsefrved are nearly all granitic intrusives. The Paradise Mountains 

and the hills north and northeast of them apparently are com-
282 THE MOHAVE DUSEBT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

posed entirely of these rocks. The lower part of Lane Mountain is 

composed mostly of granitic rocks, but the upper part is a reddish 

volcanic rock, probably rhyolite of Tertiary age. The contact between the two rocks may be seen very distinctly from the road a 

mile or two east of the mountain.

Lane Mountain rises very steeply to a considerable height from 

Coyote Valley, but on the west side of the mountain in the upper 

part of the valley the slopes of Harper Valley are several hundred 

feet above Coyote Valley, and the mountain does not rise much 

above the rest of Harper Valley. Lane Mountain is part of a long 

ridge that extends almost due north and south. These features are 

suggestive of a northward-trending fault by which Coyote Valley has 

been dropped downward with respect to Lane Mountain and the 

valley west of it. The steep slope along the east side continues 

southward and southeastward to the Calico Mountains, and the 

nearly level upland valley occupied by the Barstow formation lies 

several hundred feet above Coyote Valley.

The southwestern part of Coyote Dry Lake presents features 

characteristic of the wet type of playa. Puffy soil or "self-rising 

ground" occurs especially near Coyote Well, and there are small 

patches of salt grass around the border of the playa. The water 

level in Coyote Well in February, 1918, was 13 feet below the surface, and as the surface at the well is a few feet above the playa the 

water table beneath the playa is undoubtedly near enough for the 

water to rise by capillary action. In contrast to the southwest side 

of the playa the northeast side presents features that are characteristic of playas of the dry type. The surface is hard and smooth. 

That the water table lies at a greater depth is shown by a hole along 

the Daggett-Death Valley road near the northeastern edge of the 

playa, which in September, 1917, was dry at a depth of 73 feet.

GROUND WATER 

WELLS NEAE COYOTE DBY LAKE

Several wells have been dug or drilled near Coyote Dry Lake, but 

no very definite information was obtained in regard to them except 

for the depths to water as measured by the writer. The location of 

the wells is shown in Figure 9.

A flowing well is situated on the homestead entry of L. S. Jones in 

the S. y% sec. 28, T. 12 N., R. 2 E. San Bernardino meridian. The 

well is nearly a quarter of a mile west of Coyote Dry Lake. It is 6 

inches in diameter and in February, 1918, was 90 feet deep. It is 

said that the depth originally was 100 feetL When visited, the water 

was flowing from the casing about 2^ feet above the surface at a 

rate between 5 and 10 gallons a minute. The stream flowed for 

some distance toward the playa before it all percolated into the soil.
, 283

No sample was taken of the water, but it apparently contains a considerable amount of salts in solution, lor alkali stands along the channels where the water has flowed. The water is warm, No thermometer was available, but the temperature was estimated to be at 

least 75° or 80° F. The well is about 4 miles southeast of Paradise 

Springs, where the water from one outlet has a temperature of about 

102°. (See p. 286.) It is altogether probable that the heat of the 

water in the well and springs comes from the same source.

Several hundred feet east of the flowing well described above and 

within 200 feet of the playa is another drilled well, 6 inches in 

diameter. When visited the well had a wooden plug in the top so 

that it could not be measured. An inch pipe had been inserted in the 

side of the 6-inch casing, and from it water was trickling at the rate 

of about a gallon a minute. About 300 feet north of this well water 

was seeping, up around a wooden pipe sunk in the side of a low sand 

dune. Mesquite grows near the playa for some distance, and evidently the water table is close to the surface.

When the writer visited the locality in February, 1918, E. E. Barr 

was drilling a well 1Q inches in diameter near the northwest corner 

of the SE. % sec. 8, T. 11 N., R. 2 E., but the well was not then completed. Water was struck at a depth of 17 feet, and it rose a short 

distance hi the casing. At a depth of 22 feet another water-bearing 

bed was struck, and the water rose within 3^ feet of the surface. 

The well is on the alluvial slope north of the Calico Mountains and is 

about 15 feet above Coyote Dry Lake. No test had been made as to 

the yield of the well.

About a quarter of a mile northwest of the Barr Well is a dug well, 

17.5 feet deep, in which the depth to water on February 26, 1918, 

was 7.8 feet. This well is about 10 or 15 feet above Coyote Dry 

Lake and probably a little below the Barr Well.

J. T. Burns has a drilled well in the NW. ^ sec. 32, T. 12 N., R. 2 

E. San Bernardino meridian. The total depth is not known, but th$ 

depth to water is reported to be about 8 feet. The water is said to 

be of poor quality.

Several wells have been drilled or dug on the south side of Coyote 

Dry Lake. Coyote Well, probably in sec. 22, T. 11 N., R, 2 E. San 

Bernardino meridian, near the Daggett-Death Valley road, has been a 

watering place for many years. The well is dug to a total depth of 

18 feet and is about 2 feet 8 inches in diameter. On September 6, 

1917, the depth to water was 15.7 feet, and on February 26, 1918, it 

was 13.4 feet from the top of the tile casing, 8 inches above the ground. 

In 1918 the well was equipped with a good windlass and bucket. As 

shown by analysis 1 (p. 288), the water is highly mineralised, and 

contains 2,482 parts per million of total dissolved solids. More than 

95 per cent of the basic constituents are sodium and potassium. The
284 THE MOHAVE DESERT BBGIOW, CALIFOBNIA

predominating aeid constituent is the sulphate radicle. The water 

tastes and smells of hydrogen sulphide. It is not suitable for domestic 

use and should not be drunk unless necessary. In an emergency it 

could doubtless be used without serious consequences until better 

water was obtained. It is poor for irrigation. The temperature of 

the water on September 6, 1917, was 71° F.

On the east side of the road, 200 or 300 feet from Coyote Well, a 

6-inch well was drilled in the winter of 1917-18 to a depth of 50 feet. 

In February, 1918, the water, which had a brackish taste, was trickling from the casing through a slit cut at the ground level.

About half a mile east of Coyote Well is a 6-inch drilled well. The 

well measured only 18 feet deep, and there was only 2 or 3 inches of 

water hi it. This water may have come from a rainstorm that 

occurred only a few hours before the visit, and the measurement may 

not represent the true depth to water. This well is several feet above 

the playa.

On the northeast edge of Coyote Dry Lake, a few feet east of the 

Daggett-Death Valley road, there is a dry hole 73 feet deep. This 

hole is sunk on the playa, and the material on the dump pile around 

it is mostly a gray clay with very few pebbles. There is a well in 

sec. 12 or 13, T. 11 N., $. 3 E., near the Alvord mine, but no data are 

available in regard to it.

The available data show that water is near the surface near the 

southwest and west borders of Coyote Dry Lake, and in a small area 

within a short distance of the playa it is under sufficient pressure to 

cause it to rise above the surface in drilled wells. On the other hand, 

the depth to water on the northeast side of the playa is considerably 

greater, as is shown both by the dry hole along the Daggett-Death 

Valley road referred to above and by the absence of any waterindicating vegetation, such as salt grass or mesquite, which is present 

on the west side of the playa. It is not certain whether this difference 

in depth to water is due to a difference in altitude of the playa. It 

may perhaps be due to other conditions. The drainage area on the 

west side of the playa is several times larger than the area northeast 

of the playa. Consequently, the contribution to the ground-water 

reservoir west of the playa would be much larger. The clay beds of 

the playa may be so impervious that they prevent the ground water 

west of the playa from moving toward the northeast.

If a divide exists between the east end of Coyote Dry Lake and 

Mohave River it is undoubtedly composed of alluvium, and ground 

water must drain from Coyote Valley to the Mohave Valley. If 

the playa is level, as is true of most playas, the gradient of the water 

table eastward would itself be sufficient reason for the water table 

to lie at a greater depth at the east side of the playa. However, it 

does not seem that the great difference in the depth to water in Coyote 

Well and in the dry hole at the northeast edge of the playa can be due
COYOTE VALLEY 285

alone to the slope of the water table. Perhaps, in additio© to tke 

conditions suggested, the playa may rise in altitude toward the northeast, or there may be a buried barrier which causes an abrupt drop 

in the water table between the two wefls.

N«' dftrta ftipe available as to the yield of any of tfe» wells. The 

alluvium around the wells visited is rifft coarse, and it seems doubtful 

if any of the wells would yield very much water. At the western 

border of Coyote Dry Lake carefully constructed wells might yiold 

enough water to be us«d for irrigating small areas. It is believed, 

however, that the conditions are not very favorable for irrigation, 

partly because of the poor quality of the water. The gradient of 

the land is not great, and as the water table is already near the surface the land might easily become "water-logged" and spofled by 

alkali.

WATERING PLACES IN THE MOUNTAINS

Paradise Springs. The Paradise Springs are noteworthy because 

the water from them has a higher temperature than that from any 

other springs known in the Mohave Desert region. They are in a 

broad canyon on the east side of the Paradise Mountains, in sec. 7, 

T. 12 N., R. 2 E. San Bernardino meridian (see fig. 9), and are reached 

by a road that turns northwestward from the Barstow-Death Valley 

road 23.8 miles northeast of Barstow. Near the southeast end of the 

mountains several roads turn north or northwest to the Paradise 

mine, which is about V/% miles south of the springs. If one of these 

roads is followed in order to reach the springs the traveler should 

turn northeast along the base of the mountain. The most dkfct 

road to the springs branches from the main road a short distance 

south of a rock hill that lies on the south side of a large eanyon but is 

partly separated from the main mountain. The road ascends a 

wash south of this hill to a low divide, beyond which there is an 

abrupt drop of several feet to the large, broad canyon mentioned above. 

Westward from this divide there mjay be seen a terrace-like flat 

several acres in extent, which slopes slightly northeastward toward 

the main canyon. This flat area is partly covered with salt grass and 

partly with alkali. Near the middle of the flat is a barrel, from which 

two collecting ditches and pipe lines lead back to the springs, one 

group of which is about 300 feet west of the barrel and the other about 

600 feet to the northwest. (See fig. 10.)

The water is collected by several short ditches, from a few inches 

to several feet deep, which lead to the two main ditches mentioned 

above. At the southern group of ditches the water comes wholly 

from the sandy clay that forms the terrace-like flat, but within 25 

feet farther west rises a bedrock Mil. The rock at this place appears 

to be a metamorphosed sediment. At the north group of ditches the 

water comes mostly from the clay, but at one place it issues directly
286 THE MOHAYE DE8EET REGION, CALIFORNIA

from cracks in the rock. In a prospect cut a short distance south of 

this group the rock is pegmatite.

The temperature of the water from the different seepages has & 

range of about 20°. On October 11,1917, the highest temperature of

Approximate scale

tjOOO 2,000 FEET

. FIGTTEE 10. Sketch map of the vicinity of Paradise Springs

water emerging from the cracks in rock was 106.5°. On February 12, 

1918, the highest temperature observed at this same place was 102°. 

On two occasions G. A. Waring recorded maximum temperatures 

of 102°, first in 1908 " and later on August 22, 1916,78 The temperature of the water flowing from the clay at points 10 or 15 feet from 

the seepage from the rock ranged from 90° to 95°. The temperature

w Waring^ G. A., Springs of California: tr. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 838, p. 52,1915. 

»«Unpublished field notes.
COYOTE VAMJJY 2§f

of the water at the southern group of seepages, where the water comes 

entirely from the clay, ranged from 82 to 84°, 

. Most el the water comes from the ditches dug in the sandy clay 

that forms the terrace at the base of the rock hills. However, as 

some water comes from cracks in the rock and as this water is the 

hottest in this locality it is believed that the ultimate source of the 

water is the bedrock; the water in the clay is believed to percolate 

from the rock below the surface, cooling as it passes through the clay,

The water doubtless originally emerged on a bare rock surface, 

which was later covered by the terrace of sandy clay. The terrace 

appears to have been built up partly from material in solution, which 

was precipitated as the water emerged from the rock. However, as 

shown by analyses 2 and 3 (p. 288), the water is not very highly 

mineralized, and it is improbable that the material thus laid down 

forms a large part of the deposit. Doubtless most of the deposit is 

wind-blown sand and clay, which has been held where it fell by the 

moisture from the springs.

The original source of the water and of its heat is entirely a matter 

of conjecture. The rocks in the Paradise Mountains are largely 

granitic, with perhaps areas of metamorphosed sedimentary rocks in 

addition to the quartzite west of the southern group of springs. So 

far as is known there are no volcanic rocks in the mountains, but 

such rocks are abundant within 5 or 6 miles to the south. Water 

from a flowing well about 4 miles southeast of the springs is warm. 

It is possible that this water may move underground in the alluvium 

from the springs, but the distance is so great that it would seem that 

the temperature would be lowered nearer to the normal. More 

probably the rocks which furnish the heat lie below the well and also 

below the springs.

The total quantity of water discharged at the collecting barrel in 

October, 1917, was between 25 and 30 gallons a minute. A considerable quantity of water that was flowing in the ditches did not enter 

the barrel. Probably by clearing out the ditches and digging additional ones the supply could be increased considerably. From the 

collecting barrel a pipe line leads southeastward and southward to 

the Paradise mine, a distance of about 1^ miles. The pipe line 

descends to an altitude below the mine, so that the water is forced 

up to the mine by the pressure in the upper part of the line. Ijtt 

October, 1917, however, there were so many leaks in the lower part 

of the line that no water reached the mine, which was then closed. 

Later a new pipe line was laid at a higher level. It is said that the 

water corrodes the pipe very rapidly.

i Two samples of water were collected from the springs one of the 

hot water at the northern group of ditches and the other of the 

cooler water at the southern group. The mineral content is fairly 

moderate in both samples, but the hot water contains about 150 parts
288 THE MOHAVE BIK3ION, C4LIFOKNIA.

per million of dissolved solids more than the cooler water. The 

predominant constituents in each sample are sodium and sulphate. 

The cooler water is good for domestic use, but the hot water is only 

fair. Both waters are fair for irrigation. 

Lane's well. Lane's well is near the head of a canyon that cuts 

through Lane Mountain and is probably in sec. 33, T. 32 S., E. 

47 E. Mount Diablo meridian. (See fig. 9.) The well is reached 

by several roads in the eastern part of Harper Valley, which uaite 

at the head of the canyon about a tenth of a mile west of the well. 

A road, which may be washed out in the canyon after heavy rains, 

also leads to the well from the Barstow-Death Valley road in Coyote 

Valley, 5 or 6 miles to the east.

The well is near an old shack in the bottom of a small canyon. It 

is dug, 4 by 5 feet in area, and is 41 feet deep. On October 12,1917, 

the depth to water measured 24.3 feet. At that time there was a 

hand pump in the well, but it was out of order. There was over the 

well a windlass, with a rope and a gasoline can. About 200 feet 

down the canyon another dug well or shaft has been sunk 40 feet 

deep, and the depth to water in it was 28 feet. This well had no 

windlass. A large pile of granite around the well indicates that 

the lower part of the well is in that rock. The water from the upper 

well was hauled for use by prospectors at Coolgardie and homesteaders in the region west of the well.

The analysis of a sample of water from the upper well is given in 

column 4 of the table below. The water is rather highly mineralized 

and contains 757 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It is 

only fair for domestic use because of the high total hardness, which, 

will require considerable soap in washing, but it can be used for 

drinking and cooking without serious difficulty. It is fair for irrigation use.

ANALYSES

Analyses of ground waters from Coyote Valley, Calif. 

[Parts pear million]

SilicaCSiOs)-- .- . . - .. . -

Iron(Fe) ... ... . _ ..... _ ........ ______________

Calcium (Ca).-~ _________________________

Magnesium (Mg) _ _________ ____ . _ . .....

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs) ___________________

Sulphate radicle (SOO- __ _____ . ____ ~

Chloride radicle <C1)_ ........... ...........................

Nitrate radicle (N08)...- ..-.... . __ .. ... ........

Total dissolved solids at 180° C...... _________ .... __ .

Date of collection, ________________________

1

64

.24

13

7.2

826

IS

462

890

367

4.0

2,482

62(")

2

136

.22

8.0

3,1

151

58

26

169

48

Trace.

623

33(»)

3

65

.12

7.9

1.4

134

0

97

161

48

.70

468

26

«

4

50

.36

48

40

14D

Trace.

270

167

1B2

1.2

757

321 <*)

' Sept. 6,1917. » Oct. 11,1917. « Feb. 12; 1918. * Oct. 12,1917.

Analysts: 1, Addie T. Geiger, tJ. S. Geological Survey; 2 and 4, Margaret D. Foster, XT. 8. Qeolegica 

Survey; 3, Addle T. Geiger, Margaret D. Foster, and C. H. Kidwell, TJ. S. Geological Survey.

1. Coyote well, sec. 22, T. 11 N., E. 2 E. San Bermrdino meridian. (See p. 288.)

2. Hot spring (temperature 102° F.), northern group of outlets, Paradise Springs, sec. 7, T. 12 N., R. 2 E 

San Bernardino meridian. (See p. 286.)

3. Warm spring (temperature 82° F.), southern group of outlets, Paradise Springs, about 250 yard* 

south of hot spring represented by analysis 2. (See p. 286.)

4. Lane's well, sec. 33 or 34, T. 32 S., R. 47 E. Mount Diablo meridian. (See above.)
BX8EBT feBGION, CALIFORNIA 

ANTELOPE VAMJEY

' Antelope Valley k one of the few areas in the Mohave Desert 

region in which irrigation has been successful to a considerable extent. 

The water supply 0f the valley was described by Johnson n in 1011, 

but since that time many new wells have been drilled. The writer 

collected information in the valley in December, 1918, December, 

1919, January, 1920, and April and May, 1921.

The writer is indebted to Messrs, H. A. Brodie and L. S. Tudor, of 

the Southern California Edison Co.; Burt Cole, engineer for the 

Palmdale irrigation district; J. W. Scott, engineer for the Little Rock 

irrigation district; and Harry Austin, R. H. Orr, C. L. Mason, and 

N. S. Abbott for information in regard to wells, acreage under irrigation, and other valuable data. W. R. Parkhill and C. H. West, engineers of the Federal Land Bank of Berkeley, also kindly furnished data.

In addition to the report by Johnson cited above, several other 

published reports M contain brief data in regard to Antelope Valley. 

The writer has also been permitted to examine several unpublished 

reports by engineers in regard to the utilization of the surface waters 

of certain parts of the valley for irrigation.

LOCATION AND SETTLEMENTS

Antelope Valley lies in Los Angeles and Kern Counties, in the 

southwest corner of the Mohave Desert region (see pi. 7), and is 

bounded on the south and west by ttie high San Gabriel and Tehachapi 

Mountains. These ranges serve as barriers to the rain-producing 

winds that blow from the Pacific Ocean in winter, and for that reason 

the precipitation is so low that in most parts of the valley crops can

» Johnson, H. R., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calif.: II. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

278,1911-

» Davis, A. P., Report of progress of stream measurements for the calendar year 1896: U. S. Qeol. Survey 

Eighteenth Ann. Kept., pt. 4, pp. 402-405,1897. Describes a stream-gaging station on Little Bock Creek 

and gives the estimated discharge of the creek for 1896.

Schuybr, J. D., Rsservoirs for irrigation Mam, pB.,711-715, 737. Describes proposed reservoirs of the 

Antelope VaUay Water Co. and th& Alpine (now called Harold) reservoir of the South Antelope Valley 

Irrigation Co.

Operations at river stations, 1897, Part II: TJ. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 16, p. 193,1898. Gives 

record of daily gaga height at gaging station on Little Bock Creek for 1897.

Newell, F. H., and others, Report of progress of stream measurements for the calendar year 1897: TJ. S. 

Geol. Survey Nineteenth Ann. Rept., pt. 4, p. 527, 1899. Gives estimated monthly discharge of Little 

Bode Creek for 1867.

Operations at river stations, 1898, Part II: TJ. 3. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 28, p. 189,1999. Givjs 

record of daily gage height at gaging station on Little Rock Creek for 1898.

Newell, F. H., Report of progress of stream measurements for the year 1898: U. S. Geol. Surwy Twentieth Ann. Rept., pt. 4, p. 540,1900. Gives estimated monthly discharge for Little Rock Creek for 1868,

Newell, F. H., Report of progress of stream measurements for the year 1899: U. S. Geol. Survey Twentyfttst Ann. Rept., pt. 4, pp. 470-471,1901. Gives estimated monthly discharge of Little Bock Creak fcr T»».

Johnson, H. R., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calif.: U. 8. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

278,1911. Describes in considerable detail both the ground water and surface water supplies of the v«Hey. 

Gives data in regard to 353 wells.

Tait, C. E., Irrigation resources of southern California: California Conservation Comm. Rept., pp. 822- 

324,1912. Gives a brief outline of developments in the valley up to 1912.

Adams, Frank, Irrigation districts in California, 1887-1915: California Dept. Engineering Fifth Bienn. 

Bept., appendix B, pp. 10, a7-39, 91-93,1917. (Originally printed as Bull. 2 of State Dept. Engineering, 

1916.) Givas briefly the history of tha different irrigation districts formed hi the valley.
not be grown without irrigation. The more prominent topographic 

features of the region are shown on Plate 19 and on the relief maps, 

Plates 9 and 10.

The valley lies 40 miles north of Los Angeles, but the distance by 

railroad or highway is nearly twice as great, owing to the fact that 

high mountains necessitate a wide detour to the west. The line- of 

the Southern Pacific Railroad that runs from Los Angeles to San 

Francisco by way of San Joaquin Valley crosses the valley from south 

to north, and the line of the Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

from Barstow to San Francisco crosses the northeast corner. The 

valley is also connected with Los Angeles by a good paved road, 

which is part of one of the roads that connects southern California 

with the Lincoln Highway between San Francisco and Salt Lake City.

The largest town is Lancaster, on the Southern Pacific Railroad 

near the center of the valley. The next in size is Palmdale, on the 

railroad 8 miles south of Lancaster, near the foot of the San Gabriel 

Mountains. The only other town on the railroad is Rosamond, 12 

miles north of Lancaster. Lancaster and Palmdale are thriving 

towns, with hotels, good stores, and banks. Little Rock, 10 miles 

southeast of Palmdale; Del Sur, 9 miles west of Lancaster; and 

Fairmont, 19 miles west of Lancaster, are small communities, each 

with a post office and general store. Valyermo and Llano, each 20 

miles southeast of Palmdale; Wilsona, about 20 miles northeast of 

Palmdale; Neenach, 28 miles northwest of Lancaster; Domino, 16 

miles west of Rosamond; and Muroc, on the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway, are post offices that serve scattered ranches.81 All 

these communities are reached by automobile, and roads lead from 

the valley to desert towns lying to the north and east.

HISTORY OF IRRIGATION

Stock raising was probably the first agricultural activity of white 

men in this region. The first attempts at farming any large portion 

of the valley seem to have been made near the foot of the mountains 

along the south side of the valley, where the rainfall is somewhat 

greater than in the center of the valley. Some of the early settlers, 

especially those on the lands west of the Southern Pacific Railroad 

around Del Sur, Fairmont, and Neenach, tried to grow crops without 

irrigation. In years of abundant rainfall they seem to have been 

successful. For instance, it is said that 750 carloads of wheat was 

shipped from the valley in 1893,?2 most of it presumably from the 

region between Del Sur and Neenach. One man is said to have had 

1,000 acres in wheat and barley. The following year, however, the 

rainfall was deficient, and the crop failed.

» Runnington post office, shown in Plate 9, and Casa Desierto post office, shown on Plate 10, are .not 

listed in the 1928 edition of the Postal Guide and apparently have been discontinued. 

, Field, and Fireside, vol. 17, No. 16, pp. 624-527, Apr. 21,1894.
,--.-., AJfSEEIiOBE

the early niceties a wave of schemes of 

swept over the Western States, and in California conditions, were 

made lavorable by the passage in 1887 of a law known, as tb/e Wright 

Act. This law "sought to confer on farmmg communities powers of 

municipalities in the purchase or construction and the operation of 

irrigation works." * In Antelope Valley six irrigation distrfets irwtf' 

(^anized under the Wright Act between 1890 and 1895, known as the 

Neenach, Manzana, Amargosa, Palmdale, Little Bock Creek, and 

Big Rock Creek districts. The Little Rock Creek district is the only 

one that can be said to have been entirely successful, after a hazardous 

career, and the Big Rock Creek district is the only other one that 

still exists. Recently a new Palmdale district, which embraces in 

part the lands of the old Palmdale district, has been organized under 

a new law.

One of the most pretentious projects was located on Rock Creek (often 

called Big Rock Creek), then, called Rio del Llano (river of the plain). 

This project was fostered by a paper devoted to farming interests, 

which proposed the establishment of a colony where the colonists 

would have an opportunity to build homes for themselves.84 The 

plan seems to have been a bona fide scheme, which promised no great 

profits to the promoters, and the land with water rights was so!4 

much cheaper than in neighboring districts. Before the land was 

obtained by the colony several hundred acres of fruit trees, grapes, 

and alfalfa had been brought to a productive state by a few ranchers, 

who used water from the creek. The promoters of the colony 

obtained 8,000 acres of land, all of which was quickly sold under 

contracts, and steps were taken to obtain an additional area of 10,000 

acres, but this area was in litigation and was not immediately obtainable.

During the same period that the Rio del Llano colony had its 

inception other colonies were being started along the north foot of the 

mountains. The Alpine Springs colony was located on the site of 

the present Little Rock Creek district. It contained 1,300 acres, 

planted mostly with almonds and prunes.85 At Manzana 1,500 acres 

was sold and planted, mostly in almonds,88 and at Almendro, at the 

west end of the valley, it was planned to set out 800 acres in 1895, 

mostly in almonds. Probably at least 1,000 acres additional had 

been set out by private parties. It is probable that during this 

period areas aggregating from 12,000 to 15,000 acres were bought 

in different parts of the valley by prospective colonists who expected

» Adams, Frank, Irrigation districts in California, 1887-1915: California Dept. Eng., Fifth Biwrn. E<S*, 

appendix B, p. 8,1917. This report was also published as California Dept. Engineering Bnll. 2, ISlfl. ,

* The information on the early history of this colony is gathered frtab numerous artielS* in different 

numbers of Farm, Fidld, and Fireside, vols. 17-20,1894-1897. i

M Farm, Field, and Fireside, vol. 17, p. 828, June 23,1894.

« Idem, pp. 621-524, Apr. 21,1894.
292 THE MOHAVE DE6JBRT ETGION, CALIFORNIA

to 8«fe out orchards. Some idea of the magnitude of the developments 

may b« obtained from tbe following quotation from Bin ton: w

JEn the Antelope Valley proper, since April, 1889, some 10,006 acres have been 

brought under oaLtrration; this area can be readily increased to 36,060 aeres. 

It is estimated that in all 90,000 acres are DOW under ditch. The surface suppty 

is obtained from mountain streams, stored in three reservoire, with a total 

capacity of 30,000,000 gallons.88 The works include five dams, five headways, 

seven weirs, and six tunnels driven into the foothills. The main ditches are 60 

miles in length, 5 feet wide at the top. There is an equal mileage of distributing 

and lateral ditches.

The colonization projects seem to have been started at what proved 

to be the most inopportune time in the history of the valley. During 

eight out of the eleven years from July 1, 1893, to June 30, 1904,-the 

mean annual rainfall for the places at which precipitation records 

have been kept for a long period was considerably below the normal. 

(See table on p. 85 and pi. 6.) For two successive yesjxs, 1897-98 and 

1898-99, the precipitation was the lowest yet recorded at several of 

the stations for which the records are given; the longest record covers 

a period of 50 years,

The colonists had hardly set out their orchards when they were hit 

by the unprecedented drought. The orchards on the west side of the 

valley, which depended almost entirely on rainfall for water, were 

the first to wither, but it was not long before Kock and Little Rock 

Creeks dwindled to a point where they did not carry enough water 

for the large acreage set out. Most of the settlers were forced to 

give up their new homes. A very few were able to continue on their 

places until years of more abundant rainfall. Tracts amounting to 

many hundreds of acres were abandoned, for in 1910 less than 5,000 

acres was irrigated in the valley.

Mr. O. Lewis, of Little Rock, states that in the dry years of 1897- 

1899, as the flow of Little Rock Creek dwindled, family after family 

moved out until he was practically the only landowner left in the 

district. He installed a pumping plant in a well dug in the creek 

bottom and was thus able to keep his orchard from dying. After 

the drought had passed some of the settlers gradually drifted back, 

and eventually the Little Rock Creek district was placed on a sound 

basis. The original orchards were largely planted with almonds and 

olives, but these trees suffered greatly from the drought, and hi the 

years since that period most of the orchards have been set out with 

pear trees and a smaller number of apple trees.

Since its beginning the Big Rock Creek Irrigation District has been 

divided into two parts, known as the East Side and the West Side, 

located respectively on the east and west side of Rock Creek Wash.

w Hinton, E. J., Progress report of irrigation in the United States, pt. 1, p. 60, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1891. 

88 About 90 acre-feet. Either the figure given by Hinton is wrong or the storage capacity was exceedingly 

small in comparison with1 the diversion works that bad been built according to his statement.
ANTELOPB VALLEY

When the lands were first colonized in 1894, the headquarters of the 

East Side were at Llano and of the West Side at Almondale.

In 1914 an attempt was made to rehabilitate the Rio del Llano 

project by a group of socialists, who established a cooperative colony, 

Several hundred members joined the colony, each cmtributkig a 

certain amount of money. It was to be operated on ideal socialistic 

principles of equal division of work and of benefits accruing therefrom, 

and it was expected that the colony would eventually become aseariy 

independent of the outside world. Internal troubles arose over th* 

management of the colony. In the early part of 1918 most of the 

colonists were sent to Louisiana to form a new colony, and Llano was 

practically abandoned. In 1919 a large part of the area that waa 

formerly irrigated was badly neglected.

Almondale was abandoned during the extreme drought of the nine* 

ties and has not been revived, but a community known as Langview 

has been established on some of the West Side lands, and several 

hundred acres of fruit trees are being irrigated. It is reasonable to 

believe that eventually the district may become as highly developed 

as the Little Rock Creek district.

The districts on the west side of the valley did not survive tifoe 

drought of the nineties. It was found that die water supply that was 

to be used for irrigation was not sufficient except in seasons when th® 

precipitation was above the normal, and the projects were abandoned. 

Hundreds of acres of almond and olive trees were allowed to die, but 

about 1,000 acres of trees at Manzana are still cultivated without 

irrigation and in some years produce good yields.

At about the time the Little Eock Creek Irrigation District was 

organized the South Antelope Valley Irrigation Co., later called tluft 

Palmdale Water Co., was organized as a private corporation, not 

under the Wright Act. This company also used water from Little 

Rock Qreek, carrying it by open ditch to a natural depression, known 

as the Alpine or Harold Reservoir, about a mile south of Palmdale. 

Until recently no storage was provided on the creek. The little 

Rock Creek district has used the flow of the stream only during tbe 

irrigation season, but the Palmdale Co. has stored some of the winter 

flow in the Harold Reservoir. This reservoir, however, has a capacity 

of only about 3,000 acre-feet, and in winter, when the rmxxff is 

greatest, much water has been lost. Recently tbe PalmeLale Irrigation District has been organized. It covers practically the same territory that was served by the Palmdale Water Co., which has sold its 

holdings and water rights to the new district. The Palmdale district 

and the Little Rock Creek district joined on a project to build a concrete dam on Little Rock Creek with a view to impounding the greater 

part of the excess flow that is not diverted to the Harold Reservoir. 

In January, 1919, a bond issue of $580,000 was v&ted for this purpose. 

5631 29 20
THE MOHAW 30ESBRT BBSION, CAMFOBNIA

IE the Palmdale district about 700 acres has been irrigated, and in 

the Little Bock Creek district about 1,600 acres, practically all in 

pears or apples. When the new storage works are completed the 

plans provide for irrigating about 5,000 acres in the Palmdale district 

and about 3,000 acres in the Little Rock Creek district.8'

While the southern margin of Antelope Valley has been developed 

by water from Bock and Little Rock Creeks, a large area in the central part has been developed by water from drilled wells. Early in 

the eighties it was discovered that flowing wells could be obtained 

in the lower part of the valley near Lancaster by drilling to depths 

of 200 to 500 feet.90 The development of the ground-water resources 

at first was not rapid. Johnson's report gives a list of 353 wells 

that had been drilled up to January, 1909.91 Only 23 wells are given 

in this list as being drilled during the 10-year period 1881 to 1890, 

but Hinton states that in 1890 more than 100 wells were in use, of 

which five were flowing wells.92 Definite figures for the period since 

1908, when the field work on Johnson's report was finished, are not 

available, but the rate at which wells have been drilled has apparently been somewhat greater than before 1908. One driller put down 

about 80 wells from 1912 to 1919, and another about 40 wells from 

1917 to 1919. Other drillers have also put down a considerable 

number of wells. Probably at least 150 wells have been drilled since 

1908, and the total number that have been drilled in the valley is 

not far from 500, but not all of these are now in use.

In the early years the land in the central part of the valley was 

devoted principally to cattle raising. Gradually, however, an increasing area was irrigated from wells. The water for irrigation was 

at first obtained almost entirely from flowing wells. Practically no 

pumping plants were used for irrigation prior to 1900. In the list 

of 353 wells given by Johnson less than 40 are indicated as equipped 

with pumping plants in 1908, including several that were used by 

railroads or for manufacturing. Since 1908 the number of pumping 

plants has increased greatly. In January, 1920, the Southern California Edison Co. was furnishing electric power to more than 200 

pumping plants, and in addition there were 25 to 50 pumping plants 

operated by gasoline or oil engines.

The greatest development at first took place in the area of artesian 

flow because of the ease with which water could be obtained. In a 

large part of this area, however, there is so much alkali that the land

" The dam has been completed since the above statement was written, bat no information is available 

as to the results of its use. All statements in this report are based on conditions as they were In 1919, 

unaffected by storage of water which has since taken place.

» Hinton, R. J., Progress report of irrigation in the United States, p. 50, U. S. Dept. Agr., 1891. Johnson, 

H. B., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calit: 17. 8. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Fapet 278, well No. 

298, p. 86,1911.

H Johnson, H. R., op. cit., pp. 70-88.

M Hinton, R. J., op. cit., p. 60.
is useless for crops. Nevertheless many wells were put down on land 

covered with alkali merely to get title to the land under the desertland laws. At a number of places the settlers tried to grow crops, 

only to have them killed by alkali or by salt grass that got a better 

footing in the alkali soil.

The developments in recent years have been confined largely to 

raising alfalfa on land that lies near the margins of the area of artesian 

flow, where the alkali is not bad, and land that lies not more than a 

mile or two outside the area of artesian] flow, where the pumping 

lift is not more than 50 feet. In the last lew years a number of wells 

have been drilled higher up on the alluvial $lope to be used in irrigating 

fruit orchards, which yield a sufficient return to warrant a high lift. 

The most notable development of fruit Orchards has been between 

Palmdale and Little Rock and northwest of Palmdale, where several 

hundred acres of fruit trees, mostly pearls, have been set out. Although some fruit trees are being grown in the alfalfa-producing 

region, fruit growing on a commercial scale is practically confined to 

the higher lands on the south side of the valley. In 1920 experiments 

were made in growing rice on the clay flat of Rosamond "Dry Lake" 

on the north side of the valley, but the results were not satisfactory.

In addition to the lands irrigated in Antelope Valley several hundred 

acres is under cultivation in mountain valleys that are tributary to 

the main valley. Near Valyenno 300 alcres or more of pear and 

apple orchards are irrigated with water from Rock Creek and 

yield good returns. A few hundred acr0s is devoted to fruit and 

grain in Leonis Valley, a long, narrow valley drained by Amargosa 

Creek, west of Palmdale. The rainfall here is greater than in 

Antelope Valley and irrigation is not practiced. Some of the lands 

are naturally moist.

In the last few years the development 0f Antelope Valley has been 

rapid. In a report published in 1912 the area of irrigated land in 

the valley is given as 4,629 acres.93 Thd following summary, compiled from information obtained by the \friter from various sources 

in January, 1920, gives some indication a|s to the area irrigated in 

the valley in 1919.

» Tait, C. E., Irrigation resources of southern California: California Conservation Comm. Kept., p. 326, 

1912.
296 T&E MOHATE WH3KRT !OBQi©W, CAUJFUJSWlA

Estimated .area irrigated in Anielope V.aUty* in 1919

Locality and scarce of water

Water supply from surface streams:

' Little Bock __ ... __ . _ . ___ ....... _ ... ___ - ___ ...

Water supply from wells :

Nature of crop

Fruit... __ . ........

Fruit and alfalfa __ ..

Fruit... __ .... ......

.....do......... __ ...

.....do.. ... ...........

/.. do.... ...... ...

lAlfalfa- ... ... ... ...

Area 

(acretf)

300

300

350

1.600

700

1,565

'6,866

300

11,960

 The estimates of acreage irrigated by water from electrically driven pumping plants were obtained from 

H. 8. Brody, district agent of the Southern California Edison Co., which furnishes powei to probably 90 

per cent of the pumping plants in the valley.

* Data received from Mr. N. 8. Abbott, Lancaster, Calif., in December, 1924, show that the area of alfalfa 

irrigated as given in the above table may be too high. He stated that in 1919-20 the directors of the Alfalfa 

Growers Association of Antelope Valley made a careful survey and estimated the acreage then planted to 

be about 4,400 acres. He further stated that a careful compilation by L. 8. Tudor, district agent of the 

Southern California Edison Co., showed an acreage planted to alfalfa in July, 1923, of 8,013 acres. Mr. 

Abbott stated that in recent years there bad been a yearly increase in alfalfa acreage of about 1,000 acres.

The most rapid expansion probably occurred within the last year 

or two, to infer from shipments of certain products as given in the 

following table, furnished by the freight department of the Southern 

Pacific Railroad. Records for shipments prior to 1917 are not 

available.

Agricultural products shipped from stations in Antelope Valley, 1917 1919, in

carloads

Station

Palmdale __ ........

Hay

1917

333

2

335

1918

809 

17

20

846

1919

1,479

57

1,536

Grain

1917

2

2

1918

2

2

1919

3 

3

6

Live stock

1917

54

54

1918

73

10

83

1919

63 

5

69

Deciduous fruit

1917

8

8

1918

3

72

75

1919

1 

102

103

The hay shipped from the valley is nearly all alfalfa. Most of it is 

shipped from Lancaster, and Rosamond ranks second. In addition 

to the shipments given in the table, an increasing tonnage of hay has 

been shipped to Los Angeles by motor truck. Mr. R. C. Hitte, of 

the Lancaster Feed & Fuel Co., estimates that in 1919 from 2,000 to 

3,000 tons (equivalent to 180 to 270 carloads) was shipped by truck.94

About 80 per cent of the shipments of fruit consists of pears, and 

most of the remainder of apples. Practically all the fruit is shipped 

from Palmdale that is, from the more elevated valley lands, where 

the orchards are irrigated from the mountain streams or where the

M Statistics furnished by the Southern Pacific Co. for shipments from 1920 to 1926 show that shipments 

of hay by railroad have decreased to almost nothing, apparently as a result of increasing shipments by automobile truck. The data are obviously of no value as an indication of agricultural production in the valley 

and hence have not been added to the table.
ANTELOPE VALLEY 297

pumping lift is great. The small quantity of grain shipped conies 

principally from the dry-farm district between Del Sur and Neenaeh. 

In this connection the statement that 750 cars of grain was shipped

in 1893 is of interest.

SOILS

A soil surrey has been made of a large part of the Antelope Valley 

region.96 The soils are composed essentially of detrital material 

washed into the valley from the mountains that is, of fragments of 

granite, schist, gneiss, limestone, and volcanic and other rocks. On 

the alluvial slopes the materials range in coarseness from clay to 

sand, gravel, and boulders. In the lower part of the valley, around 

the play as, the-soil contains a large amount of clay and silt and a 

proportionately smaller percentage of sand and gravel. The material 

that underlies the playas is practically all clay or silt.

Throughout the greater part of the alluvial slopes the soil seems to 

be fairly productive when provided with water, but on the lower 

land which surrounds the playas and extends for several miles from 

them the soil contains more or less alkali. Although alfalfa and other 

crops are grown in some places on the alkali soil, most of this land 

is not cultivated. In some places where low mounds of wind-blown 

sand are scattered over the surface alkali may not show at the surface, but when the land is leveled for irrigation alkali may later 

appear. This condition apparently exists only near the outer edge 

of the area of alkali soil, for elsewhere if there is much alkali it will 

rise to the surface of the sandy areas. The alkali in the soil in the 

lower part of the valley seems to be due principally to evaporation 

of ground water that has reached the surface by upward capillary 

movement.

As a result of the evaporation of the lakes that once existed in 

some of the closed basins of the Mohave Desert region common salt 

and other alkali salts were deposited with the clay and silt of the lake 

bottoms and the soils in such places, as well as the ground waters, 

are highly impregnated with alkali. This does not seem to have 

happened in Antelope Valley, for no extensive salt deposits have 

been found, and the water from wells drilled on or close to the playas 

is rather low in mineral matter. No data are available as to the depth 

to which the alkali extends. However, as it is due to evaporation, 

it is probably most abundant in the uppermost foot or two.

In the'present investigation the boundary of the area of alkah soils 

was determined approximately at several places on the south side of 

the valley east and west of Lancaster. Where thus defined it agreed 

closely with the limit of the area in which flowing wells existed at 

the time of the investigation, which is shown on Plate 19, and doubt- 

's Carpenter, E. J., and Cosby, 8. W., Soil survey of the Lancaster area, Calif.: IT. 8. Dept. Agr. Bur 

Soils Field Operations for 1922, advance sheets, 1926.
298 THE MOHAVE DESERT RE&IOtf, CALIFOENIA

less the boundaries for the two areas are approximately the same 

throughout the valley. On this assumption it is estimated that the 

valley includes 75,000 to 100,000 acres in which the soil contain* 

more or less alkali. In this area the cost of obtaining water from 

wells is less than in any other part of the valley, but unfortunately 

the topographic and soil conditions are not favorable to methods 

used to reduce alkali in other arid areas. In view of the fact that 

there is a vast acreage of land with better soil elsewhere in the valley 

much of the low land will doubtless remain uncultivated.

NATIVE VEGETATION

Many kinds of native plants grow in Antelope Valley, although the 

variety in any one locality is more or less restricted. The distribution of the different plant species is determined by a combination, of 

factors that include variations in soil, moisture, and temperature. 

Hence there are plant zones the boundaries of which follow approxi-r 

mately the contour of the land.

The plant forms over most of the valley proper are desert shrub 

varieties, the large species being confined to the mountains or upper 

slopes of the valley. In the high mountains coniferous trees arefound. These areas are included in national forests and are difficult, 

of access, and hence these trees are used very little. The most noticeable treelike form in the valley is the Joshua tree, or giant yucca, 

which grows principally on the upper parts of the alluvial slopes 

and is rare below altitudes of 2,500 feet above sea level. The piflonor juniper is found in the upper part of the yucca zone and extend* 

upward on the mountains. Between Fairmont and Neenach these 

two forms grow in greater abundance than has been observed by the 

writer at any other place in the Mohave Desert region. The yucca 

is the only large tree in the valley that can be easily obtained for 

fuel. It is composed of rather pithy material, however, which, 

although it gives much heat, burns out quickly. Deciduous trees 

are very rare in the valley, except where they have been planted by 

ranchers.

Some of the native plants are good indicators of the nature of the 

soil or the depth to ground water. Salt grass (Distichlis spicata) 

is one of the best of these indicators. It grows where the depth to 

ground water is shallow and also generally indicates some alkali 

in the soil. In some places in the alkali-soil area it is abundant; 

in others it is very sparsely distributed. Other types, commonly 

known as salt brush, grow in the alkali soil of the lower part of the 

valley. Mesquite trees, which are usually good indicators of shallow 

ground water, grow at places in the area of artesian flow and along 

the wash of Rock Creek southwest of Lovejoy Buttes.90 Sagebrush

* Johnson, H. R., op. cit., p. 19.
ANTELOPE VALLEY 299

(Artemisia tridentaia} was observed on the intennediate part of the 

alluvial slope, the growth being particularly dense south and south* 

west, of the Portland ranch, 6.or 7 miles west of Lancaster, at an altitude of about 2,400 feet above sea level. It is unusual to find this 

species growing at so low an altitude in the Mohave Desert regiea. 

There is probably no relation between the distribution of this plant 

and the shallow-water zone, but it is said to indicate good agricultural land. The creosote bush (Cowttea tridentata), which is the 

dominant plant over most of the Mohave Desert region, is almost 

entirely absent throughout a large part of Antelope Valley and grows 

in abundance only around the borders of the valley.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

GENERAL FEATURES

Antelope Valley lies in a closed basin that is, a basin which has 

no outlet for its surface streams. All the storm water either sinks 

into the ground or collects in the lower parts of the valley, where it 

is disposed of by evaporation.

The boundary of the drainage basin of the valley is shown on Plat© 

19. It is roughly triangular, like a huge arrowhead. On the south and 

southwest the valley is separated from a region that drains to tha 

Pacific Ocean by the San Gabriel Mountains (on some maps named 

the Sierra Madre) and their westward extension Sawmill Mountain 

and Liebre Mountain. The trend of these mountains is approximately N. 70° W. The San Gabriel Mountains are very steep and 

high. North Baldy, the highest peak in the divide of Antelope 

Valley, rises 9,389 feet above sea level, and several other peaks 

attain altitudes of more than 6,000 feet. The peaks of Sawmill and 

Liebre Mountains, however, are less than 6,000 feet above sea leveL

On 'the northwest the valley is separated from the south end of 

San Joaquin Valley by the Tehachapi Mountains, the highest peak 

of which is Double Mountain, 7,950 feet above sea level. The 

trend of the Tehachapi Range is N. 65° E.

The divide between Antelope Valley and adjacent regions on the 

north and east is not so distinct as that formed by the San Gabriel 

and Tehachapi Mountains. In these directions the divide is marked 

in some places by low rock ridges or isolated buttes, but in other places 

it lies on slopes of alluvial material which have so gentle a grade that 

it is difficult to determine just where the divide is situated except by 

careful leveling or observation on the flood run-off. A large fan built 

out in front of Oak Creek, west of Mojave, slopes both southeastward 

toward Antelope Valley and northeastward to Fremont Valley, and 

the exact boundary between the two valleys is not known. It is 

probable that flood waters of Oak Creek at one time or another flow 

in both directions. The boundary north of the railroad between 

Bissel and Kramer is located with comparative accuracy. Topo-
300 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

graphic maps are not available for the east side of the valley, and it is 

not certain that the boundary of the basin from Kramer southward to 

the northern part of T. 6 N. is correct as it is represented in the map. 

South of T. 6 N. it is reasonably accurate, but at the extreme southeast corner of the basin a large alluvial fan has been built at the 

mouth of Sheep Creek, and it is impossible to determine accurately 

from the topographic map into which drainage basin that stream 

empties. The divide on the east and north is much lower than that 

on the southwest and northwest, the maximum altitude being not 

much over 3,500 feet above sea level.

Antelope Valley lies at a higher altitude than any of the valleys 

beyond the mountains that surround it, with one exception. The 

valley of Mohave River, on the east, is higher at its upper end than 

Antelope Valley, but toward the north it drops to an altitude between 

2,100 and 2,200 feet. The lowest part of Antelope Valley is about 

2,275 feet above sea level. The lowest part of Fremont Valley, to 

the north, is about 1,900 feet above sea level. The south end of San 

Joaquin Valley, which lies west of the Tehachapi Mountains, is only 

about 1,000 feet above sea level. San Fernando Valley and San 

Gabriel Valley, on the south side of the San Gabriel Mountains, do 

not reach altitudes of more than 1,000 feet.

The drainage basin of Antelope Valley includes topographic features of three principal kinds mountains, alluvial slopes, and playas. 

The alluvial slopes and the playas form the valley proper. The 

alluvial slopes contain most of the area that is devoted to agriculture, 

but nearly all the water that is available for irrigation comes from the 

mountains.

The playas, usually called "dry lakes," occupy the lower parts of 

the valley and are nearly flat expanses underlain by clay or silt. The 

alluvial slopes are underlain by sand, gravel, and clay. They rise 

gradually from the playas and become steeper as they approach the 

mountains. From the upper limit of the alluvial slopes the mountains 

rise very steeply, and their sides are generally rough and rocky. The 

origin of the three kinds of features is described briefly in the following 

paragraphs. Their relation to the water resources of the valley will 

be discussed on subsequent pages.

MOUNTAINS

The San Gabriel Mountains and probably the Tehachapi Mountains 

have been raised to a great altitude by faulting that is, they are huge 

blocks of the earth's crust that have been broken from the surrounding 

rocks and pushed up to a great height. This movement was probably 

very slow and it was probably accompanied by earthquakes. After 

being elevated, part of the mountains have been worn away by 

streams and other agents until now they are much dissected and 

very rugged.
ANTBL0PE VALLEY 301

Since the main mass of the San Gabriel Mountains and the western 

continuation of that range, the Sawmill and Liebre Mountains, were* 

elevated, faulting of lesser magnitude has occurred along the Hdrth 

base of the range. The most obvious evidence of this later faultm|f 

is a succession of long, narrow valleys that have a northwesterly 

trend, separated from the main valley by narrow ridges. The outer 

ridge that adjoins the valley has been lifted up, or the valley behind it 

is a block that has dropped down. Several of these valleys stand outprominently on the relief maps (pis. 9 and 10); the most notable is the 

one occupied by Elizabeth and Hughes Lakes (Leonis Valley), whieh 

is drained by Amargosa Creek, Swartout Valley, and Lone Pine 

Canyon. The ditch of the Palmdale irrigation district from Little 

Rock Creek to .the Harold Reservoir follows one of the valleys whieh 

is less prominently shown on the map but which is nevertheless a. 

distinct valley. The Harold Reservoir also occupies one of these 

valleys. The direct road from Little Rock to Valyenno follows in a. 

general way the fault line. Portal Ridge is a prominent ridge that 

separates Elizabeth and Leonis Valleys from the main valley. Careful 

observation shows less notable features that indicate the continuation 

of the fault line at other points along the north base of the San 

Gabriel Range.97

The succession of valleys and ridges or other features that indicate 

the fault zone can be traced northwestward and northward to Saa 

Francisco and beyond and southeastward through Cajon Pass and 

San Gorgonio Pass to the Salton Sea Basin. This long zone of faulting' 

has been called the San Andreas rift. Movement along this rift 

farther northwest, particularly near San Francisco, caused the earthquake of April 18, 1906, which did so much damage in that city and 

elsewhere. There apparently was no movement along the San 

Andreas rift in Antelope Valley in 1906, but faulting along the rift 

has occurred in the region at least as recently as 1857.98 Evidences 

of faulting are found at other places in the San Gabriel Range; the 

fault lines are approximately parallel to the San Andreas rift, but none 

of them are as continuous as the rift.

The origin of the rock hills on the north and east sides of Antelope 

Valley is somewhat obscure. There is evidence that the.hills at the 

north end of the valley west of Rosamond have been faulted, but the 

extent of this faulting is not known. However, definite evidence of 

faulting has not been found in the hills on the east side. These bilk 

are low, and their appearance suggests that they represent an old 

land surface that had been worn down nearly to a plain. They are 

now almost buried by alluvium.

7 Lawson, A. C., and others, The California earthquake of April 18,1906 (report of the State Earthquake Investigation Commission): Carnegie Inst. Washington Pub. 87, vol. 1, pp. 43-44, pis. 24-28, majwr 

7-10 in atlas, 1908.

»Idem, pp. 43, 52, 449.
302 THE MOHAVB DESSRT &B0ION, CALIFORNIA

ALLUVIAL SLOPES

Antelope Valley is underlain by a large amount of rock debris, which 

has been washed down from the surrounding mountains. By the 

process known as weathering the surface rocks of the mountains are 

being continually though slowly broken into fragments that range 

in size from mintue particles to boulders several feet in diameter. 

This debris is carried to the valley by the mountain streams. At 

flood stage the streams may carry very coarse material, including 

boulders a foot or more in diameter. In the mountains, where the 

grade of a stream is steep, its carrying power is great, but when the 

stream reaches the foot of the mountains its grade becomes less, the 

velocity of the water decreases, and it therefore drops some of its 

load. It deposits the coarsest material first and carries the silt and 

clay farthest. l

Most of the de'bris is deposited in front of the mouth of the canyon, 

where the stream leaves the mountains, because the velocity of the 

stream usually decreases most rapidly at that place. It often happens 

that so much de'bris is deposited in the channel that the stream overflows on either side, giving rise to distributary streams, which also 

deposit sand and gravel. By this process a sloping fan-shaped plain, 

called an alluvial fan, underlain to great depths by coarse alluvium, 

is formed at the foot of the mountains. The fans built by several 

streams along the foot of the mountains may coalesce, forming a 

more or less continuous alluvial slope.

PLAYAS

If the mountain streams furnish enough water ponds or lakes may 

be formed in the lower parts of a closed basin. When the streams 

carrying de'bris flow into such a lake their velocity is further lessened 

and all material is dropped close to the shore, except the very finest 

silt or clay, which may remain in suspension for some time but finally 

(settles to the bottom. In the Antelope Yalley region, as in many 

other desert valleys, the rainfall is so slight and the evaporation is 

so great that not enough water is carried to the bottom of the valley 

to form a lake except after heavy rains in the mountains. The lake 

that is formed during great floods usually contains only a few inches 

of water which evaporates in a few weeks or months, leaving a bare, 

smooth flat of clay or silt which is locally known as a "dry lake" 

but which geologists call a playa.

There are several playas in the lowest parts of Antelope Valley, of 

which the largest are Rosamond, Eogers (Rodriguez), and Buckhora 

Dry Lakes. It is probable that at one time all three formed a single 

large playa, but they are now separate4 by low sand dunes. There is 

also reason to believe that at an earlier period a perennial lake covered
ANTELOPE GALLEY 303

these playas. Along the Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway about 

5 miles northeast of Muroc, in T. 10 N., R. 8 W., Rogers Dry Lake is 

separated from a smaller playa by a low ridge of grarel about 5 feet 

Mgh which was evidently deposited in standing water as a beach ridge. 

A well-defined beach ridge, the top of which is 10 or 15 feet above the 

surface of the playa, was observed on the northeast side of Rosamond 

Dry Lake. At most places around Rogers Dry Lake there is a sharp 

rise of 1 to 6 feet or more from the clay flat to the surrounding land, 

suggesting a wave-cut cliff. These features may be due to wave 

action in a temporary lake formed by unusually heavy floods from th« 

mountains, the lake disappearing after a few months or a year or two 

at the longest. Other higher and more prominent cliffs were observed 

from a distance by the writer on the north side of Rosamond Dry 

Lake, about 5 miles east of Rosamond. He did not have an opportunity to examine them closely, and as a fault, which might account 

for them, was observed in this locality only a mile or two farther west, 

it was not definitely established that they are wave-cut cliffs. The 

presence of a considerable thickness of blue clay, which is generally 

considered to indicate deposition under water, in wells in the lowest 

part of the valley (see p. 306) further suggests the existence of a lake.

It is known that in the Pleistocene epoch perennial lakes existed 

in other basins in the Mohave Desert region that now contain only 

playas," and it is not improbable that further examination will show 

that a perennial lake once covered the playas in Antelope Valley. 

It is generally believed by geologists that these ancient lakes were 

 due to slightly greater precipitation and less evaporation throughout 

the desert region than at present. If the difference in rainfall was 

sufficient to produce lakes in other parts of the Mohave Desert region, 

the rainfall in the San Gabriel and Tehachapi Mountains must have 

been sufficient to produce a perennial lake in Antelope Valley.

If a perennial lake did exist in Antelope Valley covering the areaof the three playas mentioned, it.probably overflowed northward 

into another basin, known as Fremont Valley, by a channel extending 

from the north end of Rogers Dry Lake along the west side of T. 11 

N., R. 9 W. San Bernardino meridian. It has been stated that in 

the Pleistocene epoch Rogers Dry Lake drained to Mohave River.1 

The writer does not believe that this was the case. So far as is 

known, the lowest point in the divide on the east side of the playa is 

along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe .Railway a mile or two west 

of Kramer, where the altitude, according to levels run by the topoM Gale, H. 8., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Fanamint Basins, southeastern California: IT. 8. Qeol. 

Survey Bull. 580, pp. 251-323, 1914. Buwalda, J. P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, in the eastern Mohave 

Desert region: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, pp. 443-464,1914. Thompson, D. G., Pleistocene lakes along Mohave River, Calif.: Washington Acad. Sci. Jour., vol. 11, pp. 423-424,1921 {abstract of 

paper read before Geological-Society of Washington, April 28,1920).

1 Free, E. E., The topographic features of the desert basins of the United States with reference to the 

possible occurrence of potash: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. 54, p. 45,1914.
304 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

graphic fcranch of the United States Geological Survey, is slightly 

more than 2,500 feet above sea level.8 At the north end of Rogers 

Dry Lake, however, the altitude of the divide between Antelope 

Valley and Fremont Valley, according to the Searles Lake topographic map, is less than 2,400 feet. The exact altitude is not 

known, but apparently it is not much over 2,300 feet. Unless there 

is a low point on the rim on the east side of Rogers Dry Lake not 

observed by the writer, it would be natural for any overflow to go 

northward. A very marked channel extends northward from the 

south side of T. 32 S., R. 38 E. Mount Diablo meridian, between 

Desert Butte and Castle Butte, to a playa in Fremont Valley. Where 

this channel is crossed on the road from Mojave to Atolia, near the 

north line of sec. 20, T. 32 S., R. 38 E., it is fully 500 feet wide and 

from 10 to 15 feet below the surrounding territory. It is apparently 

much too large to have been cut by the drainage from the territory 

that is now tributary to it and strongly suggests an outlet channel 

from Rogers Lake. About 4 miles farther southeast, almost due 

east of Desert Butte, on the lowest part of the divide, however, there 

is no noticeable channel of any sort. The conditions here are not 

clear, and the writer did not have opportunity to determine definitely 

whether or not an outlet existed at the north end of Rogers Dry Lake.

GEOLOGY

KINDS OP ROCKS

The rocks of the mountains and hills that form the border of Antelope Valley are as a rule not water-bearing or yield only meager 

supplies, whereas most of the deposits that underlie the valley yield 

water, some of them very freely.

The rocks which yield little or no water comprise (1) limestone, 

(2) granite and rocks of a similar nature, (3) metamorphosed rocks, 

such as slate, schist, and gneiss, and (4) volcanic rocks. These rocks 

are compact and hard and contain almost no pore spaces that can 

hold water. Practically the only water that is contained in them 

exists in fissures. The fissures are usually small and form only a 

small percentage of the entire rock mass, so that the quantity of 

water that these rocks can yield is very small.

The main water-bearing formation is the valley fill, which consists 

chiefly of the alluvial gravel, sand, and clay that underlie the greater 

part of Antelope Valley. These deposits are very porous and are 

capable of holding large quantities of water, but the pores in the clay 

are so minute that they yield their water very slowly.

The following brief notes on the rocks of the valley, based on 

observations by the writer, on previously published reports, or on 

personal communications from L. F. Noble and J. P. Buwalda, both

' Spirit leveling in California, 1896 to 1923, inclusive: U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 766, p. 86,1925.
ANTELOPE VALIJBf ' 305

of the United States Geological Survey, will be of value in interpreting 

conditions. Mr. Noble has studied in detail the geology in the vicinity of Little Rock and Valyermo, and Mr. Buwalda has studied the 

geology of the mountains on the west side of Antelope Valley.

DISTRIBUTION OF NON WATER-BEARING ROCKS

The rocks of the Tehachapi and San Gabriel Ranges and the hills 

on the east side of the valley consist principally of granite, together 

with some limestone and schist or gneiss. The rocks of the buttes 

on the north side of the valley and the buttes northeast of Rosamond 

are principally volcanic rocks with some sandstone. Although these 

rocks are more porous than the granite, they will yield little watet 

and may be considered practically impervious.

The fill of the valley is probably underlain by crystalline or volcanic 

rocks. The chief evidence in support of this belief is the presence of 

such buttes as the Antelope or Fairmont Buttes, the Little Buttes, 

northeast of Fairmont, and Quartz Hill, northwest of Palmdale, 

which are composed of volcanic or granitic rocks. Hard rock has 

also been encountered in several wells in the valley. (See wells 24, 

97, and 107 in table, p. 356, and map, pi. 19.) On the other hand, 

the depth to solid rock in some parts of the valley is great. A well 

was drilled for oil in sec. 11, T. 7 N., R. 12 W., to a depth of 2,000 

feet, apparently without having reached bedrock. Shale struck at 

about 1,300 feet probably represents a consolidated phase of the 

valley fill.

Non water-bearing rocks practically surround and underlie the 

valley, forming an essentially water-tight basin in which lie the 

water-bearing beds. At two places and possibly elsewhere the rim 

of the basin is composed of porous materials, but it is evident that 

impervious rocks underlie them at no great depth. (See pp. 324-325.)

DISTRIBUTION OF WATER-BEARING FORMATIONS

The water-bearing formations may be separated into two divisions 

those that occur in the mountains and hills and those that underlie 

the valley.

Small areas of water-bearing formations occur at several places in 

the mountains. Sandstone occurs at the extreme west end of the 

valley, near the junction of the Tehachapi Mountains and the northwest continuation of the San Gabriel Range. It is overlain by less 

consolidated beds of sand and gravel.3 Other deposits of more or 

less consolidated gravel an<| sand cover a considerable area near the 

north base of the San Gabiiel Mountains. Good exposures of them 

occur south of Valyermo post office, where they have been broken

and tilted by faulting along the San Andreas rift zone.

* Johnson, H. R* op., cit., p. 25.
306 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

These sedimentary rocks belong to the group of water-bearing1 

formations, but they are of little economic value. Around Valyerjnothey occur only in the mountains, where they are so dissected by steep 

valleys that the land is practically wprthless for agriculture. They 

are separated from the water-bearing rocks of the valley by non waterbearing rocks. The water-bearing rocks in the hills at the west end 

of the valley occur under somewhat similar conditions, but they may 

continue out into the valley beneath the valley fill that forms the 

alluvial slope. Their outcrops cover small areas, however, and they 

are of no great value as sources of water. The water-bearing rocks 

of the mountains absorb more water during heavy rains than the less 

porous rocks, such as granite, but much of their water is later returned 

slowly to the surface through springs or seeps and is evaporated.

The notable water-bearing formation in Antelope Valley is the 

alluvium that underlies the valley. It is composed of gravel, sand, 

and clay washed down from the surrounding mountains. A study 

 of well logs and of samples from wells indicates that the water-bearing 

beds that are penetrated in the wells are much like the materials 

that lie immediately below the surface and were deposited by 

processes that may be observed at the present time.

A peculiar type of water-bearing rock, locally called "honeycomb 

cement" or simply "cement," is encountered in many wells in the 

alluvium in Antelope Valley. It is so named because of its resemblance to artificial cement and because of its porous texture. According to Johnson 4 it is a limy hardpan, either in clay or in sand, which 

has a more or less cellular texture, apparently due to water dissolving 

out some of the constituent material.

Deposition of clay, either on a large playa or in a perennial lake, 

occurred for a long period in the lowest part of Antelope Valley, 

for a thick body of clay is encountered in wells north and northeast 

of Lancaster. Mr. Harry Austin states that in a well on the Morgan 

ranch, in the NE. J4 sec. 3, T. 7 N., R. 12 W., blue clay was penetrated from a depth of 120 feet to 240 feet, practically without any 

change to coarser material. In a well in the SE. }£ sec. 34, T. 9 N., 

R. 12 W., blue clay was struck at about 100 feet and was about 80 

feet thick. Near Redman School blue clay is reached at a depth of 

about 265 feet and is about 200 feet thick.

CLIMATE

TEMPERATURE, WINDS, AND EVAPORATION

High .temperatures are common in summer, the thermometer rising 

above 100° F. on many days each season and frequently reaching 

110° or 115°. Records kept at Mojave, a few miles north of the north

«Johnson, H. E., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calif.: U. S. deol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

278, p. 39,1911.
ANTELOPE VALLEY 307

side of the valley, for the 16-year period 1891 to 1906 give the maximum temperature as 115° F.fi During this period the annual majdmum was never below 105°, and for 7 out of the 16 years it was above 

110°. The air usually cools rapidly after the sun sets, with the result 

that there is generally a large daily range of temperature,, frequently 

amounting to 30° and sometimes to 45°. The summer eveniaga are 

nearly always delightfully cool, and the heat seldom prevents sleep.

The winter temperatures are somewhat higher than those in regions 

of the same latitude and altitude farther inland. The thermometer 

frequently rises to 60° or more in the day and usually drops only,a 

few .degrees below freezing at night, although it sometimes go^s as 

low as 15° above zero or even lower. The lowest minimum tempera* 

ture recorded at Mojave during the 16-year period mentioned above 

was 15°. It is said that on December 30, 1895, the temperature.fell 

to 6° above zero near Lancaster.6 The daily range is probably 

somewhat less in winter than in summer.

It is generally believed that along the foot of the mountains on the 

south side of the valley the winter temperature is usually several 

degrees higher and the summer temperature a few degrees lower than 

in the lower part of the valley. Mr. Dickey, who for a number of 

years has been in charge of large almond orchards at Manzana, in 

the west end of the valley, states that in many years freezing temperatures occur at Lancaster six weeks earlier than at Manzana.

Strong winds blow across the valley at times. Such winds frequently carry fine sand and clay, which gather into low dunes in 

some parts of the valley, principally on its east side. The fine sand 

is at times blown against young plants with such force that they are 

cut off as if by a knife, and it is necessary to protect newly sown 

alfalfa or other crops by windbreaks.

Data in regard to evaporation from a floating pan on Harold 

Reservoir are given on page 76.

PRECIPITATION

Records of precipitation have been kept for periods of 1 to 13 years 

at a number of places in the valley, as follows: 7 Monterio (Knecht's 

ranch), on Oottonwood Creek about 30 miles northwest of Lancaster; 

the Liebre ranch, about 30 miles west of Lancaster; the E. T. Earl 

ranch, about 5 miles southwest of Lancaster, in sec. 36, T. 7 N., 

R. 13 W.; Palmdale; Palmdale headworks, at head of ditch on Little 

Rock Creek; Valyermo, on Rock Creek, 20 miles southwest of Palmdale; Llano, 20 miles east and a little south of Palmdale, in sec. 21, T. 5 

N.,R. 9 W.; Fairmont; Manzano; and Lancaster. (See pp. 78-80.)

i Johnson, H. R., op. tit., p. 17.

 Idem. p. 17.

7 The records w re compiled In 1920-21, and subsequent records hfeve not been obtained.
308 THE MOHAVB DBSBBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The corrected long-term average annual precipitation of the stations in Antelope Valley has been calculated by the melhod described 

on page 83 and is given in the table on page 87.

The data in these tables must be used with some caution, for there 

are great differences between the indexes of the several control stains in some years, though for most of the years the differences are 

not great.

A study of the data on precipitation shows certain dominant 

features. (1) There is a distinct seasonal distribution of the precipitation, most of it coming in the winter; (2) the precipitation differs 

in different parts of the valley, being affected by topographic features, 

but in general it is least in the low central part of the valley and 

greatest in the high mountains; (3) the mean annual precipitation in 

most of the valley is less than 10 inches, an amount so small that 

irrigation is necessary for successful agriculture.

The seasonal distribution of the precipitation is very marked. 

According to the records from 70 to 85 per cent or more falls from 

November to March. The greatest precipitation usually occurs in 

January, February, and March.

The winter precipitation comes from storms that cover large areas. 

These storms move, in general, from the Pacific Ocean eastward. 

The precipitation from such storms is more or less steady, continuing 

from several hours to two or three days, and an inch or more may 

fall during a storm. Most of the precipitation in the valley is in the 

form of rain. Snow falls occasionally, but it usually melts within a 

few hours. In the high San Gabriel and Tehachapi Mountains much 

of the winter precipitation occurs as snow, which remains on the 

ground for longer periods.

The precipitation during the dry season is irregular. It usually 

occurs in thunderstorms in which the fall may be only a fraction of 

an inch, but occasionally the fall is very great in a short time. The 

summer rainfall is not of much value to crops, because it is so slight 

and irregular, and the severe thunderstorms may do more damage 

than good. As the greatest precipitation occurs in the winter, when 

the plants use a minimum quantity of water, the water must be 

stored either in the soil, in artificial surface reservoirs, or in the 

natural underground reservoir composed of the water-bearing sand 

gravel that underlie the valley.

The records, as adjusted to the long-term period, for stations in 

near the valley show that the mean annual precipitation differs 

considerably at different points, ranging from 18.10 inches at Monterio to 3.96 inches at Gray Mountain. It is a striking fact, however, 

that the mean annual precipitation is greater at stations high above 

sea le^el than at lower stations. The moisture-laden winds from 

the ocean, after passing over the mountains, descend to lower levels
, twc4?rn«ag Wftemer, can daeorb more moisture, so tshat 

tiai>.f*jtiMr thao pmtapifcation takes place, or, if the ak k stUl 

the raia&B becomes Less and less at 

Becwise of these conditions the rainfall at a 

in Antciop© Valley is somewhat kss than that at 

ing altitude on tfee oeeanword side of the mountains that border 

tbo vaiiey,

Although in general the higher the altitude the greater the presagfete&on, this reUtion is not uniform for all parts of the bass, /£hia 

di*erepaocy can best be flbown by dividing the number of inshee af 

tie oorreeted long-term average annual precipitation f or a gfcvsn 

station by the altitude of the station in feet. The ratios thiw 

tftined for all the stettiong in the basin and for the control 

around it are given in the last column of the table on page 87^ 

results show that the precipitation at the stations on the south 

of San Gabriel Mountains and the west side of the Tehachapi Mountains j(B$ksrgfieid, Tajon ranch, Fort Tejon, 

wad Sa» Benwdino) is grower than at the 

in ^Jtejopp Valley or on jfte mountain slopes trjbu4«wj 

ittarily because these gtAtio«* ai« on the wiudwafd *idje <jf the flaom»r 

taws n4th respect to the nwkture-twearing wjndg from ti^» 0cAfu». ,; - a/

.A^aoag the stations in Antelope Valley tlie r«infftjl 

altitude is greatest at Fairmont, and it

from tb»t point. At the kiflbra ranoh, ,fojr jn»t«^|^ if 

were th« only factor affecting th^ rainfftjl, the >y*jrog« 

precipitation should be greater than at Fairmou4, t>wt i» 

reality it jb cwsi^ewb^y iepis. On the east, the rainfall at Wjr^p^ 

is likewise much le&s tliaji at Fainiiont, although th« altittuM Jfi 

greater. The north side of the valley as a whote is WUC^L faw .4h^n 

the south. 4de. These variations are probably due &> }ocj»l topographic features that influence the course of the ram-bewisig 

the ocean. Mr. Williain Dickey, of Manzana, 

eawg .clouds At th^t pUce generally move from 

Mr. J. C. Knecht, of tJte liebre ranch, states that

come from the south, OB the other haa4, new 

raw doudu g^nerjaUy cowe from tiie direction of ;th« &j&d of

According to tJi-e theory that precipitation increases wi 

the mean annual nai^al in the San Gabriel and Tehacljapi 

tains should be 4SQHsMfr|ibly greater than is recorded 

st«4Qn8. If, fpr jwt«awie, j&e precipitation on North BaWy 

bears the same ratio to the Altitude as that &t Valyermo, the meaan 

^iwaual pre4pit*tk«i at tke summit would be about 23 in«^. 

is no means of d^teruwing the accuracy of this astinmte, 

reasoaabte. The corrected long-term average annual precipitation 

5631 29 21
310 THE MOHAYE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

in little Bear Valley, in the San Bernardino Mountains, about 50 

miles southeast of Antelope Valley, at an altitude of 5,200 feet, is 

33.72 inches, and that at Bear Valley, a short distance farther southeast, at an altitude of 6,500 feet, is 36.18 inches. The ratio of precipitation to altitude at these points is greater than at Valyermo, 

but it is believed that the topographic conditions in the San Bernardino Mountains are more favorable for heavy precipitation than 

those in the region between North Baldy and Valyermo. It is 

considered that 30 inches is a fair figure to assume for the maximum 

average .annual precipitation on the leeward side of the highest par_t 

of the San Gabriel Mountains. For most of the north side of the 

mountains it would be much less than that amount. On this basis 

the average annual precipitation for the entire area between Valyermo and North Baldy would be about 20 inches.

BUN-OFF

In the drainage basin of Antelope Valley perennial streams are 

found only in the mountains. Where the streams emerge from their 

mountain canyons upon the alluvial slopes most of the water is 

absorbed. It is only during the flood run-off following heavy rains 

that the streams flow very far down into the valley. Occasionally 

some of the water may flow to the playas (dry lakes) in the lower part 

of the valley, from which it disappears principally by evaporation.

Kock Creek and little Rock Creek, which rise in the high San 

Gabriel Mountains, are the two largest streams in the valley. Cottonwood Creek, which rises in the Tehachapi Mountains, is probably 

next in size. These creeks are all mountain streams with steep grades. 

Amargosa Creek, which drains Leonis Valley, is probably perennial 

for part of its course. It is not a typical mountain stream but flows 

in a flat-bottomed alluvium-filled valley in which it has cut a narrow 

trench 10 to 20 feet deep with nearly vertical walls. This trench has 

been cut recently, probably as a result of uplift along the San Andreas 

rift. Several minor streams at the extreme west end of the valley 

are said to have a small perennial flow. Oak Creek, which rises in the 

Tehachapi Mountains, is said to be a perennial stream of fair size, 

but where it emerges from the mountains it is on the sttmmit of a 

large alluvial fan that slopes both northeast and southeast, and it 

is not known whether the surface run-off goes to Antelope Valley or 

to Fremont Valley. Similar conditions exist in the extreme southeastern part of the valley, at the mouth of Sheep Creek Canyon.

Stream-flow measurements have been made on Rock and Little 

Rock Creeks. Daily gage-height readings were made on Little Rock 

Creek during 1896-1899, from which the run-off for these years has 

been computed.8 The monthly discharge is given in the following

8 U. 8. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 300, pp. 402-405,1913.
AlfEELiOPE VAELEY

table. The run-off year is considered as extending from October 1 to 

September 30. Inasmuch as tne run-off for July, August, and September is small the records can be compared without great'efr^a' with 

the precipitation records, which are given for years beginning' $&tf 1,

Monthly discharge of Little Rock Creek for 1896-1899 . 

t

[Drainage area, 65 square miles] :

Month

1896

April

May....................................

July....__.__........___.__._____._______

1896-97

March

April....................................

May

Jane

July.....................................

The year ________ ..........

1897-88 

October................. __ ...........

November

Acrefeet

1,144

1,070

3,332

470

110

30

12

12

30

6,210

61

89

234

879

2.894

4,187

ft 984

2,189

399

22.1

12.3

11 Q

17,300

338

411

350

Month

1897-68 Continued

April......... ....... ._...... 

July...-.... .. .. ........... 

IP Via VAfll*

1898-99

April ......... ....... .. ...* 

July.....-. ...... ....... . .

The year . . ..................

1899

Awefeet

373

3*

m

384

319

 ,,«

5LOSO

_,__ _ i^/,^,._ JL

-^

245

4ft

288

106

119

12

12

12

1,620

==£=££=

0

D

tt

 The record for October, November, and December, 1895, is lacking.

 The record is complete for the three years 1896-97, 1897-98, 83$ 

1898-99. Reference to the average precipitation indices for these 

years in the table (p. 85) shows that in the first year, when the run-off 

was 17,300 acre-feet, the precipitation in the region was about 113 

per cent of the long-time average but that in the other two years ft 

was less than half of the average. A gaging station has been maintained on San Gabriel River near Azusa, Calif., from which complete 

records of run-off from a drainage area of 222 square miles are available from 1896 to 1926. This drainage area comprises part of the 

same mountain range as that drained by Little Rock Creek but lies 

on the Pacific slope of the range, where the rainfall is materially 

nigher. The annual variation, however, should be roughly com*- 

parable in the two areas. The run-off during the 3-year period 1597 

to 1899 on San Gabriel River was 34 per cent of the mean for the 

31-year period ending September 30,1926. On this basis the average 

annual run-off of Little Rock Creek would be approximately 21,060 

acre-feet, or 323 acre-feet to the square mile.
312 THE MOHAVE DBSEKT BIXHON, CALIFORNIA

Measurements of the discharge of Eock Creel: have been made 

regularly since January 17, 1923. The monthly eummwiefl of tb* 

records are given in the accompanying table,9 The gating'station 

is in the NE. H sec. 20, T. 4 N., E. 9 W», about a quarter ef a mile 

south of the boundary line of the Angeles National Forest and about 

1% miles southeast of Valyermo. It is above the point where Pallett 

Creek discharges into Rock Creek. A number of miscellaneous 

measurement® have also been made on Pallett Creek and Rock Creek 

below the regular station.10

MoniMy discharge of Rock Creek near Valyermo, January, 1988, to September,

[Drainage area, 23 square miles]

1923

January 17-21--.. 

February. __ ._ __ _ _

MffiTRh

ApriL. __

May...... _ ._.___

June. _ ________ __ _

July. _ . ____-._, _

_,ttgU8t 

lik$pt6Tnb$T ,

The period __

1923-24

October. _______________

November., _ _

December. _____ _ _

January. ________

February ____ __

Mw1-^.- - -,--

Xpril __ _____________

May... _ __________ _ __

June ______ __________

July ____ _ _ _. __ ___

August 

September.., 

The year ______

Acre»ieet 

-,_. 301

--- 844

____ 1,060

____ 1,210

1,010

__ 827

..... 664

453

_._. 372

____ 6,830

__ 409

.... 412

__ 430

_.__ 324

 . 258

__ 244

702

__ 612

_.__ 305

-,_- 1S3

_.__ 149

165

__ 4,180

1924-25

October. ________________

TVT AVAIY. fal»T*

December. _______ _ ____

January

February. -._ ________

March

April . ______ ________

T\rt U.T7

June. ___________ _ '_. _ __

July____-______. .__-__.

August___________-____-_

September. __ _ _____ __

The year. 

1925-26 

October..-. _ 

November __ _ _. _ _______

January _____ _____ 

February. v ________ _______

M«rch«_- , 

April ___________________ *

July _____________

September 

The yaw,- ._....._..

Aerttfeet 

17^

14t>

206

217

174

Oftft

ao$

4f$

294 u$

194

142

... 2, 860

143

159

1 OH

188

245

_ 4, 680

... 2,810

1, S20

QQ9.

524

376

 . 12,300

The precipitation was below normal in both the years 1923-24 and 

1924-25, as is indicated by the fact that precipitation indices at Los 

Angeles, San Bernardino, Bakersfield, and Tejon ranch ranged from 

only 43 to 87 per cent of the normal in 1923-24 and from 51 to 83 per

* Dafiy records are given In U. S. Geol. 8orv#y Watet*SupjHy P»p« (99, pp.*2-«a, 1928$ WsteivBuppJy 

3P«jet yK)0» PP- 84-85,1928; Water-Swply Pv&et CIO (to press); wad Wnter-Sopply Pftper 630 (to prep^»- 

tlon).

» The records of these misoaliaiwons waasoremeats are cootfltoed is Watw-gupply P(®ws fill, p. f_^ 

1926; 610 (in press); 630 (in preparation).
AJtfTBLOPE VAMilY $13

cent in 1924-25. The discharge of Bock Creek in these years was 

undoubtedly far belo^ the true average. In 1925-26, wb^a tihe rttooff was 12,200 a^e~feet, the precipitation was 127 per cent o£ tfeft 

normal at San BernfiSrdino and 113 per cent a* Los Angeks, but only 

00 per cent at B&ketsield and 67 per1 cent at Tejon uandi. A 

parison of concurrent records on Rock Creek and San 

indicates that the mean run-off of Eock Creek for the 3-year: period 

ending September 30, 1926, was approximately 45 pef cent of : tb» 

long-term mean. On this basis the average annual run-off of Bock 

Creek would be approximately 14,500 acre-feet, or 630 aete-*f«rtrtQ the 

square mile. % s 

Amargosa Creek, which drains Leonis Valley, is a perennial streani, 

but no data are available in regard to its discharge.- Its drainage 

basin , of about 40 square miles, differs considerably from thoser of any 

of the other perennial streams, and the flow of the creek is probably 

affected accordingly. The highest point in the basin is mor* tk&a 

5,000 feet above sea level, but the slopes are on the whole much .more 

gentle than those in the basins of Kock and Little Rock Cr«&fe»» '< The 

bottom of the valley is wide, nearly flat, and underlain by a conadarable thickness of alluvial material or of disintegrated rock that 10 

capable of absorbing much of the rain. The water table benaafch 

much of the land in the bottom of the valley i» sto close to the surfse* 

that the soil is more or less moist, and evaporation takes plfte0. 

Although the precipitation in Leonis Valley is doubtless as great? *B 

m any other part of Antelope Valley that lies at the sam« altitud^ 

the run-off per sqmare mile is probably not more than half as gteat 

as in the basins of Rock and little Rock Creeks. ; > ; 

 Estimates of the run-off of several streams in the Tehaehapi Mountains were given feo the writer by Mr. John C. Kneeafy foio&ta df 

the Liebre ranch, and by Messrs. Leeds & Barnard, eonswltKffig eagineers in charge of the construction of a reservoir on the ranek. "Hiese 

estimates lead to the conclusion that the total annual flow of ftfl tiie 

streams in the Tehachapi Mountains from Oak Creek 

which drain an area of about 65 square miles, m about 2, 

The run-off per square mile of Cottonwood Creek and prefeibly of 

Oak Greek is believed to be somewhat greater than the average of the 

efeher streams. However, an examination of tiiese two 

F. C. Ebert, hydraulic otigmeer, of the United States Geologic 

Survey, and the writer showed that the run-off to the square siile if 

doubtless much less in the Tehachapi Mountains than in the basins 

of Rock Creek and Little Rock Creek. The Tehachapi Mountains 

are much lower than the San Gabriel Mountains and have much leus 

precipitation. Th# surface slope over a large part cdf the southwest 

end of the mountains is much less than that in the Little Rock Om k 

and Rock Croeli bfi^ns. in addition it is believed that a conaid«rafe e
314 THE MOHAVE DESERT BBGION, CAIIFOKNIA

area in the mountains at the west end is underlain by porous rocks, 

which absorb much of the rain, whereas in the two main drainage 

basins at the east end of the valley the rocks are mostly granite, 

which is incapable of absorbing much of the rain.

East of Rock Creek there is an area of about 45 square miles of 

mountainous country tributary to Antelope Valley that reaches altitudes as great as 8,000 feet. .The principal drainage basin in this 

region is Swartout Valley, drained by Sheep Creek. It is believed 

that the region is sheltered from the rain-bearing winds by high 

mountains, such as North Baldy and Old Baldy, and that the precipitation is not as great as in the basins of Rock and Little Rock Creeks. 

The run-off per square mile from this region is perhaps only half as 

much as that from the two basins west of it.

Between Rock and Little Rock Creeks there is an area of about 20 

square miles of mountainous country. This region is not very high, 

and its run-off per square mile is very much less than that in the Little 

Hock Creek basin.

Between Little Rock Creek and Amargosa Creek is another area 

drained by several intermittent or ephemeral streams. Most of this 

drainage is prevented from reaching the valley proper by a long, low 

ridge that lies north of the valley, along the San Andreas fault line. 

Some of it reaches the natural depression occupied by the Harold 

Reservoir and another small basin to the east. Farther east most of 

the run-off is absorbed by porous material in the fault valley, producing cienaga conditions in an area where much of the water evaporates. 

It is believed that there is a small flow from the cienaga lands into the 

main part of Antelope Valley. The run-off per square mile from this 

area is small. Several short intermittent or ephemeral streams drain 

the north slopes of Sawmill and Liebre Mountains, and the run-off 

from this area likewise is small.

Fairmont, the point in the valley at which the greatest average 

annual precipitation is recorded according to the table on page 87, is 

situated at the northwest end of Portal Ridge. The streams that 

drain Portal Ridge are short, and the contribution per square mile 

from this ridge is not great.

The average annual run-off from all parts of the mountainous area 

that surrounds Antelope Valley is roughly estimated, on the basis 

of the fragmentary information above given, to be about 75,000 

acre-feet.

GROUND WATER

IMPORTANCE OF GROUND-WATER SUPPLY

About 80 per cent of the land at present irrigated in Antelope 

Valley receives its water supply from wells. (See p. 326.) The total 

area of land in the valley that is level enough to be farmed is about
VALLEY 8< §

500,000 acres. Ground water* that is, water recovered by means i>f 

wells is contained in the alluvial deposits that underlie practicaJ j 

the whole of this large; urea, but in about half of the area the depth 1 d 

water is so great that nnder present economic conditions the wavier 

can not be profitably pumped for irrigation. It is estimated that a 

aboi^t 275,000 acres the depth to the water table is not more than 1110 

feet. Under present economic conditions in southern California, 

how0ver, only products that bring high cash returns per acre, such m 

apples, pears, and other fruits, can be raised where the pump lift is 

greater than 100 feet.

Tl^e ultimate limiting factor, however, is not the depth to tie 

water table, but the quantity of water that is available. A great 

volume of water is stored in the alluvial deposits that underlie t us 

valley, but if enough water were pumped from this ground-waler 

reservoir to irrigate 275,000 acres the water level would soon >e 

lowered so far that pumping for irrigation would be unprofitabe. 

In the long run pumping must not exceed intake.

OCCURRENCE OF GROUND WATER

The water that is pumped for irrigation in Antelope Valley occt ts 

hi the alluvial deposits clay, sand, and gravel. The mountains 

and hills that surround the valley are composed of rocks that are 

practically impervious to water. These rocks form a basin which is 

nearly water-tight and which contains a great accumulation of 

porous alluvial deposits that are capable of holding a large volume of 

water. A part of the water that falls as rain on the alluvial depos ts 

or that is carried by the mountain streams upon these deposits sin ss 

into them and becomes ground water. The alluvium is essentially a 

great underground reservoir in which the run-off from the mountai as 

is stored.

It is believed by some people that the ground-water supply of t ie 

valley comes from some distant source, such as the Sierra Nevaca, 

north of the valley. In particular it has been said that the wai er 

comes from Mount Whitney, 125 miles north of Lancaster, and otter 

high mountains that are tributary to Owens Valley, reaching -Am** 

lope Valley by underground channels that are supposed to exist in 

the itocks which lie between that region and Antelope Valley. Deep 'Ie 

efforts made in the previous report by the Geological Survey ll fso 

correct these mistaken ideas as to the source of the water sup£ yf 

the erroneous notions have persisted and are still advocated by some 

persons. It is therefore considered necessary to point out again w. ij 

are fallacious.

I " Jolmson, H. E., Water resources of Antelope Vallay, Calif.: IT. 8. Geol. Survey Water-Supply ftper 

m, pd. 69-61,1911.
THE MOHAVS WSSmi? ftSmOX, CALIFORNIA

P?aetic«Hy all the rim-off on the west side erf tie Mgh Stemt is 

carried by Kiags, Kaweah, Tule, and l£era Rrrera 

kttd San Jaaquin Valley. That on the east side is earned to 

VAUey and farther south to Indian Wells Valley and Fremont Valley. 

Each of thesa valleys is inclosed by rocks that are as1 impervidufr as 

$h6se th&t surround Antelope Valley. The water tabte & 100 to- 800 

feet lower in Fremont and Indian Wells Valleys than in Antelope 

Valley. (See pp. 162,217.) Therefore, even if the rocks between the 

basitis were permeable the ground water in Anfcdbpe Vailey would 

drain hito Fremont Valley rather than receive any acquisition from 

thAt falley or from Indian Wells Valley. It is true that the water 

table ifc Owen* Valley is several hundred feet higher than in Antelope 

Valtey, but there is no way for water front Owens Valley td reach 

Afideiope Valley unless it follows channels that penetrate the said 

?ock mass of the Sierra Nevada. It is inconceivable that fissured er 

othe# channels sufficiently large to carry water tti Antelope Valley 

could exist hi the granitic rocks that compose the Sierra, parallel to 

the trend of the range, without the coexistence of fissures in other 

directions that would permit the leakage of the water to the lower 

lands on the east, or to San Joaquin Valley on the wesfc, which is jnore 

than 1,000 feet below Antelope Valley.

,. Similarly,, the valleys that lie south and east of Antelope Valey jftre 

lower than this valley, so that if the rocks that surround the yaPey 

wtere not impervious, the movement of water would be away foon> it 

and not;,toward it. It. is abvious that there can be no, contribution ^f 

any caoseq-uence to the ground-water reservoir of Antelope Valley 

from sources outside of its drainage basin. Essentially all; of its 

supply comes from the rain and snow that fall within the boundaries 

of its own. basin. .,, ,

Much of the water is absorbed by the alluvium and sinks, downward until it reaches a level below which the alluvium is completely 

saturated, all the interstices between the rock particles being Med 

with water. If a hole is sunk into this zone of saturation water will 

flow into the hole, making it a well. The upper surface of the zone 

of, saturation is called the water table,

The water table is not a horizontal surface. Its shape is- governed 

by the nature and structure of the alluvium, the source of the water, 

the areas of discharge, and other conditions. Well data indicate 

that the water table is nearly horizontal in the central part of Anter 

lope Valley but that it rises gradually toward the mountains. It is 

highest in the alluvial fans near the mouths of the canyons from 

which emerge such streams as Rock Creek and Little Rock Creefc. 

(See pp. 336-338 and figs. 11 and 13.)

The Water table is highest beneath the upper parts of the principal 

alluvial fans because the greatest supply of water is added to the
ground-water reservoir where the principal streams pour out from the 

mountain canyons upon the porous gravel. The body of ground 

water seeks to reach a uniform level and moves from these upper 

levels toward the central part of the valley. Its movement through 

the alluvium is very slow,, and consequently the water table does not 

quiejdy become a level surface. If there were no precipitation in 

any part of the valley for a number of years, so that there would be 

no addition to the ground water, it would have an opportunity to 

reach an equal level throughout the valley, and the water table would 

become practically horizontal. As a result of precipitation, however, 

a new supply of water is added each year, and as the greatest addition 

occujrs on the fans of such stream* as Little Bock Creek the water 

table stands highest in such places. During the dry summer the 

ground water of the alluvitl fans moves slowly towarefc> 'tbi9i>center of 

the valley and the water t*bl$ beneath the upper parts.of the fans 

falls^ only to rise again when t!*e pound-water supply is replenished 

by tjie heavy rains of the following winter. Fluctuations of the water 

table are discussed further on pages 326-335.

ABfESIAN CONDITIONS

In the lower parts of Antelope Valley, the beds near the surface 

are composed of clay and silt, which act as a nearly water-tight cover 

over the underlying water-bearing beds and tend to prevent the 

water frpm rising to the surface. These beds extend for some distance up the alluvial slopes, conftoing. the ground water under them. 

As tjie water table is higher beneath the alluvial slopes than in the 

bottom of the valley it exerts hydrostatic pressure bnx 'ihe water 

beneath tfce confining beds. If a well is drilled through the confining 

beds to tfce water-bearing beds the water will rise in the well under 

hydrostatic pressure,, If the weU is in the lower part of the valley 

the ^ater may rise high enough to overflow at the surface, producing 

a flowing well, or if the easing is extended upward the water may rise 

to a level several feet above the surface. If the well is drilled on the 

alluvial slope a short distance above the lowest part of the valley, 

the water may rise in the well but not high enough to reach the 

surface. The conditions that give rise to wells of either kind are 

called artesian conditions. The condition^ tkfct ; jF§sult in flowing 

wells are shown in Figure 11.

Mjany flowing wells have been obtained in Antelope Valley, some 

of \\fhich yield large quantities of water without pumping. Wells, 

near Rosamond Dry Lake are reported to flow at the rate of 100 

miner's inches (about 2 second-feet, or 900 gallons a minute). In a 

|well drilled for the Southern Pacific Co. at Qban, 3 Mfle^fiorth of 

Lancaster, $he water rose 22.5 feet above the surface upon its completion in 1910. Artesian conditions in the valley are described in 

somo detail in Water-Supply SPaper 278.
EXPLANATION

Materials deposited on alluvial slopes'

Impervious bedrock Gravel Sand Clayey 

11. Diagrammatic section across Antelope Valley fltan south to north, showing occurrence of ground w

rial, F, is relatively impervious and holds the water beneath it under pressure. A is an ordinary pump we

penetrating gravel below ths playa clay. C is a shallow well in the area of artesian flow, but it will not flow b

well that obtains its supply from a deep gravel bed. E is a dry hole, drilled to bedrock entirely through silt 
In Plate 19 the approximate boundary of the area of artesian flow 

fis given. In part of the region two lines are shown-*H>ne the bonndioy 

as it wa$ in ,1909, as shown qn the map in Water-Supply jpaper 278, 

and the other the boundary as indicated by data obtained by the

writer -December, 1919, and January, 1920. There is some

tainty ai s to the original boundary northwest of Lancaster> for several 

wells that were represented on the map in Water-Supply Paper 278 

as being situated in the area of artesian flow are said never to have 

flowed. The position of the boundary in the winter of 1919-20 was 

not determined for the entire area.

The water level in artesian wells is subject to fluctuations, like 

that in other wells. If the pressure is weak the well may cease to 

flow during the summer and begin to flow again in the fall or winter. 

If the pressure is strong the only evidence of fluctuation may be 'a 

slight decrease in the volume of flow.

QUANTITY OF GBOUND WATER AVAILABLE

The aHuvium-filled basin of Antelope Valley has already been 

likened to a surface reservoir. In any surface reservoir there is discharge bjy surface outflow, underground leakage, or evaporation; and 

the same is true of a ground-water reservoir. During a long period 

of years the average annual inflow into the ground-water reservoir, 

Which may be called the recharge, will be about equal to the average 

annual discharge. Although there may be minor fluctuations from 

season to season, if the average inflow is greater than the quantity 

used for economic purposes and that lost by leakage in various ways, 

the reservoir will overflow, and if it is less the reservoir will be drained. 

The most desirable condition is that as much water be used as possible 

without exceeding the average annual recharge. .

GROUND-WATER RKCHARQK

SOURCES

The conditions that affect the recharge of the ground-water reservoir may best be summarized by the following quotation from 

Meinzer: 12

Contributions to the underground supply are made at the localities where 

the following three conditions exist: (1) The formations lying between the 

surface and the water table are not water-tight; (2) the water from rain or snow 

is applied in sufficient quantity to percolate to the water table without being 

entirely absorbed by the capillary pores of the dry zone between the surface 

and the water table; and (3) the water table is not already at the surface. These 

three conditions are provided most fully on the upper parts of the alluvial fans, 

> where water is poured from the mountains upon gravelly deposits through which 

lit can percolate freely to the water table. They are largely wanting in the

» Meinzer, O. E., Geology and water resources of Big Smoky, Clayton, and Alkali Spring Valleys, NAT.: 

TJ. S. GeoL feurvey Water-Supply Paper 423, pp. 78-79, 1917.
320 THE MOHAVE DESERT WBBmOiS, CALIFORNIA

mountaiias, where Beady impervious btdroclt* are aw? tte pMrfcp*. «id in the 

lower part* of the val%> where the *eil l« too %hi to admit water fre^y ao4 

where over large areas the witter table is so near the surface that water is being 

discharged from the valley fill instead of being taken in. . 

<DomtrfbiJtioM to the water to the vaHey fiM are «mde by (1) the fMoreaoiii 

streazas that flow out of the larger canyons; (2) the floods disdhfiagtd a* long 

intervals frpm the crayons wiich *w normally dry; <3) tjw uodei#o»r of w»e 

of the eAayo»$; <4) the rain that £atis In the valley; .and (5) water dipehatgejd 

underground from openings in the bedrocks.

CONTBIBUTIONa VK&tf. RUN-OFF

The water that jg carried by the streams from the mountains out 

upon the alluvial slopes is disposed of in two ways- some of it percolate? to the water table and replenishes the ground-water .supply, 

and the remainder evaporates before it reaches the water table.. A*» 

Antelope Valley is a closed basin no water is earned away from the 

valley on the surface. However, in wet years considerable surface 

water may reach the playas, where it evaporates without getting 

ketew the surface,

The largest contribution to the ground water comes from the 

perennial streams, most of it from Bock Creek and Little Roc|: 

CJ3j?eek (see %. 13) and less from Amargosa Creek and several streau&g 

at the west end of the valley. Although the run-off from Sheejp 

Creek is probably considerable, the position of the alluvial fan u|>(0,n 

wlfrich it ejoapties is such that a large part of the water, either surface 

jpr underground flow, goes eastward toward Mohave River and (Joe's 

reach AnteJbpe Valley.

run-off from more than half of the mountainous area is not 

oajrried by perennial streams but by -streams that flow only after 

rains. The flow from these .streams largely sinks beneath the surface, 

but most of it goes to wet the soil and is evaporated or taken up by 

plants before it reaches "tlie wfeter table. In ordinary years the 

contribution to the ground-water reservoir by these intermittent or 

ephemeral streams is very small, but in .exceptionally wet years they 

mav furnish an appreciable amount of ground water. About 7,000 

acre-feet of the flow of the perennial streams was used in 1919 for 

irrigation and was not available for recharge except as it percolated 

downward after it had been applied to the irrigated land . (See p, 326, )

OONTMBTJ.TIOWB FROM 0M1>ERF1X)'W

; The .coarse water-bearing alluvium extends some distance up tfee 

«anyons and fills them to considerable depths. Surface water may 

 entJet- the alluvium several miles above the mouth of the feanyon, 

percolate down the canyon, and reach the main ground-water reservoir without again appearing at the surface. Evidence of the existence of this underflow is seen about a mile above the mouth of the 

canyon of Little Rock Creek, where the Little Rock Irrigation Bis-
AKfBMH»B V&UM& v : " , ' 321

triet has built a low coii£rf<te dam that presumably imcb^ bedrock, 

At tiznffi when the creek is dry for a long distance abore and below 

tibe dam a small pool of water stands just behind the dam and a 

e stream flows continitally from this pool into the &riditches.

Measurements made by J. B. Lippincott in June, 189&, n««r tilt 

place where the submerged dam was later built showed that at thftt 

time the water was percolating through the gravel at the rate of 

about 2.16 feet an hour, or 3.53 miles a year. 13 The submerged d<Wn 

is 368 feet wide and 1 1 feet 8 inches high. If the cross section through 

which the water percolates were equal to that of the dam and title 

rate of flow were that given above, the underflow in one year would 

be a little less than 2,000 acre-feet. As the dam extends! aboy« the 

creek bed, the cross section of the underflow is probably not as great 

as that of the dam, but, on the other hand, the season of l§95^$fi, 

when tibe measurements were made, was unusually dry. ,

It is probable that a considerable quantity of water is discharged as 

waderflow by Bock Creek. The lower mile of its canyon ia filled wifck 

coarse alluvium, which must contain a large quantity $i watef. 

Attempts have been made at various times to recover some of tins 

underflow by a tunnel driven through solid rock to a point near the 

place where the road from Little Rock to Valyermo crosses thecreefe, 

where it is turned under the gravels. The yield from thig tunnel is 

said to b6 about 100 miner's inches (about 1,500 acre-fact a 

but the underflow has never been developed to its full capacity.

There is probably some underflow in the canyons of Oak, 

wood, and Amargosa Creeks. It is said that in the aum&ec water 

ceases to flow at the surface in Cottonwood Canyon as far Upstream 

aft Knecht's ranch, 6 miles or more above the mouth of the canyon. 

Much of it sinks into the alluvium and continues downstream as 

underflow. The exact conditions in Oak Canyon are not known, but 

jt is understood that most of the surface flow enters the alluvium 

some distance above the mouth of the canyon. In January, 1020, 

practically no water was flowing in Amargosa Creek where it emerges 

from the pass at the east end of Portal Ridge, although a stream Was 

flowing farther up the canyon. It is probable that most of the rujaoff from Swartout Valley, east of Rock Creek, enters thci, alluvi|LttpL 

of the main part of the valley as underflow, for Sheepj Greet Vis 

shown on the topographic map as an intermittent stream, and tne 

alluvial deposits extend for some distance tip the canyon.

eoNTKtBimawd PROM PRBCIPITATIOS iw THE TAJLJUBY ;

't Some of the rain that falls on the valley may percolate td 

liable. The rainfall on the valley lands is low, and the quan 

falls in ft single storm is ordinarily not great. The lower ifart* 'of Jtns

18 Schuyler, J. D., Reservoirs for irrigation: IT. 8. Qeol. Survey Eigbteenth Ann. Kept., pt 4, p. 714. 1887
THE MOHAVE DESERT RECKON, CALIFORNIA

valley is largely underlain by a clayey soil which, absorbs water very 

slowly, and most of the rain that falls on such soil remains near the 

surface until it evaporates. Furthermore, in most of the area in 

which flowing wells exist the water table is so close to the surface that 

discharge rather than absorption is the dominant process. Outside 

the area of artesian flow the soil is more permeable, and percolation 

may occur. A large part of the precipitation that enters the soil is, 

however, taken up by the yuccas and other plants that cover the 

alluvial slopes. After exceptionally heavy storms some of the 

precipitation doubtless reaches the zone of saturation.

CONTRIBUTIONS FROM BEDROCK

The rock formations in the mountains are nearly impervious, and 

the quantity of water that enters them is so small that any contribution to the ground-water reservoir by percolation from this source is 

probably negligible. The only region where there might be much 

percolation is on the south side of the valley, where faulting has 

produced a series of valleys, some of them undrained, behind Portal 

Ridge and the low hills that form a continuation of this ridge toward 

the east. Although the surface material of Portal Ridge consists of 

comparatively loose, porous soil, exposures at several points indicate 

that solid rock occurs at no great depth. It has been suggested that 

the faulting might have so greatly shattered the rock ridges that 

separate the valleys along the fault line from the main part of the 

valley that water from these closed valleys could percolate into the 

alluvium of the main valley. The very fact, however, that cie"nagas 

are found at several points in the fault valley and especially the presence of Elizabeth and Hughes Lakes constitute evidence that there is 

not much seepage, for otherwise the lakes and cienagas would be 

drained.

CONCLUSION

It has been estimated that the total run-off from the mountain 

areas into Antelope Valley averages about 75,000 acre-feet a year. A 

large part of the run-off from perennial streams is added to the 

ground-water supply, but only small quantities of water from the 

ephemeral streams and from rainfall in the valley reach the water 

table. It is roughly estimated that from all sources an average of 

about 50,000 acre-feet a year is added to the ground water.

GBOUND-WATEB DISCHABGE

The contributions to the ground-water supply are about balanced 

during a period of years by losses from the ground-water reservoir. 

The natural losses occur chiefly in three ways by evaporation where 

the water is brought to the surface in springs or by capillary action; 

by transpiration by plants; or by percolation out of the basin through
AN!EEI|OPE VALI03Y

underground passages. Moreover, water is withdrawn from 

ground-water reservoir through flowing wells and J»y^ pum 

Estimates of the amount of discharge by the different processes 

serve, as a basis for estimating the quantity available ictyim

pumping.

DISCHARGE FROM STRINGS

t -,i *

A number of springs exist in the drainage basin of Antelope 

Valley. Many are in the mountains on the south and wiesfc sides of 

the valley, but the water from these mountain springs does nofc come 

from the main ground-water reservoir beneath the valley, and hence 

their discharge does not represent a loss from the main groundswater supply. ;?

Several springs discharge water from the main groimd^wt-teEl1®* 

servoir. The Willow Springs, about 8 miles west of Rosamond, 

which probably form the largest group of springs hi the vaUey, «e 

estimated to flow about 100 acre-feet a year. Other springs ase 

Buckhorn Springs, about 12 miles east of Rosamond; Lovejoy 

Springs, about 16 miles east of Palmdale; and Moody Spring, about 20 

miles east of Palmdale.

DISCHARGE FROM SOIL AND PLANTS

To determine accurately the area in which discharge by evapora*- 

tion is occurring, it would be necessary to make numerous borings 

with a soil auger or to measure shallow wells to find where the water 

was close enough to the surface to be within the limit of capiBiry 

rise. The writer did not have opportunity to do this work. Studies 

in other regions of the desert, however, have shown that certain surface conditions are fairly reliable evidence of discharge by evaporation, and some of these conditions are present in Antelope Valley, \

Where evaporation has continued for a long time deposits of alktJd 

may be seen at the surface. The alkali was held in solution hi the 

ground water, and as the result of long-continued evaporation the 

mineral matter has been left on the surface as a deposit.

The presence of the water table within a few feet of the surface is 

also shown by certain plants which are found almost exclusively in 

areas where the water table is near the surface. One Of the most 

reliable of these plant indicators is salt grass {DisticK^s spicato)* 

Where salt grass is the predominating vegetation the depth to water 

is usually not more than 8 feet. Such plants discharge ground water. 

The plant roots reach down to the capillary fringe and perhaps even 

to the water table and draw up the water, giving it off into the air 

through pores hi the leaves, a process known as transpiration. 

I Hie presence of alkali on the surface and of salt grass shows that 

discharge of ground water by evaporation and transpiration is taking 

i'place at a number of places, involving a large acreage in t|je t
324 THE MOHAVE DB6ERT RBGK>N; CALIFORNIA

part of Antelope Valley. It is noteworthy thiife evidence of stteh 

discharge is found at many places within the area of Artesian flow 

bat with minor exceptions is generally absent outside of that are*. 

There is, therefore, some suggestion that the discharge is related to 

the artesian conditions. However, the fact that the indications of 

discharge are not everywhere present in the area of artesian flow 

raises a question as to whether the loss is from the artesian supply or 

only from the surface zone that is separated from the artesian aquifers 

by relatively impervious clay. If it is a loss from the artesian 

aquifers it will probably be reduced as the head on them is lowered 

by an increase in the use of water for irrigation. On the other ha&d, 

if it is a loss from the surface zone no great reduction may result 

with greater use of water, and conceivably it may increase; for the 

water level may be raised by additional return seepage from irrigation which the underlying clay will prevent from reaching the artesian 

aquifer.

On the south side of Lovejoy Buttes, about 15 miles east of Paltndak, the water table is close to the surface and there is evidence of 

discharge, but the area of discharge is not great. Salt grass was 

observed at a number of places in Leonis Valley, in the fruit valley 

between the Harold Reservoir and Little Rock Creek, and at other 

places, but at these places the discharge is not from the ground-water 

reservoir of the main part of the valley.

In experiments in Owens Valley Lee w found that when the water 

table was at the surface the evaporation and transpiration from a 

salt-grass area hi one year was about 62 inches and that the evap^ 

oration decreased at a nearly uniform rate with the depth of the 

water table and ceased entirely at a depth of about 7J^ feet. Citmatie records indicate that the evaporation is fully as high in Antelope Valley as in Owens Valley. The total area in Antelope Valley in 

which there is discharge by evaporation and transpiration is unknown, 

but from the writer's observations it is considerable, and there must 

be a substantial loss of ground water by these processes.

PERCOLATION OUT OF THE BASIN

North of Rogers Dry Lake, the divide between Antelope Valley

 and Fremont Valley is not very high above the dry lake, and although 

rock hills are present on both sides, the divide for a distance of about

-a mile is probably composed of alluvium. If a perennial lake ever 

covered Rogers Dry Lake it may have overflowed at this point into 

J"reiM>nt Valley.

At Muroc the water table is lower than it is farther south in tie 

v&Ueyf ftftd at the north end of the playa, as nearly as can be defcer-

>< Lee, C. EL, The 'determination of safe yield of underground reservoirs of the dosed basin type: Am, 

S<j<j. Civil ting. Tram, vol. 78, pp. 181-196, iQid; An intensive study of the water resources of a part # 

Owens Valley, Calif.; U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 294, pp. 63-64, 1912.
mined in several wells, it is still lower, indicating tn&t the watOT tftblo 

ilopes toward tke aorth. In the vicinity of B«tetait Sdhddl, ftt T. f 

K., R. 10 W., where the altitude is more than 2,300 feet i the Wtititt' 

rises to the surface. In December, 1917, it flowed several feet above 

the ground in a test hole for potash (well 6 in table on p. 348 and pi. 

19) drilled on Rogers Dry Lake near the center of sec. 20, T. 9 N., 

R. 9 W., where the altitude is about 2,275 feet above sea level. The 

depth to water in the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway well at 

Muroc is about 33 feet and the altitude of the ground about' 2,285 

feet; the altitude of the water table is about 2,255 feet. In well 4, 

rn the northeast corner of the NW. # sec. 6, T. 19 N., R. 9 W., the 

depth to water is about 90 feet, and it is about the same it* Well ft, in 

northeast corner of sec. 34, T. 11 N., R. 9 W. As neariyi m £$tt fee 

determined the altitude of the surface at these wells is flo* much 

over 2,300 feet, and the altitude of the water table is f>fdl>ably 

between 2,210 and 2,240 feet. These conditions are shown in Kgure 5. The slope of the water table toward the north seems to indicate that the water is percolating northward under the alltmttftt i&tQ 

Fremont Valley.

'< The water table in Fremont Valley is much lower than in Antelope 

Valley. The depth to water in well 55 (see pL 16 mid tabla on 

p. 222), about 2 miles east of Desert Butte, in T. 12 N., R, 10 W./& 

January, 1920, measured 199 feet. The surface at this well id be* 

Meved to be not more than 2,375 feet above sea level and the altitude of the water table not more than 2,175 feet. The water Ubk 

in wells northwest of this well is even lower. (See fig. 6.) It is 

therefore evident that a rock barrier exists below the alluvial surface at the divide which acts as a submerged dam holding tip the 

water table in Antelope Valley but which may allow some ground 

water from Antelope Valley to waste underground into the valley 

to the north.

The boundary of the drainage basin at the northwest corner of febe 

valley is formed by an alluvial fan that has been built out in front 

of the canyon of Oak Creek, and at the southeast corner of the 

yalley it is formed by a similar fan in front of the canyon of Sheep 

Creek. In each region, however, the water table, as shown by deptii 

to water hi wells, is higher than it is in the lower part of the valley, 

indicating that the ground water moves toward the lower levei in 

tile valley and not out of the drainage basin. , ; .

OF WATBR USBD FOR nUOBATIOir ,

. Estimates of total consumption of Water for irrigation itt Antelope

Valley, from both surface and underground sources, are stmtmfctixetl

m the accompanying table. The figures for quantity of tftttk^ applied in irrigation, commonly called duty of water, are based oil i&-

5631 d 22
326 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

formation given by a number of ranchers. They are average figures 

and do not represent extreme quantities used on different tracts of 

land.

Estimate of water itsedfor irrigation in the drainage basin of Antelope Valley, 1919

Source of supply and locality

Supply obtained from wells

Gasoline power plants

Supply obtained from streams: 

Little Rock district __ ...... __ ... _ .................

Palmdale district ___________ . _ . ___ .. ...

Llano

Area 

(acres)

1,555

6,855

300

1,600

700

350

f 150

\ 150 

300 (?)

11,960

Principal 

crop

Fruit ......

Alfalfa....

...do ..

Frait... _

_ do ._

...do ....

...do.......

AlIclAlc*. ...

Fruit .

Quantity 

applied 

in irrigation 

(acre-feet 

per acre)

iti

r

4

ITS

1M

m

4 

W

Total 

consumption of 

water 

(acre-feet)

2,100

27,400

1,200

2,100

900

500

200

600 

3,100

38,100

* Total quantity used is based on statement of estimated continuous flow diverted during irrigation 

Mason.

The water obtained from flowing wells for irrigation is not included 

in the above estimates, but the quantity is probably not great. 

Where the flowing wells have sufficient head to yield supplies adequate for irrigation without pumping, the soil generally contains so 

much alkali that not much land is under cultivation. Much artesian 

water, however, is wasted. This waste probably amount® to several 

thousand acre-feet a year.

According to the data presented above, in 1919 about 31,000 acrefeet of ground water was pumped annually for irrigation, and about 

7,000 acre-feet was obtained from streams. Some of the water, however, percolated downward and returned to the water table, so that 

the net draft on the ground-water reservoir was not as great as 

stated.

FIUCTUATIONS OP THE WATE& TABU 

ANNUAL FLUCTUATIONS

The water table rises during or shortly after the rainy season. 

The rise is generally greatest on the higher portions of the alluvial 

fans near the mouths of the mountain canyons, where the water is 

added to the alluvium in the rainy season faster than it can move 

through the sand and gravel to lower levels, and it is least in the 

lower central part of the basin. The nature and amount of these 

seasonal fluctuations are illustrated by measurements made in four 

wells at approximately monthly intervals from November, 1915, to 

November, 1916, by E. W. Martin, of Little Rock, which are given on 

page 327. The fluctuations are shown graphically in Figure 12. All
ANTELOPE VALLEY 32?

i _

these wells are in or near the wash of Little Rock Creek, near the 

point where it emerges from its mountain canyon upon the alluvial

slope.

i Water levels in wetts near Little Rock Creek

[Measurements by E. W. Martin] ' J ' 

Date

1915 » 

Nov. 6 __________________________ Dec. 2 _ . _ ......

1916 

Jan. 4

Feb. I...................-....-.......... ............

Mar. 17.

June 6 __________ . _ ... __ . __ .. __ .. _ .

July I.-........ ..... ........ __ ...-.-...-..... ..

Sept. 8... __ __ . __ .. _ _ .. ......

Nov. 6... ___ .. ..__-... --.--..._--....._-...- .

Depth to water below reference jwint (feet) . ,

Littleton 

well"

33.3 

43.3

35 

21.8 

20.7 

19.3 

18 

23 

23 

30 

23.8 

37

Kellerman well*

52.6 *64

'Dry. 

26.3 

28.3 

27.4 

32 

40 

45 

50 -52 

47

Keyes 

well *

13.5 

Dry. < >:'

2 5 - 

10 

13.5 

Dry. 

Dry.

Hollowoy 

well*

IS. 4 

16.7

10,7

10.5 

10.7 

10.3 

11 

14 

15 

15.6 

16.6 

15.3

« Littleton well (No. 139 on pi. 19), In southeast corner SW. J£ NW. % sec. 14, T. 5 N., B, 11 W. A 

drilled well 1.3 feet in diameter, about 43 feet deep. Reference point for measurements, top of easing 1.6 

feet above ground. On Jan. 9,1920, the depth to water, measured by the writer, was 993 met .below the 

reference point.

» Kellennan well (No. 140), approximately in NE. J£ SW. X sec. 14, T. 5 N., B. 11 W., about 75 feet 

from bank of Little Bock Creek. The well is dug 54 feet deep. It was nearly dry on Dec. 2,1915, and completely dry on Jan. 4,1916. Reference point, nail in curb about 18 inches above surface of ground.

 Keyes well (No. 141), near northeast corner of sec. 22, T. 5 N., Bkll W., close to bank of creek. Reference point is a piece of pipe that projects from curb about 15 inches below surface of ground. Well could 

not be measured Feb. 1,1915, because of high water in creek. Well is 14 feet deep. <t Holloway well (No. 142), near northwest corner of sec. 23, T. 5 N., B. 11 W., dose to bank of creek. Reference point, surface of groundThe measurements were made during a year of unusually heavy 

rainfall, and hence both the high and low water levels were probably 

higher than during normal years. Nevertheless they show the 

general fluctuation, the water being highest in the winter or early 

spring and lowest in the late summer or fall. The marked rise in the 

Keyes well between December 2 and January 4 was due to heavy 

rains in the later part of December. From 6 to 8 second-feet of water 

was flowing in the creek at that time. The well is close to the creek 

bank and practically within the canyon, being dug in the alluvium 

that fills the canyon. It responds very quickly to the flow of the 

stream. In contrast to it is the Kellerman well, which on January 

4 was dry. It is farther from the stream channel, and the water 

that percolated through the alluvium from the stream had not reached 

the well. Water ceased flowing in the stream as far as the Littleton 

well about |April 11. Annual fluctuations are shown by somewhat 

less detailed observations on a number of wells, the records of which 

are given on pages 364-371.
328 THE MOHAVE UEfiJCRT BBOIOK, CALIFORNIA

in different port* of the valley have obs«rv*d fluctuati<ma 

of tbe waiter t^b-k ifi the dia<*«flt *efi.*?iiis &f the year, A. C. Whidden 

stated that on his ranch in sees. 9 and 16, T. 7 N., E. 13 W., the difference between the maximum and mioimam height of the water 

table is about 12 feet.

The water table readies its highest and lowest levels m dilfereafc 

parts of the rftlley at different times, but in general it is highest late 

in winter or in spring just before irrigation is begun and lowest in 

the late summer or fall, near the end of the irrigation period, when

t&fS

\

&&». ./tn.

Ajor. June Sy*. Got.

J^^l^

Oct. AtoK

 Fluctuation of water table m wills near Little Bock Creek, Antelopd Vall*y, 

'November, 1915, to November, 1916

het-ry pumphig produces some of the change in level. There 

are, howerer, exceptions to this statement.

E. B. Wargren, whose ranch is in the SW. % NB. }£ sec. 21, T. 7 

N., B. 12 W,, stated that the water in his well reaches its lowest level 

and begins to rise about the later part of September. A. Z* Wifeoft 

stated that at his ranch in the southeast corner of sec. 2, T. 7 N., E. 

11 W., the water begins to rise in the pump pit in June, although at 

the same time the pumping lift apparently continues to increase and 

the yield decreases for several weeks. The apparent rise in the water
table is erddfdtiy rime to tfee return seepage el watw from n

a condition has been observed. In other i3n%fit6d regaont . Thii 

seepage tracer may be prevented from reaching the priniap*! ir A*«v 

bearing bed by impervious layers, IB support of ttw fcfceoty thai 

this rise is due to seepage from the surface Mr. Wilson gar« tha fed* 

lowing evidence. A reservoir a few hundred feet from Mr. Wilson's wall 

does not hold water readily. When die reservoir was filled flie wfttw 

seeped out, and in one week the water in Mr. Wilson's pump pit rose 

2 feet. In a well at the reservoir the water rose 4 feet. II subsided 

in both wells after the reservoir was .empty. A. C. Whidden staled 

that in Ms wells in sees. 9 and 16, T. 7 N., R. 13 W., til* lowest Level 

is reached during July and the water begins to rise drafag the latw 

part of that month, while the pumping is the neighborhood is AS htftvy 

as at any time. The conditions here are probably similar to those 

cited by Mr. Wilson. In the wells near the mouth of Rock Greek 

Canyon the lowest level was not reached until Deoember^-ihat », 

later than in most parts of the valley. This lag may be partly ag* 

counted for by the fact that no wells are pumped within a radius of 

several miles, and hence the effect of reduced pumping is

Fluctuations before 1920. In addition to its annual flucfcimtioBS 

the water table moves slowiy up and down during longer and more 

irregular periods, owing chiefly to series of wet and dry years; : Heavjf 

pumping tends to lower it. ; ' ^ :

The testimony of well owners in the valley as to whether there feds 

been any marked change in the water table during reeeutt yes»» is1 !* 

a certain extent conflicting. Some stated definitely that ^re ?h«ws 

been a gradual lowering of the water level; others stated that they 

have noticed no change; and a few stated that the water-level in 1W4 

was higher than during the preceding few years. Many w«!l-owneft 

did not know whether the water level in their wells had changed and 

apparently had not given the matter any thought, although It really 

is of much importance. Usually the pumps are installed in silcfe * 

manner that the depth to water can not be readily o^bserv-ed. If-the 

water rises the owner has no indication of the fact, nor eVea if 44 

falls, unless the drop is so great as to reach the suction 'limitOf 4s 

. revealed by a great increase in his power bill or a decrease in the dls- 

* charge of the pump. Even if any of these indications are observe^ 

they are sometimes attributed to mechanical trouble in the pump 

and not to a lowering of the water level. The desirability of measuring 

the depth to the water level, from time to time, -can not be too strongly 

urged on the owner.

Several we! owneirs have observed that the water in pump pit® 

fose earlier or to a higher level than in past years. The return seepage
330 TEH! MOHAVE DISSERT EBGHON, CALIFORNIA

of irrigation water causes a rise of the ground water in the upper beds 

while at the same time the level of water in the beds that yield the 

strongest supply may still be low. In a dry season irrigation is 

often begun earlier than in normal years and more water is applied 

to the land. It would therefore not be surprising that in a a dry year 

like 1919 the level of the water in the upper beds would rise earlier 

or to a higher level than during normal years. On the whole, the 

information from well owners indicates a lowering of the water table 

both within and outside the area of artesian flow.

The proprietor of the hotel at Rosamond stated that in 1919 the 

water was about 2 feet lower- in his well (No. 21) than in 1918. The 

depth to water, as measured by the writer on January 12, 1920, was 

25 feet below the top of the casing, about 8 inches above the ground. 

This well probably is No. 69 in Water-Supply Paper 278, for which 

the depth to water was given as 15 feet. If not the same well it is 

very close to that well, and evidently the water table has dropped. 

A few hundred feet south of it a well at an old saloon, which is said 

to have been owned formerly by a Mr. Simpson and to be the well 

designated No. 267 in Water-Supply Paper 278, was dry in January, 

1920, at a depth of 19 feet below the surface. The depth to water in 

1909 was given as 16 feet. This well apparently has been partly 

filled up.

The Southern Pacific Railroad has a flowing well (No. 37) at Oban^ 

in the NE. M sec. 21 or NW. M sec. 22, T. 8 N., R. 12 W., which is so 

arranged that the water rises naturally into an elevated tank for 

supplying engines. F. M. Worthington, division superintendent of 

the railroad, stated in a letter that in 1910 the water in this well rose 

22 feet 6 inches above the surface of the ground, in 1918 it rose 19 

feet, and in 1920 it rose 17 feet 6 inches. He did not say whether the 

tests were made at approximately the same time each year, but 

presumably the height given for each year is the maximum height 

at which the water stood at any time during that year. The railroad 

also has a well at Lancaster in which the water stood at the surface 

when drilled in 1914 and 2 feet below the surface in 1920.

Mr. L. M. Huntington, superintendent of the P. D. Gaskill ranch, 

in the SW. M sec. 35, T. 8 N., R. 13 W., stated that in 1919 the water 

in the well (No. 20) was about 8 feet- lower than in previous years. 

This year was the first in which it was necessary to prime the pumps. 

When the well is not being pumped the water stands about 22 feet 

below the surface. On the map in Water-Supply Paper 278 this 

place is shown as inside the area of artesian flow. If this map was 

correct when made, the drop in the water level since 1909 would be 

more than 22 feet, but there is some question whether this part of 

the region was within the area of artesian flow. Two wells in the 

section that adjoins the Gaskill ranch on the south, Nos. 88 and 89 in
ANtHJLOPE VALLEY 331

Water-Supply Paper 278, were indicated on the map in tfelat fejsort as 

flowing wells, but in the table on pages 74 and T5 of that rejw*t tiwi 

depth to water is given as 7 and 1% feet, respectively, and they are 

both referred to as "ijonflowing artesian" wells. Mr. Huntington 

stated that the depth to! water in well 89 (in Water-Supply Paper 278)j 

owned by F. A. Ingersoll, i£ now 22 feet. Evidently the water table 

in this well has dropped considerably. i<

Mr. A. C. Whidden, owiier of the Portland ranch, in the NIL M 

sec. 16 and theN. ^ sec. 9J T. 7 N., R. 13 W., stated that, as'far as 

he could determine, the water table dropped on the average about 1 

foot a year in the nine yeajrs prior to 1920. It was ndt possible t# 

measure his wells (Nos. 51, [52, and 53), but there is evidence that^ie 

drawdown increases each year. It has become necessary to prime &ie 

pumps earlier in the year t lan formerly.

Mr. Harry Austin, who has drilled many wells in the valley, stated 

that wells 42a to 42c (in Water-Supply Paper 278), in the N. M aecJ 

2, T. 7 N., R. 13 W., ceased flowing for the first time in 1919. On the 

Reese Snowden ranch, in the NW. K sec. 11, a short distance south bf

the wells mentioned above, 

(No. 56) was 3 feet 8 inches

the depth to water in a well 225 feet deep 

when measured on January 16,1920. Bat

Water-Supply Paper 278 wells on this ranch and also wells farther 

west were noted as flowing Veils. Evidently the area of artesian flow 

has been reduced in size in'this vicinity.

Mr. H. A. Prendel, who£e well (No. 62) is in the SW. M NE. M 

sec. 24, T. 7 N., R. 13 W.,jstated that his well began to flow later in 

the fall of 1919, the flow wis smaller than usual, and the pumping lift 

during the irrigation season was apparently greater. The maximum 

drawdown on the vacuum gage during the pumping season in Iif8: 

was equivalent to 22 inches of mercury., In 1919 it was 23 inches; 

which indicates a difference in the water level of about 1 foot. In 

previous years the water rose high enough to begin flowing usually in 

October, but in 1918 it did aot flow until the later part of November 

and in 1919 not until the early part of December. About 1916 tbe 

well was changed so that 1 he discharge pipe was about 4 feet^abosre 

ground, and at that time i.t flowed from 10 to 15 gallons a minute. 

When visited by the writer on January 10, 1920, it flowed at the same 

level not more than 2 gallons a minute. This well is near the edge 

of the area of artesian flow. Mr. Prendel stated that when he came 

to the region about 1910 a well (No. 61) about half a mile west ©I 

his place flowed 5 or 6 miner's inches. On January 10, 1920, the 

water stood in this well about 6 inches below the surface. This well 

is evidently No. 247 in Water-Supply Paper 278. The well when 

measured by the writer was 211 feet deep.

Mr. E. B. Wargren, whose ranch is in the SW. % NE. M sec; 21, 

T. 7 N., R. 12 W., stated that when his well (No. 69) was drilled is
332 THE MOHAVE DE6ERT Ri^f^N, CALIFORNIA

1014 the water barely flowed at the surface. In January, 1920, it 

was *&wt 3 feet below the surface.

On January 14, 1920, the depth to water in an §-ineh well (No. 67) 

eft the S^ T- Earl ranch, new the northwest corner of sec. 36, T. 7 N., 

$, 18 W,, as measured by the writer, was 79 feet below the floor of the 

pump hou»e. Mr. J, A. White, superintendent of the ra»ch, stated 

that hi April, 1918, the depth to water in a 16-inch well only a few 

feet from the 8-inch well was 72 feet. As the water in both wella is 

to stand at practically the same level it was about 7 feet 

1920. It should be noted, however, that the higher level was 

in April, when the water table is probably at its maximum 

level, and perhaps in January, 1920, the water had not yet reached its 

highest point, Mr. White stated that in 1918 the 16-inch well was 

pumped dry several times. In 1919, however, the pump yielded 

more water. The low level of the water in 1918 was attributed to 

the effect of an earthquake. Although this may have been the cause 

it te more Mkely that the reaf cause was a lowering of the water table, 

which rose again m 1919.

Mr, J>onald Graham, resident manager of the Guy Cf Earl rajich, 

p; the NW. H sec,' 35, T, 7 N., K. 13 W., stated that the drawdowa 

of hie wells during the irrigation season has gradually increased. A? 

indicated by a vacuum gage in 1913, it was equivalent to 20 inches 

of mercury (about 23 feet) and in 1919 to 26 inches (about 29 feet), 

whic&is an average drop of (about 1 foot a year.

Tbfi depth to water in well 48, near the center of sec. 14, T. 7 $Ff, 

R, 14 W«, as measured by the writer on December IS, 1919, was 147 

feet below the top of the casing, which is about 1 foot above £he siu> 

f«(H», This is evidently well 35 of Water-Supply Paper 278, in which 

the qtep th to water is given as 120 feet.

, MT. J, I<. Meder stated that on jhds brother's ranch, in. the NJJ. ^ 

JjFW, M sec. 13, T. 7 N., B. 12 W., the crops were originally irrigate^ 

from flowiog wells (No, 74) without pumping, but it is now necessajy 

to puiunp. The weljs still flow in the winter but not as much as,

The depth to water in a well (No. 85) on the J. B. Nourse ranch, a^ 

ths southwest corner of see. 12, T. 7 N., R. 11 W., as measured by tlif 

writer ,pn January 15, 1920, was 13 feet below the surface. This is; 

w-ell 77 of Water-Supply Paper 278 and flowed when it was drilled i» 

1900, Mr. Nourse believes that the pumping lif t has increased in the 

la$t four years, basing his statement on bis yearly power consumption 

iinse he began using electricity. In 1916 Mr. Nourse lowered .hi? 

pump 8 or 9 feet.

Mr. A. Z. Wilson, whose ranch is in the southeast corner of sec, 2^ 

T. 7 N>> & H W., stated that the water table in the fummejr is qow 

about 10 feet lower than when he settled in the valley in 1007.
TA&WT

of Me wells (No, 84), when it was drilkd in July, 1907, ftew«d *beRrt 

6 miners inches. The well' has flowed every winter until the- season 

of 1919-20, but the flow was less each year. On January 15 tbe 

h&d i*ot begufi to flow, and Mr. Wilson did not beliew itniQuald 

Soon after the well was drilled a centrifugal pump was installed, 

get at the ground level. It has since been necessary to lower the 

pump, getting it in a 12-foot pit. The writer was informed: t&ftt it hi* 

been necessary to lower the pumps in several other wells in the tieioit^ 

of the Eoosevelt School, but he did not have an opportunity to obtain 

detailed information in regard to conditions in that part of the 

valley.

Mr. Grant Frakes for several years irrigated about 5 acres <rf alfalfa 

in sec. 30, T. 8 N., K. 10 W., from a flowing well (No. 45) w£fch«rat 

pumping. For the last three years the flow has ceased during iflftpl 

of the summer. In 1919 there Was no flow from about eMy 1; 'td 

about November 1. The flow frpm this well was originally about 23 

miner's inches. 5

Mr. Charles* Eberts, who has installed and repaired maay pusips 

m the valley and hence has been in a position to obserrp conditkse* 

in different parts of it, expressed the opinion that the water table had 

been lowered from 3 to 10 feet in the six years ending in 19 It*, 

although the water in the upper alluvial beds had risen seve^ri1 feet 

in some wells, owing to the return seepage from irrigation.

Several other persons reported that the pumping lift had'inereMetl 

10 to 12 feet since their wells were drilled. Two of these wetis ar4 

situated several miles east of Lancaster, in the Roosevelt dktMefy 

and two others about 4 miles southeast of Palmdale, in a region of 

comparatively new development. ' 

Some of the lowering is doubtless due to deficient pfecipitatacffl? in 

the four years prior to 1919, but most of it is apparently due to the 

draft on the supply for irrigation. It is manifestly impossible fot sd 

great a quantity to be pumped from the ground-*water rtssrvoi* 

without affecting the water table. The consumption fl#9 increased 

more or less regularly in recent years. The several years of 

precipitation have had » cumulative effect in reducing the 

in proportion to the discharge, for not only has- tlfee recteftrge 

year been less than in normal years but the consunftptioii ha» befctt 

greater for a given area because in dry years irrigation is ufKttflly 

begun earlier than in normal years.

Fluctuations in 1920-1926. After the writer's investigation ia 

January, 1920, it was realized that periodic measurements' of the 

depth to water in a number of wells were necessary to deleffliiaw 

the true nature of fluctuations of the water table, Unfoitttfl&tety 

funds were not available to permit observations a& frequently as 

desirable, but a considerable number of measuranient* have beta
384 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

made which yield valuable information. Mr. N. S. Abbott, a citizen 

of Lancaster who has installed many pumps in the valley, has measured about 25 wells from two to five times a year since 1921. The 

writer expresses his appreciation of the service thus rendered by 

Mr. Abbott. Beginning in October, 1924, measurements of the same 

wells have been made twice a year by F. C. Ebert or H. G. Troxell, 

of the United States Geological Survey. These observations have 

been made early in the spring, when the water table is about at its 

highest point, and in the fall, when it is about at its lowest point. 

The records of depth to water are given on pages 364-371. The locations of the wells, with numbers corresponding to those in the tables, 

are shown on Plate 19.

To judge from observations in other investigations in which automatic recorders were used to obtain a continuous record of water 

levels, the seasonal rise or fall of the water level may be interrupted 

by fluctuations as pumps on other wells are stopped or started. 

Furthermore, the lowest and highest levels reached each season are 

affected by several factors that vary from year to*year, such as 

amount of precipitation and its time of occurrence. The difference 

in precipitation from year to year may affect the water level directly 

in so far as it affects recharge of the ground-water reservoir; and 

indirectly in that pumping for irrigation may be necessary earlier 

or later in some years than in others. Because of these variable 

conditions, it is unlikely that the water level reaches its lowest or 

highest level at exactly the same time each year. It is highly desirable that automatic water-level recorders be installed on several 

observation wells to obtain continuous records of the movement of 

the water level, from which the highest and lowest points reached 

each year can be determined.

All the wells show more or less seasonal fluctuation, the water 

l&vel being lower in summer than in winter. The amount of fluctuation ranges from a few inches hi wells 48 and 163, to 41 feet in well 

160. Several of the wells have a seasonal range of more than 10 

feet, notably Nos. 59, 61, 155a, 160, and 169. These are all near 

wells that are pumped regularly during the irrigation season, and the 

great lowering of the water level hi them in the summer is obviously 

due to pumping of the near-by wells. There is no conclusive evidence of any definite trend from 1921 to 1925. In the summer of 

1926, however, lower water levels were observed in every well for 

which the records are complete than at any previous time during the 

period of the observations with the exception of well 48. Furthermore, in 8 out of 17 wells measured in 1927, including well 48, the 

water level was lower than in any previous year.

The difference between the lowest level in the summer of 1926 and 

the previous lowest level ranged in different wells from 0.6 foot to
ANTELOPE VALLEY 335

12.8 feet. In three wells it was between 5 and 10 feet, in six wells 

it was between 1 and 5 feet, and in four wells it was 1 foot or less* 

The difference between the low levels of 1927 and those of 1926 was 

mostly less than 1 foot.

It appears that only a moderate decline in the water level occurred 

in 1926 and 1927, and this is believed to be due in part to some 

increase in draft and in part to deficient precipitation.

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS OF GROUND WATER

Many new wells have been drilled in different parts of Antelope 

Valley since the first report on the water resources of the valley was 

published.16 As a result of the drilling of some of these wells conditions were revealed that had not been previously known. The trend 

of the new developments in different parts of the region is given 

briefly in the following pages.

In the central part of the valley the new developments have taken 

place largely around the border of the area of artesian flow, either 

extending a short distance inside the boundary of the area or reaching 

a mile or two away from it. In this territory alfalfa is the principal 

crop. Few new wells have been drilled in the interior of the area of 

artesian flow doubtless because it is not adapted to alfalfa. The 

greatest lift observed by the writer where water was pumped for 

alfalfa was about 70 feet, in the northwestern part of T. 8 N., R. 13 W., 

but throughout most of the valley water for alfalfa is not pumped 

more than 50 feet. The land rises more gradually toward the east 

and west than toward the south, and it is perhaps for this reason that 

more new wells have been drilled around the east and west margins 

of the flowing-well area. A large number of wells have been drilled 

west, northwest, and north of Esperanza School. Many have been 

drilled 4 or 5 miles east and southeast of Lancaster, and a large 

number within a radius of several miles of the Roosevelt and Redman 

Schools. The depth to water directly east of the flowing-well area 

is nowhere very great.

The depth to water in the well of William H. Brooks (No. 89), in 

the SE. % sec. 10, T. 7 N., R. 10 W., is only 25 feet. In well 91, 

in the NW. A 1 sec. 20, T. 7 N., R. 9 W., belonging to W. T. Graham, 

it is about 80 feet. This is nearly at the eastern limit of the irrigable 

area, for rock hills rise beyond it. Few wells seem to have been drilled 

southwest of Lancaster, probably because the land rises more rapidly 

in that direction, and the pumping lift increases rapidly. In the 

lower part of the valley most of the wells drilled years ago were only 

4, 6, or 8 inches hi diameter. At many places new wells of larger 

diameter have been drilled to replace the old ones.

« Johnson, H. R., Water resources of Antelope Valley, Calif.: XT. 8. Oeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

278,1911.
386 THE MOHAVB DESERT KEQIOST, CALIFORNIA

Many new wells h&ve bean drilled northeast of Palmdale and 

between that town and Little Bock. In Watw-Stipplr Paper 278 

only & few weik wsr® shown in and Bear Patmdftle, axed these were 

used principally only for domestic purposes or manufacturing. The 

depth to water was supposed to be too great to permit the use of the 

wells for irrigation. In recent years several wells have been drilled 

between Palmdale and Littie Rock in which the depth to water was 

found to be much less than was supposed. The depth to. water in 

the upper part of the alluvial fan of Little Rock Creek is slight near 

the mouth of the canyon of the creek and increases for some distance 

to the northwest, north, and northeast of the mouth of the canyon. 

In well 39, the Littleton well, a few feet northwest of the bridge 

over Little Rock Creek, in the NW. % sec. 14, T. 5 N., R. 11 W., the 

depth to water on January 9,1920, was 38 feet, (See p. 327 for data 

on fluctuations of the water level in this well.) The depth to water 

increases for some distance to the northwest, north, and northeast. 

West of Little Rock Creek, in the NE. Y± see. 9, T. 5 N., R. 11 W., 

the depth to water in well 138, belonging to Robert Stuart, is reported 

to-be about 90 feet. In weE 111, owned by John Boyle, in the southeast comer of the SW. M see. 32, T. 6 N., R. 11 W., the depth to 

water is said to be about 100 feet. In well 110, near the southwest 

corner of the NW. M sec. 31, T. 6 N., R. 11 W., owned by Carl W.. 

Lere&z, the depth to water is reported to be 146 feet, and in well 101 T 

in Palmdale, just east of the Palmdale Inn, owned by the Palmdale 

Land Co.; the depth to water as measured by the writer on January 

7^ 1920, was 245 feet.

Not only does the depth to water increase northwestward from the 

tnouth of the canyon of Little Rock Creek, but it also increases to 

the north and northeast, for some distance. The depth to water in 

well 107, in the SE; M sec. 21, T. 6 N., R. 11 W., owned by George 

B. Qtisy is reported to be about 165 feet, and in other wells near this 

the depth to water is nearly as great. It is worthy of note that 

granite was struck in this well at a depth of about 300 feet. So far 

as is known rock was not reached in any other wells in this vicinity. 

On the Rowland ranch, in sec. 14, T. 6 N., R. 11 W., about 5 miled 

north of the Littleton well, the depth to water is reported to be 117 

feet. In the well of E. W. Martin (No. 143), in the NW. M see. 12, 

T. 5 N., R. It W., about a mile northeast of well 39, the depth to 

water when, drilled in August, 1918, was 86 feet. The depth to water 

in well 16, in the NW. M see. 28, T. 6 N., R. 10 W., owned by 

J. Hmtermann, is said to be 125 feet. About 1 % miles northeast of 

this the depth to water in well 117, in sec. 22, owned by Mr. Bowlaad> 

is said to be about 75 feet. Many other wells have been drilled east 

and southeast of Palmdale, but these need not be discussed in detail.
VALLEY , ,J?iH"- -.^ ' 881

The water table is so close to the surface near rthe mouth of 

Cftnyon of little Kock Creek apparently because ao much ..ttnte if 

ppuretl out onto the gravel saad absorbed near the heed of the alluTiad 

f«n. The water alter it teaches the saturated 20110 does oot more 

rapidly toward the lower part of the basin, Mid the result is A piling 

up, so to speak, of the water near the mouth of the canyon, if &o 

water were added to the ground water beneath the fan for several 

years, it would have an opportunity to spread out and reach a uniform 

level. Because the water table stands so much higher under the 

alluvial fan of Little Rock Creek it is probable that during ft period 

of extra dry years the water level will drop more in that locality than 

in the, lower part of the valley, where the water table is more nearly 

level. It is also possible that the water table would return 4o or 

nearly to the original level in a single ivinter of exceptionally heavy 

and advantageously distributed rainfall.

The influence of discharge from the water table of Little Bock 

Creek hi building up the water level beneath its fan are shown in 

three profiles in Figure 13. Profile B extends along a line abaost due 

north from the mouth of Little Rock Creek, and fbowa iw>w the 

water table beneath the alluvial cone rises more than 400 ieet *bove 

its level in the lower part of the valley. Along profile A, which 

extends from the mouth of the creek northwestward through PaJjndale, the water table slopes rather steeply for some distance from $he 

mouth of the cone. In this profile the water table in well 96 is 

represented to be sEghtly higher than in well 101. This m«y be 

due partly to inadequate data in regard to the altitude of the surface 

at the wells. However, it is also probably due in part to th« fact 

. that there is a buried rock ridge, of which Quartz Hill is a part, 

which acts as a barrier to the northward movement of water, so that 

the water .stands at a higher level behind it than at corresponding 

altitudes farther to the east and west. Profile C extends along a 

line extending from the San Gabriel Mountains northward through 

Palmdale that is, it is between the mouths of little Bock ,and 

Amargosa Creeks.16 In contrast to the other two profiles, which 

extend from the mouth of Little Rock Creek, profile C ^jhows that 

the water table does not rise steeply near the mountains but has only 

a gradual elope, with little doubt because there is JQO important contribution to the ground-water reservoir in this part of the vtitey,

The recent development of the ground-water supply on the u|>per 

part of the alluvial elope, between P&lmd&ta wwl LitUe Hock, ha* 

been due in a kxge measure to tke high retumg revived /from the 

pear and Apple orchards in the LHtLe Rock uTigation district, where 

water supply is obtained from Little Rock Cwok. The prieas

* The cofttour interval QJJ the Elizabeth topographic nap, on which the^jrtace profile is .based, is so
338 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

received for the fruits produced in these orchards are sufficient to 

justify high pumping lifts, much greater than can be borne in alfalfa 

growing. The lands nearer the mountains that are irrigated by 

ground water are therefore devoted almost entirely to pear and 

apple orchards. In the four or five years prior to 1919 several 

hundred acres of trees had been set out, and in 1919 the oldest were

 LI

Alluvium

FIGURE 13. Sections showing effect of discharge from Little Rock Creek, Antelope Valley, in 

building up the water table. A, Profile from mouth of Little Rock Creek northwestward through 

Palmdale; B, profile northward approximately along longitude 118°; C, profile along a line from 

north to south through Palmdale

just reaching the bearing stage. The pumping lifts in this part of 

the valley range from 100 feet to as much as 160 feet.

Conditions similar to those on the fan on Little Rock Creek probably 

exist on the fan of Rock Creek, but fewer data are available in regard 

to the latter region. The lift in well 145, in the Longview colony, 

owned by G. C. Chase and believed to be in sec. 25 or 26, T. 5 N.,
ANIBLQPE VALLEY 819

E. 10 W. j is reported to be about 50 feet. The only other information 

obtained was in regard to wells nearer Lovejoy Buttes. The depth 

to water in well 120, in the S. ^ sec. 28, T. 6 N., E. 9 W., owned 

by E. B. Eeinsberg, was reported to be about 28 feet. Farther 

north, near the south side of the buttes, the water stands very close 

to the surface, producing a cienaga around Lovejoy Springs. One 

well near the springs, owned by Alexander Stewart, flows, and in 

another the depth to water is only 2 feet.

The nearness of the water table to the surface in this vicinity ia 

evidently due to the presence of the Lovejoy Buttes, which act as s, 

barrier behind which the water is held, for north ,of the buttes 

the depth to water is much greater. J. C. McGowan, repoi*8 

that in his weU (No. 94), in the SE. % SW. % sec. 34, T..-.7 

N., E. 9 W., the depth to water is 100 feet. In the well of Aaron 

C. Huff (No. 121), near the northwest corner of sec. 18, T. 6 N.; 

E. 8 W., tiie depth to water is 165 feet. The barrier apparently 

continues as a buried rock ridge eastward from the Lovejoy Buttes 

toward Gray Mountain, for data collected in 1917 by G. A. Waring, 

of the United States Geological Survey, show that the water table 

in sees. 13 and 14, T. 6 N., E. 8 W., was only 30 to 50 feet betew 

the surface. (See wells 122-125, pp. 358-359.) Additional data aue 

presented in a recent report on water for irrigation in Upper Mohave 

Valley,17 which adjoins Antelope Valley on the east. On Plate 1 of that 

report, contours of the water table show that the water table is 

higher immediately south of Gray Mountain than to the east. Ap* 

parently a part of the ground water that comes from the flow of 

Sheep Creek is held back by the rock hills in the vicinity of Mirage 

Dry Lake and is diverted westward along the south side of the buried 

ridge between Gray Mountain and the Lovejoy Buttes. If this is 

true, the depth to water along the south side of T. 6 N., E. 8 W.» 

would not be very great.

Northwest of Palmdale the distance between the flowing-well area 

and the foot of the mountains is short and the land rises rapidly. 

Accordingly, the depth to water increases rapidly from the flowing* 

well area toward the mountains. In well 98, owned by W. Ei 

Cowan, in the southeast corner of the NE. % NE. % sec. 4, T. 6 N*', 

E. 12 W., only 3 miles from the flowing-well area, the depth 4o 

water was 150 feet when the well was drilled in 1914. The pumping 

lift in this well was estimated by the driller to be 180 feet when the 

yield was 30 miner's inches (270 gallons a minute). In well 67, Oti 

the E. T. Earl estate, in the northwest comer of sec. 36, T. 7 N., Ei 

13 W., the depth to water, as measured by the writer on January 14, 

1920, was 79 feet. _______ -_

» MeClure, W. F., and others, Report on the utilization of Mojave River lor irrigation in Victor V»Uey, 

Calit: California Dept. Engineering Bull. 5, pp. 54-65, pi. 1,1918. ' ,.,
340 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

South of Quattz HiU, in see. 6, T. 8 N., E. 12 W., HO good well* 

hare been obtained. Well 97, near the northeast corner of the 

NE. M e«5.1, T. 6 N., R. 13 W., south of Quartz HiU, struck haniioek 

at 77 feet. Water was found at 76 feet, but the quantity is small, and 

it was estimated b,y the driller that (die well would not pump more 

than 5 or 6 miner's inches (45 to 64 gallons a minute)- iln wall 96, 

about IJ^j miles southwest of this, probably in the SW. % see. 2, T. 

6 N., R. 13 W., on the ranch of Dr. W. Winnard, hard rock wag 

struck at about 125 feet. The water stood about 130 feet from the 

surface when the well was completed in January, 1920. The quantity 

was «ftid to be only enough for domestic use. About half A mile north" 

west of Doctor Winnard's well hard material was struck in well 05, 

on the place of Fred Godde, at a depth of 137 feet. Water was found 

»t 96 feet, and when drilling was finished it stood at about that depth. 

The quantity available is apparently not great.

It is QQt certain whether the material called "rock" in the Winnard 

and Godde wells is granite, or other unweathered igneous rock, or 

Whether it is material derived from the weathering of such, rocks, 

Which has been cemented together. At any rate, it apparently Sa 

not fery porous and does not yield much water. It is also perhaps 

iJgnifieant that there is no stream in this locality'like Little Bock 

Oeek wMeh might pour out & large quantity of water to build up the 

water table.

There has been practically no development by irrigation in tJbe 

west or northwest part of the valley. In January, 1920, the writer 

observed only one or two ranches that were irrigated w«st of the road 

between Del Sur and Willow Springs. This condition is due largaly 

to the fact that the depth of water increases toward the motm* 

tains. The depth to water in well 30, near the northeast corner 

of see. 30, T. 8 N., R. 13 W., as measured by the writer on Jan* 

uary 16, 1920, was 56 feet. The depth to water in well 26, owned 

by,R. A. George, near the southeast corner of sec. 14, T. 8 N., R. 14 

W., is reported by the driller to have been 90 feet when tihe weH 

was finished in August, 1918. According to the report by Johnson,** 

the depth to water in a well in the NW. y^ sec. 6, T'. 8 N., R. 14 

W., is 140 feet. In the same report the depth to water in a well 

(No. 25 on pi. 19) in sec. 10, T. 8 N., R. 16 W., is given as 200 

feet. Tjhe depth to water in a well 2^ miles west of that well, ia 

sec. 6 of the same township (well 24, pi. 19), is given as only 94 feet. 

The reason for this difference is not known, but it is believed that ia 

the well where the depth to water is only 94 feet the supply comas 

from a local bed which is perched above the main water table. This 

belief is supported by information supplied by C. H. Wiadham in

» Johnson, H. K., Wafer resources of Antelope Valley, Oslff.: U. 8. Geol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 278, p. 70, well 9,1911.
ANTELOPE VALUBY 341

regard to & well drilled for oil (No. 23, pi. 19) on the Liebre 

approximately near the center of sec. 27, T. 9 N., R. 17 W. Water 

was not encountered in this well until a depth of 530 feet was reached, 

and it rose within about 400 feet of the surface but could be bailed 

down. According to the topographic map this wel is not more than 

300 feet above the well in sec. 6, T. 8 N., R. 16 W,, and yet the altitude of the water table is apparently lower than in the well on lower 

ground. Normally it would be more likely that the water table 

would be higher nearer the mountains. It has been shown earlier in 

this report that there is no great contribution to t le water table by 

.streams at the west end of the valley, and for ths reason it is not 

surprising that the depth to water is great, for therts is no "piling fp," 

so to speak, of the water such as occurs on the alluvial fan of littite 

Rock Creek.

Several wells have been drilled west and nor;hwest of Wfflbw 

Springs, but so far as is known none of them have >een used for irrigation. Mr. Fred M. Hamilton, owner of Willow Springs, states thai 

in well 15, drilled by him in the SE. Y± SE. ^ sec. 1, T. 9 N., R. 14 W., 

water was struck at 67 feet and rose within 57 feet c I the surface. In 

well 13, on the place of John Lane, in the NE. % sec. 4 of the same 

township, the first water was struck at 275 feet. Another waterbearing bed was struck at 550 feet, and the water rose within 250 feet, 

of the surface. On Mr. Naquin's place,' in the NW. % sec. 8, T. 9 

N., R. 13 W., north of the lava butte that lies east of Willow Springs, 

the depth to water in well 16 is said to have been 47 feet.

A number of wells have been drilled on the near y level lands that 

lie between the lava buttes north of Rosamond (cal ed the Rosamond 

Buttes), Soledad Mountain, and hills north of the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway. So far as can be determined from the topographic maps the region is a part of the Antelope Valley drainage 

basin, but the ground-water conditions are probab y not comparable 

with those in the main part of the valley. It is likoly that the depth 

to impervious non water-bearing rocks is at no plaje very great, and 

the topography is such that there is no source for any Large contribution 

to the ground-water supply. Besides the rainfall in the immediate 

region, the only other possible contribution may be a part of the runoff from Oak Creek.

Near the southwest corner of sec. 24, T. 10 N., R. 12 W., the depth 

to water in an 8-inch well (No. 10) owned by I. J. Sopp, is about 

40 feet, and the total depth of the well is 75 feet. The well is equipped

only with a windmill and is 

Another well (No. 11), on

used for irrigating a small patch of alfalfa, 

the D. H. Walker ranch,' in the NW. M

NE. % sec. 26 of the same township, is reported to yield 30 miner's 

inches, with a lift of about 90 feet. The water is used to irrigate W 

5631 29 23
842 THE MOHAVE DESEftT REGION, CALIFORNIA

acres of apple trees. A well (No. 9) on the place of E. A. Canning, 

near the northwest corner of sec. 18, T. 10 N., R* 11 W., is 150 feet 

deepv and the depth to water is about 50 feet. The well is equipped 

with a windmill, and the water is used to irrigate about 5 acres of 

fruit trees and a small patch of alfalfa. On the place of Mr. Rathbun, 

in sec. 34, T. 11 N., R. 11 W., in well 8, which is 300 feet deep, the 

depth to water is reported to be 70 feet. Rock was struck within 

60 feet of the top, and the water comes in from crevices. The yield 

is small, estimated at about 100 barrels in 24 hours. In another 

well (No. 7) owned by Mr. Rathbun, probably in sec. 4, T. l6 N., 

R. 11 W., the depth to water is reported to be 70 feet. The total j 

depth is 200 feet. The yield of this well is also small. It is reported! 

that the water in both of Mr. Rathbun's wells is slightly salty. Other j 

wells are located in this region, but no information was obtained in! 

regard to them.

Several wells have been drilled at the north end of Rogers "Dry 

Lake," but not much information was obtained in regard to them. 

WeU 3, on the place of H. M. Meckley, in the NE. y± sec. 34, T. 11 

N., R. 9 W., is 260 feet deep, and the depth to water is reported to 

be 90 feet. With the pump running to its full capacity this well is 

said to have yielded 35 miner's niches with a 2-foot drawdown. The 

4x>wner believes that the well will furnish 65 miner's inches if equipped 

with a larger pump. E. F. Edinburgh has a well (No. 4) in the northeast corner of the NW. M sec. 6, T. 10 N., R. 9 W., which is 280 feet 

deep. The depth to water is 90 feet. The well had not been tested! 

when the information was obtained by the writer in December, 1917. j 

The depth to water in well 5, owned by the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway, at Muroc, is only about 30 feet. Although 

definite information is not available in regard to the relative altitude 

of the ground surface at Muroc and at the wells at the north end of 

the "dry lake," it is believed that the water table is lower at the 

north end of the lake than at any other place in the valley, and that; 

there is percolation northward into Fremont Valley. (See p. 325.) ; 

The possible contribution to the water table from precipitation in 

the region around the north end of Rogers Dry Lake is small. It is 

not definitely known whether the deposits underlying the playa are 

all clay or silt, and therefore so impervious that ground water from 

the main part of the valley can not move to beds that underlie the 

north end of the playa. However, in well 6, drilled near the center; 

of sec. 20, T. 9 N., R. 9 W., on the playa, as a test for potash, waterbearing gravel, which yielded a strong flow of water, was struck at a 

depth of less than 145 feet. It is quite probable that there is free 

communication between the water-bearing beds at the north end of 

the "dry lake" and those beneath the main part of the valley.
ANTELOPE VALLEY 343

QUALITY OF WATER

Analyses of several samples of water are published in WaterSupply Paper 278 (p. 57), and analyses of 6 samples collected by the 

writer are given in the accompanying table. In addition, in WaterSupply Paper 278 (pp. 70-89) the total solids as determined by conductivity measurements are given for samples from 180 other wells. 

These analyses indicate that water suitable for domestic use and 

irrigation can be obtained from deep wells almost anywhere in the 

valley. All but two of the 12 waters analyzed are classed as either 

fair or good for domestic use, boilers, and irrigation. The total dissolved solids range from 158 to 766 parts per million, but only two 

samples contained more than 330 parts. The water which contained 766 parts per million (No. 69) was obtained from a shallow 

well only 15 feet deep, and alkali is abundant on the surface a short 

distance from the well. It is hard but not unsuitable for drinking 

or irrigation.

Analyses of ground waters in Antelope Valley, Calif. 

[Parts per million]

Q

*""*

"5

go

d

fc

6 ___ ..

59 

65 __ ..

69 __ ..

86......

148 .....

149 .....

150 _ ..

151 _ 

152 ....

« ...

a

' go

"3

a

"o

&03

P

Dec. 13,1917

Jan. 10,1920

Jan. 10, 1920

Jan. 14,1920

Jan. 13,1920

1908

1908

1908

1908

1908

1908

Dec. 13,1917

6

W

1

W

27

39

35

40

23

45

52

16

39

39

25

46

'o?

Sg

0.21

.07

.06

.07

.07

.86

.84

.08

.05

.07

.25

.06

'03

0

g

1

O

6.1

36

46

157

21

5.7

5.1

40

36

23

44

9.3

'S

§

|

'«g 

CD

8"

§

1.9

8.3

11

23

2.2

1.8

6.2

7.0

12

3.7

9.1

1.7

!~

Pql "g a

a

ll §'«

m

*94

* 27

M8

75

t> 29

154

102

54

41

25

54

* 82

"o

 3

£0

goo^^

S

o

9.1

.0

.0

.0

1.7

9.6

19

.0

.0

6.0

.0

.0

i*0

-go

gH

x>g-3

s

158

150

150

364

107

325

196

176

146

96

155

164

CD "3

1

*-ly-N

ffi O

-gt/3 5^^

3

03

71

9.5

88

127

19

55

54

44

31

25

101

59

 §

i*H

 §S c

o

3

0

6.2

16

28

77

10

29

65

25

18

5.5

19

8.6

CD

 3

Sg

CD^j "3 s-'

t-t

Z

0.78

33

12

61

.50

.0

.64

7.0

30

1.7

.48

 a 

go

 10 

00

woo

 ata

 "" §

o"o

^

301

255

346

766

158

460

330

283

267

161

312

281

0 For additional data see corresponding map number in table on pp. 348-363.

» Calculated.

 Not numbered on map. Willow Springs, sec. 11, T. 9 N., R. 14 W.

d Not numbered on map. Buckhorn Springs, sec. 27, T. 9 N., R. 10 W.

Analysts: No. 6 and Buckhorn Springs, A. T. Geiger; Nos. 59, 65, 69, and 86, M. D. Foster; Nos. 148-152 

and Willow Springs, Walton Van Winkle.

Of the 185 samples from wells listed in Water-Supply Paper 278 

only 19 contained more than 300 parts per million of total solids and 

only 2 contained more than 500 parts per million. In general, the 

water obtained from shallow wells is more highly mineralized than 

that from deeper wells. This is especially true in the area of artesian 

flow, where the water table is so close to the surface that more or less 

alkali has been deposited at and near the surface as the result of 

evaporation. The concentration of alkali in the soil may extend 

down a number of feet, or surface water containing alkali may seep
344 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

into the well. The water from deep wells near and on the playas is 

nearly as good as that from wells some distance from them, despite 

the presence of alkali at the surface. Water that contained only 301 

parts per million of solids was obtained at a depth of less than 150 

feet in a well (No. 6) drilled as a test for potash near the center of 

sec. 20, T. 9 N., R. 9 W., on Rogers Dry Lake. This drilling did not 

penetrate any beds of salt or gypsum.

WELL CONSTRUCTION

Drilling in Antelope Valley is done by the hydraulic rotary and the 

mud-scow or California methods. v

In the fine deposits that underlie the lower parts of the alluvial 

slopes the hydraulic rotary method is commonly used. The hole is 

not cased until it is drilled the entire depth or until the diameter is 

reduced. To prevent caving before the casing is inserted the water 

that is forced into the hole is laden with mud, which fills the porous 

alluvium and acts as a lining. Unperforated casing is usually inserted 

to a depth of 50 feet or more, and perforated casing of small diameter 

in the rest of the well. The casing is perforated before it is inserted.

In the coarse bouldery deposits that underlie the upper parts of the 

alluvial slope the mud-scow method is used. A sand bucket or mud 

scow, consisting of a long iron pipe with a sharpened edge, is commonly 

used for both loosening and removing the material, but if large 

boulders are encountered the drilling may be done with a heavy iron 

bit. To prevent caving the casing must be driven down as the hole 

progresses and is perforated after it is inserted in the well. It may 

be perforated throughout, but usually it is perforated only where 

good supplies of water were struck when the hole was drilled. If 

because of inaccurate measurements the casing is perforated a little 

too high or too low, the water supply may be much less than if the 

measurements were carefully made.

If the water is under artesian pressure and the casing is perforated 

for most of its length, the pressure at different horizons may be different and the water from one bed may be forced into another. In several wells 500 to 600 feet deep the water level stood 5 to 15 feet or 

more above the level of the water in wells only half as deep.

Most of the wells that were drilled during the early development of 

the valley were only 6 or 8 inches in diameter. In recent years most 

of them have been 10 or 12 inches, and a few as large as 16 inches. 

One reason for the larger wells has been the increase in the use of deepwell turbine pumps.

PUMPING PLANTS

Three general types of pumps are used in Antelope Valley. In the 

upper parts of the alluvial slopes, where the lift is great, reciprocating or cylinder pumps are much used. They are especially adapted
ANTELOPE VALLEY 345

toy pumping rather small supplies of water for fruit orchards. In the 

krwer parts of the alluvial slopes, where the lift is not great, and 

especially in the area of artesian flow centrifugal pumps of both horizontal and vertical types have been used to a great extent, the pumps 

usually being set in pits. In the last few years the drop of the water 

table has made it necessary to lower a number of the centrifugal 

pumps, and this required the deepening of the pump pits. To avoid 

additional expense from this trouble many of the well owners have 

installed deep-well turbine centrifugal pumps, which are placed in the 

well casing at any desired depth. These pumps are also well adapted 

to use where the lift is great, as in the fruit-raising districts.

Probably 90 per cent of the irrigation wells are pumped by electricity, most of the rest being too far from the transmission lines to warrant the expense of connecting them. Practically all the plants that 

are not operated by electricity are run by internal-combustion engines 

that use the cheaper grades of fuel known as "tops" and distillate.

CONSERVATION OP WATER SUPPLY

The information presented in this report shows that the available 

water supply is not sufficient to irrigate all the tillable land in the valley; but it is believed that the safe yield of the ground-water reservoir 

has not yet been reached. Nevertheless, conservation of the water 

supply is necessary if the maximum use of the water is to be obtained. 

In some other areas, notably the Santa Ana and San Gabriel Basins, 

the ground-water supply has been increased by a process called water 

spreading, which consists of spreading the flood water over a large 

territory, thus increasing the area of the surface where percolation 

may occur.19 In Antelope Valley most of the run-off is spread 

naturally over the alluvial fans, so that the benefits to be attained by 

artificial spreading probably would not be great. Possibly some 

of the water that occasionally reached the playas, where it is evaporated, might be added to the ground-water reservoir by spreading.

Losses of ground water may be reduced by reducing the natural 

losses and the waste through wells. The natural loss by evaporation 

and transpiration probably will be reduced as increased pumpage 

causes the water level to be lowered. This condition will also reduce 

fiomewhat the loss by percolation out of the basin, if there is any. 

One very practical means of increasing the irrigation supply is by 

eliminating needless waste from flowing wells, many of which are 

allowed to flow freely throughout the year, although no use is made 

of the water. (See pi. 18, B.} This waste amounts to at least

» Lee, C. H., Subterranean storage of flood water by artificial methods in San Bernardino Valley, Calif.: 

Califonlia Conservation Comm. Rept., pp. 339-399,1913. Tait, C. E., Preliminary report on conservation 

control of flood water in Coachella Valley, Calif.: California Dept. Eng. Fifth Bienn. Rept., appendix D, 

I>p. 23-27, 1917.
346 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFOBN3:A

several thousand acre-feet a year. The water thus wasted is probably 

to a large extent lost permanently, because much o:: the water is 

dissipated by evaporation and transpiration and probably only a 

very small part of it returns to the ground-water reservoir. Other 

uneconomic results of this waste have been pointed oui; in the report 

by Johnson.20 When wells are allowed to flow freely the pressure 

head in near-by wells is reduced, and it may become necessary to 

install pumps. The waste of water increases the alkali in the soil.

Doubtless some water may be saved by a careful i study of the 

distribution and application of water to the crops. Sbveral reports 

on the elimination of waste in water applied, in irrigation have been 

published by the United States Department of Agriculture or State 

experiment stations.21 The quantity of water requiried for a unit 

area may be reduced by the growth of crops that require less water 

than alfalfa. Deciduous fruit trees require much less water than 

alfalfa, but it is said that the climatic conditions in the lower parts of 

the valley differ so greatly from those in the Palmdale and Little Rock 

fruit districts that fruit grown in the lowlands can not compete with 

the choice fruit produced on the higher lands to the south. The truth 

of this statement can best be determined by actual experimentation, 

and several persons on the lowlands are raising small orchards.

RECOEDS OF WELLS

Detailed data in regard to many wells in Antelope Valley are given 

in the following table. The well numbers in the fir$t column correspond to those on Plate 19.22 Most of the wells lifted have been 

drilled since the publication of Water-Supply Paper 278, but a few 

which are listed in that report, and which are mentioned specifically 

in the text of the present report, are included in the table. The reader 

is referred to Water-Supply Paper 278 for data in regarq to many wells 

drilled prior to 1909. Some wells in the valley are not listed in either 

report.

The well data were obtained from a number of sources. The information in regard to about one-third of the wells was obtained from 

drillers' logs, which did not give information in regard to the pumping 

plants. Some of the data were reported by the owners of the wells 

or by other persons. The data obtained from so many sources are of 

various degrees of accuracy. In the tables so far as possible the

* Johnson, H. B., op. cit., pp. 66-67. , » Etcheverry, B. A., Increasing the duty of water: California Univ. Coll. Agr. Exper. Sta. Giro. 114,1914. 

Smith, Q. E. P., Usa and waste of irrigation water: Arizona Univ. Coll. Agr. Exper. Sta. Bull. 88, l»lt. 

Fortier, Samuel, Irrigation of alfalfa: U. S. Dept. Agr. Farmers Bull. 865,1917. Adams, Frank, Robertson, E. D., Beekatt, S. H., Hutchins, W. A., and Israelsen, O. W., Investigations of the economical duty of 

water tor alfalfa in Sacramento Valley, Calif., 1910-1915: California Dept., Eng. Fifth Bienn. Eept., appendix 0,1917; also printed as California State Dept. Eng. Bull. 3.

a Owing to a necessary rearrangement of the well numbers after Plate 19 was d rawn, certain num'bWS 

have been omitted from the map.
ANOTLOPE VALLEY 347

source of the data has been indicated by means of footnotes. IB, 

general, the information hi regard to the depth to water can be considered of value only for the few places where the date of measurement is given, in order that the relation of the water level at the time 

of measurement to the seasonal fluctuation may be known. In the 

drillers' records of a number of wells that apparently are located 

within the area of artesian flow the depth to water is given as several 

feet below the surface. It is probable that the depth given is the 

depth at which shallow ground water not under artesian pressure was 

struck and that at greater depths water under artesian pressure 

probably rose to the surface, but this fact was not stated hi the records. 

In many places the depth to water is based on measurements made 

several years ago, and the water level has since changed considerably.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Vattey

No. on 

map 

(pl. 19)

1 

2 

8

4 

5

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19

20

21 

22 

23

Location

Quarter

SW 

NE.. __

NW.CI>~

(?)

(?)

NW......

SW 

NE ....

NE .

SW. 

SB ...

NW... 

NE. ...

NW......

SE .....

SW. 

NW......

SB .....

(?). ..

Section

24 

35(?) 

34 

6 

3K?)

20 

34 C?)

18 

24 

26 

12 

4 

2 

1 

8 

14 

29 

31

34

21 

16 

27(?)

T.N.

12 

11 

10 

10

9 

11 

10 

10 

10 

10 

11 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9

9

9 

9 

9

R. W.

10 

9 

9 

9

9 

11 

11 

11 

12 

12 

12 

14 

14 

14 

13 

14 

13 

13

13

12 

12 

17

Owner or name

C. C. Conklin ......

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway (Muroc station).

 do.. 

D. H. Walker-. 

P. D. GaskilL. 

W. 8. Webb...... ...... .......

Mitchell, Erickson & Johnson.. ......

C. H. Windham... ___ . ...... .

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

337 

 378 

260 

280 

218

300 

200 

150 

75

8

550 

155 

186

100 

«54 

443

f 420 ' 

1 350

 89 

254 

1,395

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

12 

10 

10 

10

8 

16

12 

7

12

42 

12

8 

10

6 

14

12-In

117

14-in

* Well 1 is in T. 32 S., R. 37 E. Mount Diablo base and meridian. All other townships are located with resp

« Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were report
No. on 

map 

(pl. 19)

1 

2

3 

4 

5 

6

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

24 

15 

16 

17 

18

19 

20

21

22 

23

Water level

Above (40 or 

below ( ) surface or reference point « 

(feet)

-242 

 -199

-90

-90 

/-83 

+4

-70 

-70 

-52 

-40 

-90

-400 

-250

-146 

-57 

-47 

(?) 

'-53.1

»-63 

-22

«-25. 0

(?) 

-400

Date of measurement

Feb. 6, 1920 

Dec., 1913... 

Dec. 13, 1917..

Jan. 16, 1920-

Jan. 12,1920-

Methodoflift

Deep-well cylinder...

Hand ...............

.. do.... _ .....

(»). _ . ___ ...

Windmill _____

(^).... ..............

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

(?)

Pump

<*305 

 40

'110 

Small.

Small.

Small. 

270

<765 

1,125

Small.

<450

Date of measurement

Dec., 19~13~ 

...............

Date of completion of 

well

1915.... ......

1915 ......

1913 

Dec., 1917 .

1910 .......

Apr., 1917 

Oct., 1915 ._.

June, 1917 _

* Depth to water is from surface unless a specific reference point is described in the column of "Remarks."

« Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were report

* Capacity of pump. Capacity of well believed to be greater.

* .No pumping test bad been made when data were collected. The figure is estimated by driller or owner. 

r Measurements of depth to water, yield, and other data furnished by Atchison, Topeka & Santo Fe Railwa

T^Datfflttralsh^rby driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completion 

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure. 

* Data obtained from the drillers' records in January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on m

* Estimated by drflter, generally before installatiofi of pomp.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Cal

No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

24 

25 

26

27 

28. 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44

45 

46

47

Location

Quarter

SE

SW

NE. ......

SW.......

NE. ......

NW......

NW.......

NW ...

NW.......

NE. ......

NE.......

NW.......

NW......

SW.......

SW.......

NW....... 

SW. ......

NE. (?)...

NE. ......

SW. ......

Section

6 

10

14

6 

6 

8 

30 

2 

2 

6 

4 

4 

4 

22(7)

22(7) 

22 

34(7) 

28(7) 

34 

18 

19

30 

31

32

T.N.

8 

8 

8

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8

8

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8

8 

8

8

B. W.

16 

16 

14

13 

13 

13 

13 

13 

13 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12

12 

12 

12

11 

11 

10 

10

10 

10

10

Owner or name

 Martin (?)................ ......

Southern Pacific Railroad (Oban 

Riding).

 Hall

Depth of 

well

200+ 

252

301 

100 

350 

«314 

336 

420 

334

«56 

371

330

272 

200 

295 

283

302 

f 350 

\ 772 

I 200

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

8

16

8 

14

8 

6 

6 

10 

12 

10 

6 

6

4 

6

10 

10 

12 

6

6 

10 

6 

6 

6

8-ine

146

Screw 

Screw 

Screw 

Screw 

6-inc

51-

Screw 

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were reporte
No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

38 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46

47

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surface or reference point 

(feet)

-94 

-200 

«-90 

 -72 

-56 

-50 

"-56.1 

-22 

-18 

-14 

Flowing. 

Flowing. 

«-5.3 

H-17.6 

'+4 

At surface."1 

Flowing.

» Flowing.

9-9

+2 

«-10. 5

f ~7

\ ' -40 

-12

Date of measurement

Jan. 16, 1920-

Jan. 12, 1920-

..... do 

 do 

Jan. 12, 1920-

__ do 

.... -do ....

...............

Jan. 16, 1920 

1QO7

1907..........

1917 ..........

Method of lift

(*)

(*) -

..... do ...... 

 do _..., . 

(*)

$--"-"--

None .. . .-

(*)

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

(P25

»'270 

*20

........

(')

Pump

<450 

360 

630

675 

675 

450

----- 

~"<45Q~ 

<450 

<720 

<270

<630 

630

Date of measurement

...............

...............

Jan. 12, 1920 

Jan. 12, 1920.. 

~Jan~.~12,~192o"

.... ..... ......

Jan., 1920 

Date of completion of 

well

Aug., 1918. 

Nov., 1914...

Nov. , 1 914 

...............

"Oct"l915""

June, 1914 

May, 1916.... 

Mar., 1918 

June, 1914 ....

ft907 ....

\IWI-... ... ... 

1917 __ ..

1 

> 

1 

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were report

'Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completion i

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure.

* Data obtained from the drillers' records in January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on ma

' Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump. 

' Estimated by the writer.

* Reported by Southern Pacific Railroad in letter dated June 2,1920.

1 Water flows with considerable force at a height of 4 feet above surface. Will rise much higher.

*On the drillers' record the depth to water is given as 4% feet. This is probably the depth at which water 

leaking out at surface.

* Depth to water as given in driller's record. This is probably depth at which water was struck and not th

the area of artesian flow.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Cal

No. on 

map 

(pl. 19)

48 

49

60 

51 

52

53

54 

55

56

57 

58 

59 

60 

61 

62

63 

64 

65 

66

Location

Quarter

NW.. 

SE-. __ ..

NW. ...

NW.......

NE. ......

NE. 

NE. 

NW... 

NW......

NE. ......

N.«......

NE. 

NE. ......

SW_ ...

NW. ___

NW.......

SB..- .

Section

14 

5

3 

9 

9

16

17 

11

11

10 

2 

15 

13(?) 

23 

24

24 

35 

35 

26

T.N.

7 

7

7 

7 

7

7

7

7

7

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7

7 

7 

7

7

R. W.

14 

13

13 

13 

13

13

13 

13

13

13 

13 

13 

13 

13 

13

13 

13 

13 

13

Owner or name

G. F. Weld...... .....................

A. Whidden ____ . .................

.....do.- ._.. 

.... .do.- .......................

G. C. Earl.. ....._. .............

R. O. Snowden. ____________

..... do .... ... ... ... ........

J. C. Clark............................

R. Riddell. ...........................

H. A. Prendel ____ ..........

M. L. Berry.... ......... __ . .....

G. 0. Earl. ....................

. do- , 

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

" «152 

450

400 

501 

502

f 250 

X 500 

f 600 

1 270 

350

f 225 

\ 500 

500

"211 

450

300 

541 

400 

501

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

5 

16

12 

18 

16

6 

6 

8 

10 

12

} 

12

7 

6

16 

8 

16

16-in

10

12-in

69

18-in

sto

16-in

sto

Casi

Casi

12-in

70

6-inc

16

16-in

sto

c Measured by writer. 

* Formerly owned by L

Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were reporte

. F. Burgess.
No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

48

49 

50 

51 

52 

53 

54

55 

 6 

57

58

59 

60 

61

62 

63 

64 

65

66

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surface or reference point 

(feet)

e_147 

«-60

»-32 

»~45 

«-33 

-10 

f -23 

\ -27 

«-16 

'-3. 75 

-25

«+3 

+6 

 -1.7

C-H 

-28 

-53 

-85 

-95 

«-58

Date of measurement

Dec. 18, 1919..

Jan. 16, 1920..

...............

}..............

Jan. 16, 1920..

Jan. 10, 1920..

Jan. 10,1920..

 ..do... 

April, 1916... 

Spring, 1913. 

Summer,19l9.

Method of lift

Windmill.... .....

(»)...-....-... _...

Deep-well turbine .

__ do. _ _____ 

.....do .............

Vertical centrifugal ...

 do.... .......

(*)..... ......

(T)... ................

None. ................

Horizontal centrifugaL 

Vertical centrifugal ...

Deep-well turbine. ... 

Deep-well cylinder ...

Deep-well turbine ....

Yield (gallons per minute)

Mow

........

25 

250

«2

........

Pump

720 

<675 

« 1, 625 

 1,626 

«630

« 1,000

'900

720

........

315

 315 

90

900

Date of measurement

"Oct."8,"i920"I

.... . .....

....... ........

Jan. 10, 1920.-

....... ........

Date of completion of 

well

Mar., 1917.... 

Aug., 1918.... 

June, 1919 ....

Dec., 1918. ... 

1912.. .

Jan., 1917. 

ioiQ f?\

July, 1914. 

...............

1915 ____ ..

Nov., 1915.... 

1912-13 _ ....

Aue.. 1919 ...

«Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all Other figures on total or depth to water were reported b

 Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completioa 

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure.

* Data obtained from the drillers' records to January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on m

< Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump.

* Reported by W. R. Parkhill, of Federal Land Bank of Berkeley. Driller's log gives depth to water as 26 

« Result of weir measurement by Southern California Edison Co.

» Depth to water in 225-foot well measured by W. R. Parkhill, Federal Land Bank of Berkeley.

 Measured by pump manufacturer.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Cal

No. on 

map 

(Pi. 19)

67 

67a

68 

69

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77 

78

79

80 

81 

82

83

84

Location

Quarter

NW......

NW......

SE .... .

NE.. .

NE._ 

NE. ......

SE. 

NW.......

NW......

SE. 

NW.......

sw. _ ..

sw.......

NW... 

SE 

NE. .

SE 

NE.......

SE 

Section

36

36

16 

21

21 

21 

11 

23 

13 

13 

6 

6 

18

30

32 

16 

2

2 

2

T.N.

7 

7

7 

7

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7 

7

7

7 

7 

7

7

7

E. W.

13 

13

12 

12

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

12 

11 

11 

11

11

11 

11 

11

11 

11

Owner or name

.....do ..............................

(t). ...................................

C. F. Nelson ______________

Oliver Miller.... ........... ........

C. Crapinell ______________

M. E. Felt... __ . _ . ...

A. Z. Wilson ____________ ....

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

466 

460

350

254 

301 

300 

153

363 

302 

430 

300

298

550 

303 

282

301 

f 250

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

8 

16

6

8 

10

8 

8

12 

12

m10 

10

6 

10 

6

10 

6

 

6-in

3

Scr

10-

8-in

Un

Scr

Scr

10-

2

Scr

c

Ca

fe

Scr
No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

67

67a

68 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

77

78 

79 

80 

81 

82 

83 

84

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surface or reference point 

(feet)

«-78.9

-72

+3.5 

 3 

»-20 

a 10 

»-13 

»-16 

Flows. 

-21 

Flows.' 

Flows.

»-32

.">»

»-14 

'-12

See remarks.

Date of measurement

Jan. 14,1920..

Jan., 1920... .

Jan., 1920. 

Jan., 1920 

Methodoflift

Deep-well cylinder 

Horizontal centrifugal 

(»> - 

(»)... .. . 

(»)_ 

(»). . .

(K)

Horizontal centrifugal

(*) .. _- _.

(*) 

(») _....... .

« 

(»)_ 

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

50-100

15

Pump

100

660

450

<450 

<450 

<180

1, 625

*200 

450

 '675

540 

'450

*540 

800

Date of measurement

 

 

Date of completion of 

well

Sept., 1914 _ 

Jan., 1915 .

Feb., 1914. ..

Mar., 1916 ...

Mar., 1915 _

Jan., 1918..

Feb., 1911 ...

Jan., 1920-..

Sept., 1919..

1905(?)_ .....

Dec., 1917 ...

Feb., 1916 ...

Apr., 1916...

June, 1916. ..

June, 1916 

July, 1907 

« Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were repo

' Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completio

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure.

* Data obtained from the drillers' records in January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on m

 Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump. 

i Estimated by the writer.

'In the driller's log the depth to water is given as 10 feet. Apparently water was first struck at this dep

before the pump was installed.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Ca

No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

85 

85a

86

86a 

S7 

88 

89 

90

91 92'

93

94 

95 

96 

97 

98

99 

100 

101 

102

103 

104 

105

106 

107

Location

Quarter

SW. ...

SW... .

SW. 

SW.. .....

NE.(?) - 

NW.......

SE 

NE. ......

NW. 

E. X- --

E. H 

SW. 

NW.(?) 

SE.(7).... 

NE .......

NE.. 

SW 

SE.. 

NE 

SW 

NE 

SB. .......

NW.. _ .. 

SE. __ ...

SE ... 

Seetion

12 

12

23

23 

11 

10 

10 

32

20 

20

28

34 

2 

2(?)

4

1 

13 

26 

6

6 

8 

10

20

21

T.N.

7 

7

7

7 

7 

7 

7 

7

7 

7

7

7 

6 

6 

6 

6

6 

6 

6 

6

6 

6 

6

6 

6

R.W.

11 

11

11

11 

11 

10 

10 

10

9 

9

9

9 

13 

13 

13 

12

' 12 

12 

12 

11

11 

11 

11

11 

11

Owner or name

.... .do.. ........ .......... ..... ...

 ..do. ........ . . ..

W T1 O-rsiViftTn

W. L. Winnard __ . ___ .

H. C. Fertig..... ____ .... . _ ....

E. T. Earl estate- .....................

G. B. Otis-... __ ...................

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

600 

203 

f 330 

X 710

225 

400 

300 

350

a

278

158 

137 

171 

100 

303

451 

490 

 344 

445

350 

450 

445

260 

502

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

6

8 

8 

6

8 

8 

.10 

10

12 

12

10

12 

12 

12

m

10

12 

10 

6 

10

12 

10 

16

12

Ca

Scr

Scr

8-in

10-

1

12-

c

10-

1

Ca

fe

Scr

Scr

Ca

fe

16-

f

 Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were report
... No. on 

S map 

w (Pi. 19)

IT 

1 *

"^ 85a 

86 

868 

87

88 

89 

90 

01 

93 

98 

94 

95 

96 

97 

98 

99

too

101

102 

ICB 

104

186 

106 

107

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surface or reference point 

(feet)

« -13. 5 

 -19. 2

o -39. 5 

 -17.0

»-24 

-25

-80 

»-78

-100 

-95 

-130 

«-76 

»-150 

»-130 

»-172 

« -245. 5

 «-92

See remarks. 

-103 

-78 

-159 

-165

Date of measurement

Jan. 15, 1920-

Jan. 13, 1920-

Jan. 15, 1920-

Jan. 7, 1920...

Method of lift

Horizontal centrifugal

(*)

(*)

(*)

(*). 

.... do.. ......

Airlift 

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

.......

Pump

900

'640

'675 

450

450 

Small.

Small.

'50 

'270 

'540 

'360

'400 

675 

675 

630 

135 

 225

Date of measurement

... ...... .......

...............

Oct. 26, 1917-.

Date of completion of 

well

1907 

Feb., 1910...

1919 ____ 

Apr., 1919 

June, 1914 ....

May, 1914 _ .

1913. 

Jan., 1920 ....

Jan., 1920 ....

Aug., 1919 __ 

Aug., 1914 .... 

May, 1917 .... 

Sept., 1915...

March, 1915-

June, 1915 

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were repor

« Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth Jo water is probably that at the time of completion 

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure.

* Data obtained from the drillers' records in January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on m

*' Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump. 

« Weir measurement by O. E. Tait.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Vattey, Ca

No. on

map 

(pl. 19)

108

109

110

111

112

113

114

115

116

117

118

119

120

121

122

123

124

125

126

127

128

"129

"130

Quarter

SW.......

SB..... 

NW.. ..

SW .......

SB........

SE.(?)_.__

NW......

W K

NW ...

(?) 

NW. (?)...

NW... 

NW......

NE. (?)....

NW.(?)...

SE _ . _ .

SE

SE........

SE.(?)__._

NE. ......

SW. ......

NE __ ...

Locati

Section

28

28

31

32

32

14

24

18

28

22

91 (n

22

28

18

14

13

14

14

13

23

36

5

3

on

T. N.

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

B. W.

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

10

10

10

9

9

9

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

7

7

Owner or name

C. Sigfriedson ____ . ________

P. A. Rowland ____________

F. W. Comstock ____________

J. TTintfntrifHiTi

Mrs. A. Stewart ____________

E. E. Reinsberg ____________

A. 0. Huff............................

W. W. Kent ______________

J. S. Barton,. _ .. ...... _ ......

A. H. Tidd........... ................

S. W. Moore __ .. ________ ....

W. M. Gray. ____ ! ...............

Depth of

well 

fleet)

260

237

105

495

410

425

in(?)

175

181

(?)

ISO

(?)

215

(?)

(?)

(?)

(?)

(?)

(?)

392

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

12

12

12

16

12

12

(?)

14

12

9

Sto

2

Pe

» Located in Mirage Valley drainage basin. Data from C. E. Tait, Bureau Public Roads and Rural Engineer

in regard to other wells not listed in this report, are given in Report on the utilization of Mojave River for irrig

5, 1918.
No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

108

109 

110 

111 

112 

113 

114 

115 

118 

117 

118

119 

120 

121 

122 

123 

124 

125 

128 

127 

128 

"129

"130

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surfaoe or reference point 

(feet)

-63

-7.3 

-146 

-MO 

See remarks. 

»-117

8-125 

-75

Flows.

-17 

_ 28 

-165 

-33 

-29 

-33 

-48 

-56 

-57 

 -112 

 -40.8

-16

Date of measurement

Dec. 16, 1919..

Method of lift

Windmill __ ....___. T

Deep-well cylinder

Deep-well turbine....

Deep-well cylinder

/»\ *

Wimdwiilf

Turbine

m....-.. .........

w!n<?Tnfll

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

(?)

Pomp

180 

600 

315 

450 

150 

450

676

630 

720 

 '90

Date of measurement

Date of completion of 

well

May, 1917..-. 

Nov., 1910 _

« Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were report

' Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completion 

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure. 

< Estimated by driller generally before installation of pump.

* From data collected by O. A. Waring, U. 8. Geological Survey, in August, 1917.

- Located in Mirage Valley drainage basin. Data from C. E. Tait, Bureau Public Roads and Rural Enginee

in regard to other wefls not listed hi this report, are given hi Report on the utilization of Mojave River for irr

ay Ifrio.
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Ca

No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

«131 

-132 

"133

134 

135

136 

137 

138 

139 

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

 146 

"147 

'148 

 149 

»150 

 161

Location

Quarter

NW._ ..

NE. ......

SW.... 

8E .....

NW. ...

SW _.

SE ____

NE.. 

NW ....

BW. ......

NE ... .

NW. 

NW.......

SE. __ ...

SW ..

NE.. 

SW. ......

NW 

NE. (?)...

NE. ......

NW.......

Section

11 

30 

27

12

5

4 

4 

9 

14 

14 

22 

23 

12 

21 

23 

9 

12 

26 

14 

10 

22

T. N.

6 

6 

6

5 

5

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

9 

8 

7 

7

R. W.

7 

7 

7

12 

11

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

11 

10 

10 

7 

7 

12 

12 

13 

13

Owner or name

H. M. Engebritson _____ .......

G. S. Lindley _________ . .......

C. K. Cook........... ................

E. W. Martin _____ ... ....

C. N. Post...... ......................

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

25 

295 

151

 180 

«403

399 

373 

223 

«44.3 

54 

14

i?> 

226

30 

69 

351 

415 

165 

300 

360 

227

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

48 

12 

See 

remarks. 

8 

12

16 

16 

12 

16 

(?)

12 

36

6

4 

5 

4 

WL

Sto

2

Sto

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated an other figures on total depth or depth to water were report

« Weir measurement by O. E. Taft.

«From data collected by G. A. Waring, U. S. Geological Survey, in August, 1917.

v Located in Mirage Valley drainage basin. Data from G. E. Tait, Bureau Public Roads and Rural Engineer

in regard to other wells not listed in this report, are given in Report on the utilization of Mojave River for irr

5, 1918.

* The data for wells Nos. 148 to 152, inclusive, are taken from Water-Supply Paper 278. They are included pri
No. on 

map 

(pi. 19)

"131 

»132 

 188

134

135 

136

137 

138 

139 

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

146 

146

 147 

-148

"149 

 160

 151

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surface or reference point 

(feet)

<-2L5 

-80 

-135

-4

«-88.9

-84 

-80 

«-S9.8

-86 

-20 

-42 

See remarks.

-315 

Flows(?). _ ..

Flows(?).. _

Flows(?) ...

Flows(?) ......

Date of measurement

Feb. 21, 1918-

Jan. 9, 1920-

Jan. 9, 1920..

Method of lift

Vertical centrifugal _

. _ do _ -------

Deep-well cylinder ...

Windmill ____ .

Deep well cylinder ...

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow Pump

«10

«180

<360 

720

360

180 

Small.

75

Date of measurement

...............

Date of completion of 

well

ml... .... ...

Jan., 1916....

1913... .

Aug., 1918 ....

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were repor

* Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump. .

* From data collected by O. A. Waring, U. 8. Geological Survey, in August, 1917.

. Located in Mirage Valley drainage basin. Data from O. E. Tait, Bureau Public Roads and Rural Engineer

to regard to other welts not listed in this report, are given in Report on the utilization of Mojave River for ir

6, 1918.

* The data for wells Nos. 148 to 152, Inclusive, are taken from Water-Supply Paper 278. They are include
Records of wells in and near Antelope Valley, Ca

No. on 

map 

(PL 19)

 152 

153

154 

155

155-a 

156

157 

158 

159

160 

161 

162 

163 

164 

165 

166 

167 

168 

169 

170 

171

Location

Quarter

<»)

SE. 

SW. 

SW. 

SW_ ...

NW 

NE. 

NW 

NW 

SW.._. 

NE... ....

NE... ....

SE... .....

SE. __ ..

NE.... ...

SE 

SW.......

NE. 

SE 

Section

8 

30

27 

5

5 

21

20 

11 

30

2

8 

9 

24 

30 

20 

32 

34 

12 

10 

31 

14

T. N.

7 

7

7 

7

7 

6

9

8 

7

7 

8 

8 

8 

8 

7 

7 

7 

6 

7 

7 

7

R. W.

11 

10

11 

10

10 

11

13 

13 

11

11 

10 

10 

14 

13 

13 

12 

12 

11 

11 

10 

10

Owner or name

Ben. W. Hahn _________ . ......

J. L. Stone __ . ___ - _____ .. ....

Robert B. Campbell. . ....

 do 

Harry White.... ..... _ ... .....

E. A. Merritt. 

 Rice ________________

 Doll (?) 

Depth of 

well 

(feet)

350 

532

401 

404

350 

350 

452 

281

25±

Diameter of 

well 

(inches)

5 

14

16

16

12 

12 

16 

10

14-i

ni

16-i

ni

16-i

73

12-i

18

12-i

fe

16-i

90

10-i

ni

 The data for wells Nos. 148 to 152, inclusive, are taken from Water-Supply Paper 278. They are include

» The exact location of this well is not given in Water-Supply Paper 278 and it is not shown on the map.
No. on 

map 

(Pi- 19)

 152 

15$ 

154 

155 

155-a 

156 

157 

158 

159 

160 

161 

162 

163 

164 

165 

166 

167 

168 

169 

170 

171

Water level

Above (+) or 

below ( ) surfaoe or reference point 

(feet)

-76 

-62 

-23

9O Q

»-135 

-37.2

-23 

44

"20.0 

 14.5 

«11.25 

"79.0 

 65.2 

 39.9 

 116.1 

 123.6 

 113.0 

"19.0 

"81.2 

«62.05

Date of measurement

 

~M~ay~29~l92lI

May 30, 1921.

May 29,1921. 

Aug. 21,1921. 

May 29,1921. 

May 30,1921. 

Oct. 3, 1921...

Oct. 4, 1921 

Oct. 4, 1921 

Oct. 4, 1921 ...

Oct. 8, 1921. _.

May 29,1921. 

May 29,1921. 

May 29,1921.

Method of lift

(*) __. _ ......

() -

/

)

/

/

Yield (gallons per minute)

Flow

........

........

Pomp

< 1,126 

< 1,350

< 1,350

<675 

<675

<585

Date of messUTBXQ&Qt*

-

...............

...............

Date of completion of 

well

Apr. 3,1920- 

Mar. 25, 1921. 

Mar. 4, 1921..

Feb. 17,1921. 

Nov. 30, 1920. 

July 27,1920. 

May 15,1920.

* Measured by writer. Unless otherwise stated all other figures on total depth or depth to water were repor

> Data furnished by driller. Although the reported depth to water is probably that at the time of completion 

or the depth at which water was first struck, later rising under artesian pressure.

* Data obtained from the drillers' records in January, 1920. Although pumps may have been installed on ma

* Estimated by driller, generally before installation of pump.

* The data for wells Nos. 148 to 152, inclusive, are taken from Water-Supply Paper 278. They are include

* Measured by N. S. Abbott.
364 THE MOHAVE DEfiBRT BE6ION, CALIFOBNIA

Measurements of depth to water in weUs in Antelope Vo&ey, Calif. 

WeQ 21; W. 8. Webb, owner; NW. Vt see. 21. T. 9 N., R. 12 W.

[Well equipped with windmill, behind hotel at Rosamond. Reference point, top of casing 8 inches abort surface of ground]

Date of measurement

1920

Jan. 12 ....

1921 

May 30....

Oct. 3

1QO9 *ja£m

Feb. 7 _ ..

1924 

Oct. 23 ....

Depth to

water 

below 

reference

point

Feet

25.0

26.2

28.6

26.2

20.4

Measured by

D. G. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

P. O. Ebert and H. G. Troxell.

Date of measurement

1025

May5 _ 

Oct. 6. .

1926

Jan. 9 ......

May 13 ....

Aug. 25 

Oct. 15 _ .

1927 

Jan. 19.... 

May 9 _.

Oct. 27....

Depthto

water 

below 

reference

point

Feet

28.4

29.9

30.0

29.5

32.0

 32.0

30.0 

 31.0 1-32.9

Measured by

F. C. Ebert andH. G. Troxell.

Da

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

WeU 48; George Marigold, owner (?}; southeast corner NW. % sec. 14, T. 7 N., B. 14 W.

[Beference point, top of casing and few inches above surface of ground]

1919 

Dec. 18 

1921

Apr. 30 .

Oct. 14....

1922 

Jan. 1

Apr. 30 ....

May 24. ...

Oct. 26....

1923

Feb. 24....

Julyjll 

1924

Jan.|,9-...

Mar, 28 .... 

July 4.. 

Oct. 22....

147.0

146.5

147.1

146.5

147.4 

146.5

147.0

146.3

146.6

146.3

146. 05 

146.3 

147.0

D. G. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and F. C.

Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

F. C. Ebert and H. G. Troxell.

1924 

Nov. 15. 

1925

Feb. 17 

May 6. ....

June 8 .....

July 21. ... 

Oct. 6 ...

1926

Jan. 9 .....

May 16 .

Aug. 30 ....

Oct. 15....

1O97 LVftl

Jan. 20.. 

May 9 .....

Oct. 26-..-

146.2

145.7

146.8

145.9

146.3 

146.7

145.8

145.5

146.6

146.8

146. 

146.3 

148.0

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. O. Ebert and H. G. Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert. , Do.

Well 59; owner unknown; SE. % sec. 15, T. 7 N., R. 13 W.

[Opposite ranch of Mr. Bonnefeux. Well inclosed above surface with sewer pipe. Beference point, top 

of sewer pipe about 5 feet above top of casing and surfaoe of ground until 1924; thereafter top of casing. 

In 1924 well was plugged by d&bris at a depth of about I feet, but when high enough the warn was able 

to percolate through the debris.]

1920

Jan. 10 

1921

Apr. 30. 

May 30 

Oct. 2.....

1922 

Jan.121 _ . 

Apr.'SO ....

May 24 

Oct. 26-...

Nov. 20. 

1923

Feb. 25 

May 14 ....

( >

17.5

10.4

13.7

M

15.1

(<)

6.1 (')

CO

16.9

D. G. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and F. C. 

Ebert.

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott. 

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

1923

July 11 

1924

Oct. 20... . 

Oct. 22....

1QOK l«Uu

Jan. 22.-.- 

May 5 --

July 7..... 

Oct. 6..-.-

1926

Jan. 9......

Aug. 30 .

1927

Jan. 20 

22.1

 3.4

/2.5

i*

8

( )

(«)

W

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

F. 0. Ebert and H, G. Troxell.

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert and H. G. Troxell.

N. 8. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

 Pumping very slowly. 

»Not pumping.

 Flowing.

<* Flowing about 40 gallons a minute.

' Measured from top of casing (?).

f Sewer pipe broken up. Beference point, top of casing about 5 feet lower than original reierence point.

 Water below debris plug.
365

of depth to water in wetts in Antdope Vattey, Calif. Continued 

Well 61; owner uaktuwn; NE. 14 see. 28, T. 7 N., R. 13 W., probably near southeast corner

[Reference point, originally top of casing 1.1 feet above surface of ground until some time prior to Oct. 22, 

1924, when top of casing was broken off level with surface of ground. Measurements prior to 1924 have 

been corrected to present reference point by subtracting 1.1 feet from the observed reading. Well 

plugged with debris at a depth of 21.5 feet, but in winter water rises above plug]

Date of 

measurement

1920 

Jan. 10 .....

1921 

Apr. 30 ....

May 30 ....

Oct. 2.....

1923 

Feb. 25.... 

May 14 ....

July 11....

1924 

Sept. 29 - 

Got. 22....

Nov. IS _

Depth to 

water 

below reference 

point

0.6 

19.2

13.0 

12.5

2.6 

16.6 

22.2

20.5 

9.6

8.8

Measured by

D. G. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and F. O. 

Ebert.

D. G. Thompson and N. S. 

Abbott. 

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G. 

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott.

Date of

measuremeat

1925 

Jan. 22 .....

May 6 

July 17 .... 

Oct. 6 .....

1926 

Jan. 9 ...

May 13 

Aug. 30 

Oct. 15- 

1927 

Jan. 20 ..... 

May 9 .....

Oct. 26 

Depth to 

water 

below reference 

point

4.0 

18.5

(0 19.9

4 4

24,2 <£ 

5.7 <&.

Measured by

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert and H. G. 

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert. 

Do.

Well 85a; J. B. Nourse, owner; SW. 1/4 sec. 12, T. 7 N., R. 11 W.

(Unused well a few feet from well equipped with pump. Reference point, top of casing, level with surface

of ground]

1920

Jan. 16. 

1021

Apr. 27....

May 29 

Aug. 21 __

Oct. 2 .....

19.2

<29.3

<28.8

<31.6

26.3

D. G. Thompson.

Do.

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

1922

Feb. 8 .

May 3 

1924

Oct. 23 ....

20.3

'34.9

(0

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell. ^

Well 86a; George A. Niller, owner; SW. % sec. 23, T. 7 N., R. 11 W.

[Dug well at house. Reference point, three notches cut in south side of curb, 1.7 feet above surface of

ground]

1920

Jan. 13-. 

1921

May 29- 

Aug. 21 

Oct. 2. ....

1922

May 23 

39.5

37.6

8

38.3

D. G. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

1924

Oct. 23 

1925

May 6 .....

Oct. 6 

1926

May 13 

38.2

37.5

38.3

(0

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell,

Do.

F. O. Ebert.

Do.

 Water below debris plug.

* Plugged and dry at 21.5 feet. 

«' Well 10 feet to south running.

' Pump installed in well.

* Dry at 40.5 feet.

> Filled in and dry at 83 feet.
366 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Measurements of depth to water in wdls in Antelope VaUey, Calif. Continued

Well 111; J. Boyle, owner; SW. % sec. 32, T. 6 N., B. 11 W.

[Reference point, bottom of pump base, level with surface of ground]

Date of 

measurement

1919

September

1921

August. 

1021

Feb. 12 __

1924

Oct. 24....

Depth to

water 

below 

reference

point

114

119

118.1

134.5

Measured by

J. Boyle.

Do.

N. 8. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

Date of 

measurement

1925

May 5. 

Oct. 7 ,

1926

May 12....

Oct. 16....

1927

May 10....

Oct. 26....

Depth to

water 

below 

reference

point

137.1

140.7

» 136. 5

(»)

« 147.0 (*)

Measured by

F. C. Ebert and H. Q.

Troxell.

F. O. Ebert.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Well 139; Littleton well, on north side of road a short distance west of bridge over Little Rock Creek 

near town of Little Rock, probably near southwest corner of NE. '/4 N W. % sec. 14, T. 5 W., R. 11 W.

[Reference point, top of casing 1.5 feet above surface of ground. See p. 327 for additional measurements]

1920 

Jan. 9......

1921

Apr. 29. ...

Oct. 9

1922

Jan. 5

Oct. 21....

1923

July 14....

1924

JiO>16._._

39.8

35.2

36.4

38.35

35.3

34.1

«44.4

D. O. Thompson.

D. G. Thompson and F. C.

Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

1924 

Oct. 24....

1925

May 5 

Oct. 7

1926 

May 12 

Oct. 16-...

1927

May 10 

Oct. 26....

W

( )

< >

'32.65

36.4

23.7

32.4

F. C. Ebert and

ell.

Do.

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Well ISSa; Chris Laras, owner; SW. »/4 sec. 5, T. 7 N., R. 10 W.

[Abandoned well 25 feet north of pumping plant. Reference point, top of casing about level

of ground]

1921 

May 29....

Aug. 21. ...

Oct. 1.....

1922

Feb. 8.....

May 23 .

Sept. 8.....

Oct. 30....

1923 

Feb. 26 

May 13.... 

July 12... . 

Oct. 10-... 

Dec. 12. ...

1924

Apr. 12....

Julys.. 

Oct. 23.. 

28.9

33.45

35.6

21

»34.4

»40.1

23.8

23.1 

»36.9 

«43.4 

31.1 

23.5

63.7

45.1

28.5

D. G. Thompson and N. S. 

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Da 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G. Troxell.

1924 

Nov. 13 

1925

Feb. 10 

May 6.. ...

Aug. 12 .

Oct. 6.....

1926 

Jan. 4...... 

Mar. 17.... 

May 13 

Aug. 16 

Oct. 16-...

1927

Jan. 18 

May 9 ... ..

Oct. 27....

25.3

25.3

"46.7

'49.9

"46.4

24.4 

27.5 

»46.3 

*54.4 

"34.4

26.8

"52.2

35.8

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and 

ell.

H. G. Trox«

with surface

H. G. TroxN. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott. 

Do. 

F. C. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

 Pump pulled. 

" Pumping.

 Pumping in the vicinity.

 New pump set, could not measure. 

» Well cleaned out. 

' Well dry at 44.5 feet.

 Well dry.

1 Little Rock Reservoir filled; considerable water wasted down Little Rock Creek.

« Pump running near by.

» Well 26 feet to the south being pumped.

 Well to the south being pumped.

 Although the fact is not indicated in the record, a pump near by was probably running tit the time this 

measurement was made.

 Near-by pumps not operating.
A3O1SLOPE VALUSY

.Measurements of depth to water in wells in Antelope Valley, Calif* Continued

Well 187? Harry White, owner; NE. »/4 see, 20, T.» N., R. 18 W. 

[Reference point, top of casing level with surface of ground]

Date of 

measurement

1921

May 30 

Oct. 3..

1922

Jan. 21....

Apr. 29 

May24 .

Oct. 17....

1923

Apr. 30 

JulylO....

Aug. 8 .....

1924

Apr. 13 ....

July 4

Oct. 23....

Depth to

water below 

reference

point

37.2

37.86

36.6

36.0 

36.6

38.5

40.2 

40.2

40.4

40.1

d(\ uu* 4. t

38.7

\ 

Measured by

D. Q. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

Date of 

measurement

1924

Dec. 31 _ .

1925

Feb. 10 

May 5 .....

May 8... '.. 

July 21 .

1926

Jan. 9_--._

May 13 _ . 

Aug. 20....

Oct. 15. 

1927

Jan. 19..-.

TWn-w jy±ay Qo__.__

Oct. 27 ....

Depth to

water 

below 

reference

point

37.4

37.4

40.4

40.9 

41.8

38.5

40.55 

42.8

42.3

41.0

An 1 43. 1

43.0

Measured by

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. 0. Ebert and H. Q.

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert.

Do.

Well 160; Mr. Biee, owner, formerly owned by Mr. Chapman; soatheast corner NE. J£ (?) sec. 2, T; 7 N., 

R. 11 W. Old well 60 feet north of pumping plant. Reference point, 1921-22, top of curb, level with 

surface of ground. After July, 1923, top of casing about 1 foot above curb

1921

May 29....

Aug. 21.... 

Oct. 1 .

1922

Feb. 7.....

Oct. 30....

1923

Feb. 26. ...

May 13 

July 12... .

Oct. 10....

1924

Jan. 10 

Mar. 7.....

JulyS.....

Oct. 23....

20.0

26.9 

17.6

W

6.6

2.7

26.0

(0

 20.0

0.00

15.4

 41.2

15.0

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. O. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

1924

Nov. 13- 

1925 

Feb. 10. 

May 6 

Aug. 12 

Oct. 6. 

1926

Jan. 5 ..

Mar. 17 

May 13 

Aug. 20 

Oct. 16 

1927

Jan. 18. ....

Oct. 27....

7.2

5.9

 44.8

 56.6

12.7

6.6

11.9 *»37.9

 66.5

29.2

8.5

30.7

N. 8. Abbott.

Do. 

F. C. Ebert and H. a

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert.

N.S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert.

Well 161; owner unknown; dug well in sec. 8, T. 8 N., R. 10 W.

C At abandoned shack on west side of road to Buckhorn Springs and Muroc. Reference point not reported]

1921

Aug. 21....

Oct. 1 ..

1QOO LWJE&

Feb. 7.....

Apr. 21....

May 23 

July 20 

Oct. 30 .

1923 Feb. 28 

May 13 .... July 12 

Oct. 10 ....

Dec. 12 

14.5

14.0

12.3

14.5

13.0 

15.7 

13.7

13.9

15.4 

16.4

15.2

14.8

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do.

1924

Jan. 10 

Mar. 7 

JulyS 

Nov. 13 

1925

Feb. 10 

Aug. 10 

1926

Jan. 4.,... 

Mar. 17.... 

Aug. 16. 

1927

Jan. 18 

12.4

16.4

17.1

13.3

15.2 

17.8

15.7 

16.0 

19.9

16.6

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

*

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

«Flowing.

< Well 10 feet to south running.

« Pump running near by.

 Although the fact is not indicated in the record, a pump near by was probably running at the time this 

measurement was made. 

« Pump removed; new reference point, top of casing about 1 foot above surface of ground.

 » Pump 60 feet away running.
368 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Measurements of depth to water in weUs in Antelope Valley, Calif. Continued

Well 162; J. M. Hamilton, owner; NW. % SW. H Me. 9, T. 8 N., E. 10 W.

[A shallow well, with no perforations in casing. Reference point, top of casing about 1.8 feet above surface

of ground]

Date of 

measurement

1921 

May 29 ....

Aug. 21.... 

Oct. 1 

1922 

Feb. 7 

Apr. 29 

July 20... . 

Oct. 30 .

1923 

Feb. 26 

May 13. _ 

July 12 . 

Oct. 10 _ . 

Dec. 12 ....

1924 

Jan. 10 ..... 

Mar. 7 

July 8 

Depth to 

water 

below reference 

point

11.25

12.9 

11.4

11.3

10.6 

11.3 

11.8

11.6

11.6 

11.9 

12.0 

11.7

11.3 

11.6 

12.0

Measured by

D. G. Thompson and N. S. 

Abbott. 

N. 8. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Date of 

measurement

Oct. 23 

Nov. IE. 

1926 

Feb. 10 

Aug. 10 

Oct. 6 

1926

Mar. 17 

May 13. 

Aug. 16 

Oct. 16. ...

1927 

Jan. 18 .. 

Mar. 9 

Depth to 

water 

below 

, reference 

point

12.5 

12.4

12.2

U n

12.6 

12.8

12.6

12.5 

12.45 

13.4 

13.4

13.2 

12.8

/ 

Measured by

F. C. Ebert and H. G. 

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

F. C. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert.

Well 163; owner unknown; probably near northeast corner of NE. % see. 24, T. 8 N., R. 14 W.

[Well with windmill at corral of cattle camp. Reference point, top of casing about 3 inches above surface

of ground]

 1921

May 30 __

Oct. 3.....

1922

Jan. 5 .

May 24 ....

Oct. 17 

1923

July 10 ....

1924

July 27 

Oct. 20 

Oct. 22 ....

79.0

78.8

"80.2

79.4

79.1

78.85

78.9

78.05

79.1

D. G. Troxell and N. S.

Abbott.

N- S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

1925

Feb. 11 ....

May 5 

JuneS. ....

July 21 

Oct. 6 _ -

1926

Jan. 9. ....

May 13 _ .

Aug. 25 ....

Oct. 15 ....

1927

Jan. 19 

May 9 .....

Oct. 27 ....

78.5

78.8

78.85

79.2

79.5

79.0

79.1

79.9

81.0

79.7

79.5

80.3

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

Well 164; owner unknown; probably in NE. % eec. 30, T. 8 N., R. 13 W.

[About 1,000 feet west of a well owned by H. L. Martin, which stands near road. Reference point, top of 

casing, 6 inches above surface of ground]

. 1921 

Oct. 3 

1O99

Jan. 6.. ...

Apr. 30 

May 24 

Aug. 23 

Oct. 17 

1923 

Mar. 20 .... 

July 10 .... 

July 26 

Aug. 9 .....

1924

July 4 

Oct. 20 ....

65.2

55.4

59.8 

59.7 

61.6 

59.3

57.0 

59.0 

62.4 

62.6

62.6 

59.3

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Oct. 22 _ .

Feb. 11 

May 5. ....

June 8 _ .. 

July 21.... 

Oct. 6 ..

1926 

Jan. 9--... 

May 13 

Aug. 25. ... 

Oct. 15....

1927

Jan. 19 .... 

May 9 

Oct. 27 

59.9

56.9

61.5

61.9 

64.3 

62.4

58.5 

62.3 

66.7 

65.4

60.9 

65.0 

66.2

F. C. Ebert and H. O. 

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott. 

Do. 

F. 0. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert. 

Do.

Pumping.
ANTBLOPE VALLEY 369

Measurements of depth to water in wells in Antdope Valley, Calif. CJontinued

WeD l«5;Mr. Dan, owner (?)} occupied by Mr. Krubsack; aorfbMat «en« SE. % se*. 2ft, T. 7 N.,

R. 13W.

[Dug well. Reference point, nail in curb about 3 feet from top of box]

Date of 

measurement

1921

Oct. 4

1922

Jan. 21 ....

May 24....

Oct. 26 .

Depth to

water 

below reference

point

39.9

39.6

39.7

39.96

Measured by

N. 8. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Date of 

measurement

1923

Feb. 25....

July 10 

1924

Jan. 10 ....

Oct. 22 ....

Depth to

water 

below reference

point

39.5

40.1

39.7 < )

Measured by

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. Q. Troxell.

Well 166; Mr. Lord, owner; NE. y4 SE. y4 sec. 32, T. 7 N., R. 12 W. 

[Reference point, hole drilled in pump base, about 1 foot above surface of ground]

1921 

Oct. 4.....

1922 

Feb. 8 .

May 21 ....

Oct. 26. 

1923 

May 13.... 

July 11 .

1924 

Mar. 28. 

July 16 .... 

Oct. 22....

Nov. 15-...

116.1

US. 3

115.3 

116.6

116.4 

116.8

116.5 

"117.8 

118.5,

118.4

N. 8. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

F. G. Ebert and H. G. 

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott.

1925 

Feb. 19....

May 6. .

Aug. 12 .... 

Oct. 6_ 

Dec. 29 ....

1926 

May 18.... 

Aug. 25 .... 

Oct. 15 ....

1927 

Jan. 20.... 

May 9 ..... 

Oct. 26....

118.0

118.1 

118.6'

118.4 

119.5

119.2

119.5 

121.3 

121.6

120.8 

121.5 

124.0

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert and H. G 

Troxell. 

N. 8. Abbott.

Do. 

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. O. Ebert. 

N. S. Abbott. 

F. 0. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott. 

F. O. Ebert. 

Do.

WeU 167; Mr. Morrion, owner (?); SE. »/4 NE, i/4 see. 34, T. 7 N., R. 12 W.

[Reference point, hole in casting resting on well]

1921

Oct. 4 .....

1922

Feb. 8.....

May 2] __

Oct. 26 ....

1923

May 13....

July 11 _ .

1924

July 16....

Oct. 22 ....

Nov. 14 __

1925 

Feb. 19....

May 5.....

123.6

12L7

122.5

125.1

123.5

124.6

125.4

127.0

126.1

126.6

125.5

N. 8. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

N. 8. Abbott

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. O.

Troxell.

1925

June 8 .....

Aug. 12....

Oct. 6. ....

Dec. 29....

1926

May 12,...

Aug. 25....

Oct. 15....

1927

Jan. 20.....

May 9-....

Oct. 26....

125,9

126.7

127.2

126.9

126.7

133.4

128.5

130.0

128.5

130.7

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. 0. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. 0. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

 Well dry.

** Windmill runningi
370 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Measurements of depth to water in wells in Awtelope Vattey, C&Uf, Continue*!

Well 168; Harper 6 Paramore, owners; Mntbeasi ewaer SB. %« «. IS, T. 6 N., B. 11 W.

[Reference point, top of casing 6 inches above surface of ground]

Date of 

measurement

1921 

Oct. 8. 

1922 

Fefe. 12 

Oct. 21....

1923 

M»y 13 . 

July 12 

1024 

Feb. 16 

July 15 

Depth to 

water 

below reference 

point

113.0

112.6 

116.6

111.7 

112.8

112.9 

113.9

Measured by

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Date of

measurement

1924 

Nov. 14....

1925 

Feb. 27 

June 9 ..... 

Nov. 4 

1926 

Jan. 4.....

Aug. 20 ....

1927 

Jan. 17.....

Depthto 

water 

below reference 

point

1140

114.6 

115.6 

116.9

117.4

117.0 

120.6

Measured by

N. S. Abbott.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

t 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Well 169; C. B. Sharp, owner; SW. % sec. 10, T.7 N., R. 11 W.

[Well is 300 feet northeast of house. Reference point, top of casing]

1921

May 29 

Oct. 2

1922

Feb. 8

Oct. 30 

1923

Feb. 26 

May 13 

July 12 

Oct. 10. 

1924

Apr. 12 .

Julys. 

Oct. 23- 

19.0

ias

1.7

8.0

2.9

20.1

27.9

21.7

24.8

33.2

13.7

D. G. Thompson and N. S. 

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

1924

Nov. 13....

1925

Feb. 10. ...

May 6 

Aug. 12 

1926

Jan. 5 ...

Mar. 17 ....

May 13 

Aug. 23 ....

1927

Jan. 18 

8.0

6.1

26.6

34.2

6.5

11.0 («)

47.0

9.7

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Well 170; owner unknown; near northwest corner NE. % sec. 31, T. 7 N., R. 10 W.

[Reference point, top of casing, about 2.5 feet above surface of ground]

1921

May 29 

Aug. 2 

Oct. 2 -

1922

Jan^ 23 .....

May 1. ....

Aug. 30 

Oct. 21 

1923

May8 

July 12. 

July 14. 

Oct. 8 __

Decr 12. ...

1924

Apr. 12 

July 10. 

Oct. 23. 

81.2

82.5

82.0

81.2

83.0

 85.1

»85.4

"84.1

»85.9

"85.4

85.2

84.6

83.7

87.3

86.7

D. G. Thompson and N. S.

Abbott.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and H. G.

Troxell.

1924

Nov. 14. ...

1925

Feb. 10. ...

May 6 .....

June 9 

July 17....

Oct. 6- 

Oct. 30 

1926

Jan. 4_ 

Mar. 16 .

May 13 

Aug. 16 

Oct. 16. 

1927

Jan. 17. _ May 9 .....

Oct. 27- 

85.5

84.8

"87.3

»87.9

"89.2

89.4

89.0

87.0

87.3

89.9

94.8 93.9

90.2

"94.8

96.1

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. C. Ebert and B. G.

Troxell.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

F. O. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert.

Do.

Do.

Do.

« Pump running near by.

« Well covered. Could not measure.

"i Pump not running.

 Well 100 feet to north being pumped.
MOHAVE RIVER BASEF

Measurements of depth to water in wells in Antelope Valley

Well 171} Mr. Admlr. owner; SB. »/4 SE. Vi se«. 11, T. 

[Reference point, top of cement pump base level with surfac* i of ground.

871

7N..B.10W..

No pump in well]

Date of 

measurement

1921 

May 29- 

Aug. 21 .... 

Oct. 2. .

D«C. 30 

1922 

May 1 ..... Sept. 2 _

Oct. 17 

1923 May 8 

July 12 Oct. 8. .

Dec. 7 .....

1924 

Feb. 16 .... 

Apr. 12.... 

JulyQ 

Aug. 12. 

Oct. 23.-.

Depth to water - 

below reference 

point

62.05

62.2 

62.3

62.3

63.4 

62.7

62.8

62.9

63.1 

63.3

63,2

63.05 

63.4 

64.0

64.1 

64.3

Measured by

D. Q. Thompson and N. S. 

Abbott. 

N. S. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

Do.

Do.

Do. 

Do. 

Do.

Do. 

F. O. Ebert and H. Q. 

Troxell.

Date of 

measurement

1924 

Nov. 13 

1925 

Feb. 10 

May 6 

June 9 __ 

Sept. 10 . 

Oct. 6 _ ..

Oct. 30. 

1926

Mar. 15 

May 13 

Aug. 16 

Oct. 16- 

1927 

Jan. 17 

May 9 ..... 

Oct. 27 _ .

Dspthto 

water 

below reference 

point

64.1 

63.8

64.5

64.8 

65.5 

65.6

65.4 

64.8

64.9 

65.65

66.9 

67.4

66.3

67.6 

(0

Measured by

N. 8. Abbott. 

Do,

F. 0. Ebert and H. G. 

Troxell. 

N. S. Abbott. 

Do. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott. 

Do.

Do.

F. C. Ebert.

N. 8. Abbott. 

F. C. Ebert.

N. S. Abbott.

F. C. Ebert. 

Do.

* Well 10 feet to south running.

MOHAVE RIVER BASIN

The drainage basin of Mohave River is one of the largest in the 

Mohave Desert region. Agricultural development has been greater 

in this basin and the prospects for future development are also greater 

than in any other basin of the region except, perhaps, Antelope 

Valley. Several projects to irrigate large areas in the basin have 

been proposed, but so far none of them have been completed. A 

number of reports, published and unpublished, have been made 

upon these different projects. The most comprehensive report is 

Bulletin 5 cf the California State Department of Engineering, 

"Report on }he utilization of Mohave River for irrigation in Victor 

Valley, Calif,," by W. F. McClure, J. A. Sourwine, and C. E. Tait. 

This report, like most of the others, considers principally problems 

concerned in the utilization of the surface flow of the river.

The basin contains several large areas where conditions are favorable 

to agricultural development, separated by less favorably situated areas.

The physical

supply in on

and geologic conditions are such that there seems no

doubt that ttie development of either the surface or ground-water

j part of the basin will affect the development in areas

farther dowiistream. No report, 'so far as the writer is aware, has 

given more t lan passing consideration to the effect of developments 

in one part of the drainage basin on developments in another part. 

In the following pages attention is called to some of these problems,
872 THE MOHAYX DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

but their solution does not lie within the scope of this report. Because of the relation between conditions hi different parts of the basin 

it is desirable first to describe certain features of the basin as a whole 

and then to discuss conditions in the different sections separately.

The data on the Mohave River Basin are based on information 

obtained from several sources. The writer has personally observed 

and collected some data in almost the entire drainage basin of the 

river, except the headwater region in the San Beraardino Mountains. 

His detailed studies, however, were confined to the area from Bars tow 

eastward to the so-called "sink" of the Mohave. The late Mr. 

G. E. Tait, of the United States Bureau of Public Roads, kindly 

made available to the writer data in regard to more than 300 wells 

in the upper part of the drainage basin collected in connection with 

the investigation of the Mohave River Commission. Some of these 

data were published in the bulletin already cited,23 but many1 of 

the data of value in the interpretation of ground-water conditions 

in that part of the region were not published. In the fall of 1916 

G. A. Waring, of the United States Geological Survey, collected data 

ofl wells in the Mohave River Basin from the upper valley down as 

far as Minneola and Yermo, and these are incorporated with the other 

data.

In 1920 in response to requests for information in regard to groundwater conditions along Mohave River, a special preHminary report* 

was prepared by the writer. Manuscript copies of this report were 

deposited in the branch office of the United States Geological Survey 

at Los Angeles, the office of the State water commission at San 

Francisco, and the office of the county surveyor of San Bernardino 

County. In that report it was possible to state briefly only the general 

features of the occurrence of ground water in the basin.

TRANSPORTATION AND SETTLEMENTS

The main transcontinental line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway follows close to Mohave River from a point within a 

few miles of its headwaters as far down as Daggett and thence it 

continues eastward at a greater distance from the river. The San 

Francisco line of that road goes west from Barstow. The Los 

Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad uses the tracks of the Santa Fe betWeen San Bernardino and Daggett and thence is close to the river 

northeastward to its end near Soda Lake. The National Old Trails 

Road, one of the principal transcontinental automobile roads, is 

within a few hundred feet to 3 miles of the Santa Fe along its course 

in the drainage basin. Branch roads from it give easy access to 

nearly all parts of the drainage basin except the extreme northeastern 

part, from about Field station, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Rail*

» McClore, W. F., Sourwine, J. A., and Tait, O. E., op. clt., pp. 84-93.
TJ. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 20

A. MOHAVE RIVER 1,000 FEET ABOVE BARSTOW WAGON BRIDGE, NOVEMBER

30, 1919

Since 6 p. m. of the preceding evening the stream had advanced from a point near where the

man is standing

B. MOHAVE RIVER LOOKING UPSTREAM FROM BARSTOW WAGON BRIDGE,

JANUARY 23, 1920
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 21

A. MOHAVE RIVER ABOUT HALF A MILE BELOW CAMP CADY, NOVEMBER

21, 1919

t

B. END OF STREAM IN CHANNEL OF MOHAVE RIVER ABOUT HAL* A MILE 

BELOW POINT SHOWN IN A
MQJ3AVE RIVEa BAI3IN 373

road, to the Cruesro Valley. Travel i» that part of the region is 

difficult because ol sand. , 

Approximately one-third oar one-fourth of the population of the 

Mohave Desert region live in the Mohave Kiver drainage basin. 

The relative size of the principal towns is indicated by the statistics 

on population given on page 24. Although these data include the 

persons who may live some distance from the towns, the greatest 

number are inhabitants of the towns listed. The largest town is 

Barstow, which is a division point and junction of the San Francisco 

and Los Angeles lines of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Eailway 

and a general supply point for agricultural and mining activities 

in a large part of the desert. Victorville, the next largest town, is 

the center of a large agricultural region and is also the site of a large 

cement plant. Both these towns have well-equipped stores and 

garages and afford good hotel accommodations. General supplies 

are obtainable at Hesperia, Adelanto, Oro Grande (Halleck post 

office), Hicks, Hinkley, Daggett, Yermo, and Water station (Newberry). The other places along the railroads shown on the map are 

only headquarters for section men or sidings. Water can be obtained 

in an emergency from tanks or barrels at practically every siding 

along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Eailway. On the Los 

Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad east of Yermo, water is regularly available only at Harvard, Field, Afton, Crucero, King, and Yermo.

INDUSTRIES

A large part of the population of the valley, particularly at Barstow 

and Yermo, is engaged in the maintenance and operation of the 

transcontinental railroads that pass through the region. Although 

there is some agricultural development around each of the principal 

towns, the areas under cultivation are scattered and small, and the 

agricultural production so far has probably been relatively small.

The mineral products have been of great value. During the 

eighties, silver to the amount of about $10,000,000 was produced from 

the Calico and Grapevine districts, north of Daggett and Barstow 

respectively, and other metals have been mined in smaller quantities 

hi other localities in the drainage basin. Metal mining has shown 

little activity in recent years. The production of borax from the 

borate deposits in the Calico Mountains has amounted to more than 

$9,000,000. These deposits were practically abandoned several years 

ago on the discovery of borax deposits hi Death Valley, but in recent 

years production has been continued on a small scale. Two large 

cement plants, at Victorville and Oro Grande, produce several hundred thousand barrels a year. Talc and kaolin from a deposit hi the 

hilk east of Bryman are manufactured into "whiting" for paint 

filler, sizing paper, and porcelain work. The product is refined in ft 

5631 29 25
374 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

small mill at Bryman. Strontium-bearing deposits 7 or 8 miles north 

. of Barstow were worked during the war, but little has been dome 

since. Variegated marble occurs about 15 miles northeast of Victorville, and granite for building and for paving blocks has been quarried 

in the vicinity of Victorville.

PHYSICAL FEATURES

The drainage basin of Mohave Eiver is an irregular-shaped area 

that extends from the southwestern part of San Bernardino County 

northeastward to the central part of the county. The boundary of 

the basin, as determined by a careful study of published and unpublished topographic maps and field observations of the writer, is shown 

on Plate 7. Because of the low rainfall and the gentle slope of the 

, land, the river probably does not receive any surface drainage from 

a large part of the basin, but there is doubtless underground drainage 

to the river from this part. On the other hand, there is at least one 

place and probably two or three places where there is underground 

leakage from the drainage basin into adjacent basins. These peculiarities are described in more detail below.

Mohave River is a typical desert river. It rises hi the high San 

Bernardino Mountains, where it is perennial. Within a short distance 

it emerges on to the desert plain, and much of the water sinks into 

the porous alluvium, so that it is entirely dry throughout much of 

its course for many months at a time. The river takes a northerly 

course from its head to Barstow and thence flows northeastward 

along the line of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Near Baxter 

it emerges from a canyon, and, when in flood, the water spreads out 

in several channels over a large alluvial fan. Some of it runs northeastward to a playa, which in this report is called East Cronise Dry 

Lake, but the greater part continues eastward to Soda Dry Lake, 

another playa.

In extreme floods the water has overflowed the two playas mentioned to adjoining playas, the water from East Cronise Lake going 

westward through a short channel to West Cronise Dry Lake, and 

the water from Soda Lake going into Silver Lake, a playa a mile or 

two farther north. In many years no water from the river reaches 

any of the playas mentioned, but in years of extreme flood the water 

may be several feet deep and remain for many months. The water 

that reaches Soda and East Cronise Dry Lakes and the playas 

beyond them disappears by evaporation and by sinking into the 

ground, so that Mohave River ends in these 'depressions. This 

region has commonly been called "the sink of the Mohave." It has 

not been generally known, however, that the river divides and empties 

into two distinct closed basins that is, that there are really two 

"sinks " instead of one. (See p. 518.)
{' HOHAVE RIVEB BASIN : 375

The character of the channel of Mohave Kiver differs considerably 

in different places from its source to its end. In the San Bernardino 

Mountains the precipitation is great, and the rocks are nearly impervious. Very little of the rainfall percolates into the ground, and 

most of it is directly concentrated into streams which flow the year 

round. Below the San Bernardino Mountains the precipitation is 

small, and for most of its course all or nearly all the flow of the stream 

is absorbed by the porous alluvial deposits except during the wettest 

seasons. Consequently, for many months at a time, the river channel 

is dry for long stretches. Although there is no surface flow at sucht 

places there is probably a slow underground movement of the waterdownstream.

At several places, however, impervious rocks lie so close to the 

surface that water rises to the surface as it passes over them. Where 

such conditions exist it is commonly said that a "dike" causes the 

water to rise to the surface. Wherever the impervious bedrock 

causes the water to flow at the surface or to rise near the surface a 

distinctive vegetation is present, of which the predominating types 

are salt grass, arrow weed, mesquite, poplar or cottonwood, and 

willow.

Wherever the water is at or close to the surface there is more or 

less evaporation, not only from the surface streams but also from the 

ground water supply through direct upward capillary movement and 

by transpiration from the plants. In some places as summer approaches the evaporation becomes so great that the water is disposed 

of more rapidly than it reaches the surface, and the stream dwindles 

and disappears. But even when the stream no longer exists water is 

generally present a few feet below the surface, except in places where 

the ground water is not held near the surface by submerged rock 

"dikes" or dams. As the end of the dry season approaches and 

evaporation becomes less, more water reaches the surface and the 

stream becomes wider and deeper and has a greater linear extent. 

The end of the stream may be seen to advance on cool days and at 

night and to retreat on warm days. The advance of the stream isshown in Plate 20, A, a photograph that was taken on the morning of 

November 30, 1919, at a point about 1,000 feet upstream from theBarstow wagon bridge. During the interval from 6 o'clock of the 

preceding evening the stream had advanced from the point wherethe man stands. As the advance occurred a zone of moisture spread 

out in the soil in front and to each side of the stream. The moisturemay have come partly from a gradual forward movement of theground water, but it came partly through the advance of the .surfacestream over the saturated soil. Plate 20, B, shows the same locality 

looking'upstream on January 23, 1921, about two months later tham 

the first photograph. It was estimated that less than 1 second-foot
f

376 THE MOriAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

was flowing on the surface at this time. The precipitation in the 

San Bernardino Mountains prior to January 23 had been considerably 

below the normal, and probably the flow at Barstow had not been 

augmented by any run-off from the mountains but was due entirely to 

decreased evaporation.

The decrease in volume of the stream due to absorption by the sand 

and by evaporation is shown by two photographs. The one shown 

hi Plate 21, A, was taken on November 21, 1919, about half or threequarters of a mile below old Camp Cady, where a rocky point of the 

Cady Mountains apparently brings the water to the surface. The 

photograph shown in Plate 21, B, was taken a few minutes earlier 

less than half a mile downstream, where the stream ended. The 

flow at the upper place was estimated to be possibly as much as 2 

second-feet, but it was all absorbed and evaporated within a short 

distance.

For practically the entire length of the river the width of the 

drainage basin from divide to divide is approximately the same. 

The character of the land, however, changes from place to place, so 

that there is an alternation of wide, nearly level areas favorable for 

agriculture and hilly or mountainous areas unfavorable for agriculture. The areas best suited for agriculture are the four that 

are described below in detail. The drainage basin may be divided 

into several subdivisions, which are described on pages 385-547.

PRECIPITATION

I

Records of precipitation for six or more years, by months, for 

Little $ear Valley, the Forks, Hesperia, the Rancho Verde (in the 

Mohav^ River bottom several miles south of Victorville), the Dobie 

ranch (in sec. 2, T. 5 N., R. 5 W. San Bernardino meridian), Victorville, Barstow, Daggett, and Camp Cady are given on pages 77-95. 

Most of these records, except those for Barstow, are taken from 

Bulletin 5 of the California State Department of Engineering, and 

most of them are for short periods.

A coiiaparison of the records with those of stations within a radius of 

100 miles where records have been kept for 20 years or more shows 

that the recorded precipitation at most of the stations is probably 

a little higher than normal, most of the observations having been made 

hi years slightly wetter than the normal. The difference, however, 

probably amounts to only a fraction of an inch.

The records show that there is a great range hi the average annual 

precipitation from the headwater region to the lower end of the 

river. -The average annual precipitation at the gatehouse in Little 

Bear Valley for the period 1893-1920 was practically 32 inches. 

The station is at an altitude of 5,200 feet. The average precipitation 

at Bear Valley Dam, on the ocean side of the range, at an altitude
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 377

of 6,500 feet was approximately 35 inches. A considerable area m 

the headwater region of Mohave Eiver is above that altitude, and 

some of it reaches 8,000 feet, so that it is reasonably certain that the 

average annual precipitation hi the highest part of the headwater 

region is as much as 35 inches. The precipitation decreases with the 

altitude until at the Forks the average annual precipitation is between 13 and 15 inches. North of the Forks the decrease becomes 

more gradual, and the average annual precipitation at Hesperia is 

about 8 or 9 inches, at Victorville about 5 or 6 inches, and at Barstow 

about 4 inches.

The records mentioned probably give a fairly reliable idea of the 

average annual precipitation at other places in the basin situated in 

the same latitude. Differences in altitude and geographic location 

doubtless cause some differences, but these are probably not great 

except in the southern part of the basin along the San Bernardino and 

San Gabriel Mountains. There the precipitation is undoubtedly 

affected by the easy path afforded to some of the rain-bearing winds 

through the low Cajon Pass, as contrasted to the great heights oa 

both sides to which the winds must rise. The details of the local 

variations near Cajon Pass have not been studied, but it is said that 

h ere is a noticeable difference in rainfall near the pass and farther 

from it. Baldy Mesa, west of the pass, is said to get more rain than 

the alluvial slope farther east.24

It is believed that north of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel 

Mountains only one or two mountains are high enough to affect the 

precipitation Ord Mountain and the Calico Mountains, which rise 

to altitudes of about 5,000 feet above sea level. The areas that 

reach such high altitudes are not great, however, and these mountains 

probably do not exert-much influence on the precipitation. It is 

probable that in practically all of the drainage basin north of Hesperia 

the average annual rainfall is not more than 7 inches. The lower end 

of the Mohave River basin lies at a low altitude, and Crucero Valley 

lies at 1,000 to 1,200 feet. The geographic conditions are such that 

the rainfall in that part of the basin is probably as low as anywhere 

else in the region, perhaps not more than 2 or 3 inches annually.

In most of the basin except the headwater region and especially 

hi the valley areas the precipitation occurs largely in the form of 

rain. Snow sometimes falls in the higher interior mountains when 

none falls in the valleys, but it does not remain long, A large part 

of the precipitation in the headwater region, however, comes as snow. 

Records show that the average annual snowfall in Holcomb Valley 

for seven years was approximately 100 inches and that snow may

be expected in all except four months in the year. As a result of the

" 'i - i 

« California Dept. Bag. Boll. 5, p. 35,1918.
378 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

-gradual melting of the snow the run-off in the headwater region is 

equalized more than it otherwise would be if such a large proportion

 of the precipitation were not snow.

SURFACE WATER

Mohave Kiver is the only stream in this basin in which there is 

any considerable surface flow. On the north slope of the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains, outside of the area drained by 

the river along the Forks, there are one or two streams, notably 

Sheep Creek and Arrastre Creek, in which small streams may flow 

for several days or weeks after rains. In the mountains in the 

interior of the basin water flows on the surface only during heavy 

rains or for a very few hours afterward. Most of the precipitation 

either sinks into the ground or is evaporated. There are no data as 

to whether any large quantity of water is carried to the river by the 

larger arroyos during the occasional heavy rains. Some of the 

arroyos reach back 10 or 15 miles from the river, but there are no 

observations to show whether the surface floods run their entire 

length or whether they extend for only a short distance during any 

one storm.

Some data are available in regard to the flow of Mohave River, but 

they are practically all for the flow in the upper stretches. Observations were made by the United States Geological Survey from February, 1899, to November, 1905, at a station at the Upper Narrows 

at Victorville.28 The yearly totals, from October 1 to September 30, 

during that period are given in the accompanying table.

Annual discharge of Mohave River at Victorville, Calif., 1899-1905 "

1899-1900....-...-. ......... ............

1900-1901... __________________

1901-2............. ....................

1902-3.....................................

1903-4... - .-. ...-..-.-.-.-.....

1904-5 ______________________

Average for the period ...............

Discharge in second-feet

Maximum

80 

4,820 

77 

» 13, 413 

68 

5,410

Minimum

17 

29 

33 

32 

28 

27

Mean

34,5 

148 

55.9 

148 

47.7 

135

Per 

square 

mile

0.086 

.370 

.140 

.370 

.119 

.333

Run-off

Depth in 

inches on 

drainage 

area

1.16 

4.84 

1.94 

5.03 

1.61 

458

Total in 

acre-feet

24,900 

103,000 

40,400 

107,000 

34,600 

97,600

97,900

« Compiled from U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 300, pp. 401-402,1913. 

* Float measurement.

For more than three years, from January 1,1902, to February 28, 

1905, daily gage readings were not made, and the monthly discharge 

was determined by averaging discharge measurements made at interis McOlashan, H. D., and Dean, H. J., Water resources of California, Part HI, Stream measurements ia 

the Great Basin and Pacific Coast river basins: TI. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 300, pp. 396-40% 1913.
MOHAVB RIVEK BASIN 37§;

vals ^f a few days, so that for those years data for this station are 

not Very reliable. The channel shifts from time to time, and accordingly the discharge may be 'different at different times although the 

gage height may be the same.

In addition to the measurements by the United States Geological 

Survey, measurements have been made at the narrows and at other 

points by private parties. The Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Co. 

has measured streams in the upper part of the basin tributary to its 

reservoir in Little Bear Valley and the East and West Forks at the 

Forks since 1891, except for a period between 1900 and 1904, and the 

main river at the Lower Narrows since 1905. The Mohave Water & 

Power Co. made measurements at the Upper Narrows after the discontinuance of the measurements by the United States Geological 

Survey until 1914 and also measured the East and West Forks at the 

Forks from 1906 to 1914. The measurements of these companies were 

studied and compared carefully by the Mohave River Commission, 

and the results of the study have been published.26 It is not necessary 

here to consider the data in detail, but the essential results of the 

study of the commission may be given briefly.

Some of the measurements of the United States Geological Survey 

and the companies disagree. No measurements of the flow of the 

river at the Forks prior to 1905 are available, but by comparison of 

later records at that point with records at the Upper Narrows, the 

Mohave River Commission compiled the following estimate of the 

discharge of the river at the Forks for the period 1897-1915, inclusive.

Estimated discharge of Mohave River at the Forks, 1897-1916, inclusive.*

Year

1897-98 . . 

1808-99................

1899-1900..............

1900-1901..............

1901-2.................

1902-3......... .....

1903-4 ____ . ........

Discharge 

(acre-feet)

27,040

13,878

18,132

96,598

33,789

107,315

28,232

Year

1904-5.................

1905-6 . ..

1906-7.................

1907-8.. _ ............

1GH&-O

1909-10. __ ...........

1910-11 .............

Discharge 

(acre-feet)

95,016

135,220

254,317

60,776

69 740

135)705

147,938

Year

1911-12 ................

1912-13 __ ............

1913-14.........- ...

1914-15. ............

Discharge 

(acre-feet)

4fi QM

26,360

169,936

122,636

* 88, 811

 California Dept, Eng. Bull. 5, p. 72,1918.

* In Bulletin 5 the average is given as 89,416 acre-feet, but this is not the average of the figures given there. 

There is apparently an error either in the average or in the figure for some year.

The average annual discharge at the Forks for the 18-year period is 

nearly 90,000 acre-feet. The discharge varies greatly from year to 

year, and the maximum annual discharge is about 18 times the minimum. The number of years hi which the annual discharge was above 

the average was the same as the number of years in which it was 

below the average, but about 80 per cent of the total discharge for the 

period occurred in the years when the discharge was above the average.

. Ett£ BaH. 8, pp. 68^72,1918V ,
380 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Data for the discharge according to measurements at both the 

Forks and the Upper Narrows for eight years from 1905 to 1912 are 

given in Bulletin 5. These are reproduced in the following table, 

except that, as explained in Bulletin 5, there seems to be a marked 

error in the measurements at the Lower Narrows for the year 1905-6, 

and the record for that year is accordingly omitted.

Discharge of Mohave River at the Forks and the Upper Narrows, 1905-1918,"

Year

1906-7 _. . . _

1907-8 .. . _____ _..........................i..

1908-^9 __ __ 

1909-10 ____________________________________

1910-11- ........... __ ....... __ ...........

1911-12. .. ____ ..... ____ .................. __ . __ ...

1912-18-- __ ......... ................ .............................

Mohave 

River at 

Forks 

(acre-feet)

264,317

60, 776

89,740

135, 705

147,938

46,964

26,360

108,828

Mohave 

River at 

Upper 

Narrows 

(acre-feet)

269,906

66,057

97,781

118,084

133,903

50,519

35,297

1A7 fiiQ

Discharge 

at Forks 

in per cent 

of discharge 

at Upper 

Narrows

97.8

108.4

91.8

114.9

108.9

93.0

74.7

............

 Compiled from California Dept. Eng. Bull. 5, p. 71,1913.

An inspection of this table shows that in some years the run-off is 

greater at the Forks than at the Upper Narrows and in other years 

it is less. In regard to this variation the Mohave River Commission 

states: **

In general, there is a loss from the Forks to the Upper Narrows in years of 

heavy flood and a gain in years of relatively small flood. This may be explained 

on the theory that water in this part of the river is lost from the surface flow to 

the underflow in the heavy floods and returned by the charged gravels to the 

surface stream above the narrows in seasons of light discharge. It appears from 

the measurements that practically all of the water which enters the underground 

basin below the Forks is re-collected above the narrows and flows out through 

them. The observations on underground water serve to confirm this belief.

It is undoubtedly true that during the flood seasons water is lost 

from the surface flow and in the dry seasons water moves from the 

underflow to the surface flow, but it is doubtful whether the variations 

can be explained by such a simple generalization. In the year of 

greatest discharge (1906-7) there was actually an increase from the 

Forks to the narrows, and in 1907-8, when the discharge was only & 

little more than half of the average, there was a loss. This fact is all 

the more striking when it is noted that this was the year following the 

year of greatest discharge. If conditions were as suggested by the 

commission the gravel should have been heavily charged in 1906-7 

and should have been discharging during 1907-8. It is likely that 

there is some movement of ground water to the river from the east 

and west mesas, which is supplied from ephemeral streamways. This 

movement should be taken into consideration in explaining the varia-,

87 California Dept. Eng. Bull. 6, p. 71,1918.
MOSATB RrVKR BASIN 381

tiong in underflow. Furthermore, the variation between the discharge 

at the Forks and that at the narrows is ddttbtiesB affected: by dhf«9> 

ences in the character of the precipitation and other climatic cond*- 

(aon8 which influence the run-off. For instance, a heavy storm might 

result in considerable run-off from the lands between the Forks and 

the narrows.

Below the Lower Narrows the surface flow of Mohave River gradually decreases, largely because the water is absorbed by the sandy 

soil along the river. In dry months for long stretches there is no 

surface flow, but small streams appear where bedrock is dose to the 

surface. During floods a large quantity of water is undoubtedly 

absorbed by the sand and gravel, but no reliable data are available 

to show just how much water is absorbed. In many years practically 

the entire surface flow is absorbed above the end of the river. Almost 

every year the water flows as far as Barstow. It is said that during 

the period 1894-1902 the flood water did not reach Daggett, but that 

after that period it extended beyond Daggett each year until 1917 or 

1918. On Plate 20, B, is shown a view of the river at Barstow on 

January 23, 1920. At this time the river was dry at the Daggett 

bridge. The winter prior to this time had been dry, but more rain 

fell later on, and the stream may have advanced. On the other hand, 

in some years great floods come down the river. After heavy rains 

in January, 1916, so much water flowed down the river that it not 

only reached Soda Dry Lake but continued across that playa to 

Silver Lake, which it filled to a depth of about 10 feet. It is said that 

practically all the water in Silver Lake, when the playa of that name 

s flooded, comes from Mohave Eiver, particularly the headwater 

region, and not from the desert land immediately adjacent to the 

playa.

IRRIGATION PROJECTS

In the last half century a number of projects have been launched 

which have contemplated using the surface flow of Mohave River ©r 

pumping ground water from adjoining lands to irrigate large tracts 

of land. Although most of these projects were started prior to 19ID, 

none of them are yet on a successful operating bask. A detailed 

history of these different projects would involve a tedious recital of 

financial difficulties and litigation over water rights. The areal 

descriptions give such actual developments as are useful in considering 

important problems. In order that the reader may have a general 

understanding of conditions, a brief statement of the projects i& given 

below. The history of the different projects is described in mote 

detail hi a publication of the California Department of Eiigineeringj* 

from which part of the data here given are abstracted.

* California Dept. Eng. Ban. 5, pp. 16-25,1918.
382 THE MOHAVE! DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

A few small ditches derived water from the river prior to 1870, but 

the first large project was started in 1870, when an organization 

known as the Thirty-fifth Parallel Association, through Max Stroebel, 

purchased 30,000 acres from the Government on the upper part of 

the river, comprising some of the bottom lands and the west mesa. 

In 1886 the Hesperia Land & Water Co. was organized to supply 

water to and sell the lands of the Stroebel ^organization, which it 

acquired. Among the lands originally owned by this company and 

later sold was the Upper Narrows dam site. The company acquired 

some lands at the Forks of the river. It diverted water from Deep 

Creek (or the East Fork) above the Forks and carried it across 

Mohave River in an inverted siphon and thence through a pipe line 

to a reservoir near Hesperia. This supply has been used for irrigation 

and domestic supply for Hesperia. The inverted siphon across 

Mohave River has been washed out several times, and for two years 

prior to 1911 no water was delivered at Hesperia.

In 1911 the Apple ton Land, Water & Power Co. was organized and 

took over the Hesperia Land & Water Co.'s system. It repaired the 

siphon and in other ways improved the pipe line. The Hesperia 

Water Co. was organized as a subsidiary public-utility company in 

1915 to serve water for domestic and other uses in Hesperia. Although in the early history of the project about 1,000 acres was 

irrigated, as the supply was repeatedly cut off by the destruction of 

the siphon across the river the area irrigated decreased, and in recent 

years it has been very small.

In 1891 the Arrowhead Reservoir Co. was organized.28 This 

company proposed to construct a series of reservoirs on the streams 

tributary to the East Fork or Deep Creek. The largest reservoir, 

on which some construction work was done, was to be on Little Bear 

Creek, and the others were to be connected with it by tunnels. It 

was planned to carry the water through the San Bernardino Mountains in a long tunnel and sell the water for irrigation near San 

Bernardino. Work on the project was suspended by difficulties in 

finance and construction, as it was found that the expense would be 

 excessive if the water were used for irrigation alone. The later 

development of practical means of long-distance transmission of 

electrical power made the project more feasible, as considerable 

income could be obtained from the development of electrical energy. 

In 1909 the Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Co. was organized and took 

over the property of the Arrowhead Reservoir Co. This company, 

like its predecessor, proposed to carry the water to the south side of 

the mountains. In 1909, however, some owners of riparian lands 

along the river filed suits to prevent the company from diverting

« IQ addition to the information given in California Dept. Eng. Bull. 6, notes on the early development 

work of the Arrowhead Reservoir Oo. are given in 17. S. Qeol. Survey Nineteenth Ann. Kept., pt. 4, pp. 

616-628,1898.
MQPAVE EIVEB BASIN t 383

water from the drainage basin. These cases have been pending for 

many years. The company began to purchase some riparian lands 

to dispose of some of the opposition to their proposition, but the 

procedure was halted as the result of a decision of the State Supreme 

Court in another case that the flood waters of a stream could not be 

legally diverted from the natural drainage basin. The plans of the 

company were necessarily changed to provide for using the water on 

the north side of the mountains. As the diversion of water from a 

drainage basin for domestic use is legal, the company offered to sell 

its water supply to the city of San Diego, but this offer was not 

accepted. » The Arrowhead Reservoir Co. and its successor have done considerable construction work. In 1920 the dam for the Little Bear 

Valley Reservoir was about 80 per cent completed. Several thousand 

feet of the necessary connecting tunnels had also been driven. The 

Little Bear Valley Reservoir then provided storage for about 35,000 

acre-feet, but the Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Co. had so far not 

utilized the stored waters. In recent years an option on its property 

and water rights was taken by the Victor Valley Irrigation District, 

which contemplated the use of the water on the land west of the river.

In 1920 an application was filed with the division of water rights 

by the city of Pasadena to utilize the headwaters of Mohave River 

for its municipal supply. This action has further delayed the development of the headwaters of the river, as it would involve the use of 

the reservoirs built or contemplated by the Arrowhead Reservoir & 

Power Co. and also would bring about complications in regard to the 

supply of water users farther down the river. The status in recent 

years of the projects to develop the headwaters of the river is described 

further on pages 420-423.

Another project to which considerable attention has been given 

at one time or another involves the construction of a dam at the 

Upper Narrows and the formation of a large reservoir above the 

narrows. This project was first considered by the Columbian Colonization Co., which was organized about 1895. The water was to 

be used on lands below Victorville. Later certain individuals proposed to construct a long tunnel south from the reservoir through, 

the San Bernardino Mountains. The dam site and some of the lands 

that would be flooded are now owned by the Mojave Water & Power 

Co. No construction work has been done, and this project has been 

dormant for a number of years.

In the early nineties plans were filed in the United States General 

Land Office for a project to divert the flow of Mohave River in sec. 

21, T. 9 N., R. 3 W., and carry it into Harper Valley, north of Hinkley, 

which would be used as a storage reservoir. The plans submitted are 

vague. Apparently the water was to be used on lands farther down
384 THE MOHAVE DBSHBT BB fCOW, CALIFORNIA

the river. To distribute the water by gravity an outlet pipe or tunnel 

buried at a maximum depth of 60 to 100 feet and 14 miles or more in 

length would be necessary to reach lands lower than Harper Valley, 

and the nearest large area that could be irrigated is east of Daggett, 

more than 25 miles from the proposed reservoir. The project was ill 

advised and was soon dropped.

About 1892 the Southern California Improvement Co. began construction on a submerged dam across Mohave River about 3 miles 

west of Daggett, The notes on this development arc based largely 

on statement to the writer by Buel Funk, one of the present owners of 

the ditch. It was planned to convey the water by ditch to a point 

about a quarter of a mile north of the corner of sees. 28,29,32, and 33, 

T. 9 N., R. 2 E., near Minneola. At that place there was to be a drop 

of 70 feet to generate power to be used at the mines and mills at Calico. 

The water was then to be used to irrigate land north and east of 

Minneola. It was expected that 2,000 miner's inches (40 second-feet) 

would be developed, and some persons optimistically predicted more. 

The maximum quantity obtained was actually only about 500 miner's 

inches (10 second-feet). This water was allowed to run down to 

Minneola, wasting there without use, until 1901. The tunnel and 

ditch became clogged until in 1913 only about 70 miner's inches was 

obtained. In 1913 three or four persons undertook to develop the 

water for irrigation. The submerged dam and tunnel were repaired, 

and the water, about 200 miner's inches at a maximum, has been used 

to irrigate several hundred acres east of Daggett. Further developments, which were made recently to obtain a larger supply of water, 

are described in detail on pages 505-507.

In 1910 the Mojave River Land & Water Co. was organized to 

develop several thousand acres northeast of Yermo. The company 

planned to obtain water from the underflow of the river at a point 

where there is a small surface stream and from wells on the north side 

of the river. Several wells were put down and several miles of concrete ditches were built. The company met with financial difficulties 

and was reorganized in 1916 as the Yermo Mutual Water Co. When 

the region was visited in 1919 the pumping plants were partly dismantled, and no active development work was being done on the 

project. The details of this project are given on pages 507-509.

About 1915 the Valley Cultivating Co. was organized to develop 

water for irrigation in Cronise Valley, though only for the lands of 

stockholders. It has planned to divert water from Mohave River 

where it emerges from Caves Canyon and store it in a small reservoir 

formed by constructing a small dam across a narrow channel between 

rock hills that is one of the distributary channels. When visited in 

December, 1919, the dam was partly constructed. The development 

wa» not far enough along to demonstrate whether it will prove successful. This project is discussed in greater detail on pages 540-542
MOHAVE EIVER BASIN 385 

LOCAL DETAILS

The following pages contain general descriptions of the physical 

features and geology and more detailed data on the water resources 

and agricultural conditions of different parts of the Mohave Eirer 

drainage basin. The physical features of the basin are such, that it 

is not feasible to draw sharp boundaries between the different parts of 

the basin, but for convenience in description the drainage basin is 

separated into five large areas (see pi. 7), including the headwater 

region, in the San Bernardino Mountains; the Upper Mohave VaHey> 

which extends as far north as the north boundary of T. 7 N. (pi. 22); 

the Middle Mohave Valley, including the region eastward ta Barsioir 

(pi. 17); the Lower Mohave Valley, extending from the vicinity of 

Daggett eastward to the Cady Mountains (pi. 24); and Crucero and 

Cronise VaHeys (pi. 28). A smaller distinct area is Cave Canyon, 

between the Lower Mohave Valley and Crucero Valley. Silver and 

Soda Lake Valleys receive some drainage from Mohave River, but a» 

they also receive drainage from territory not directly tributary to the 

river they are considered separately. (See pp. 554-572.)

HEADWATER REGION

The headwater region includes not only that part of the San 

Bernardino Mountains that is directly tributary to the East Fork 

(Deep Creek) and West Fork of Mohave River but also the territory 

in the San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains that is drained 

by minor streams which pour their waters onto the alluvial slope 

and which, if they ever flow as surface streams as far as the river, 

reach it below the Forks.

East, southeast, and south of the Forks the main mass of the 

San Bernardino Range rises steeply to altitudes of several thousand 

feet. Southwest of the Forks the West Fork of Mohave River for 

about 5 miles flows in a deep, broad valley. On the south of it the 

mountains rise to great altitudes. North of the river are intricately 

dissected hills which rise only about 500 feet above the river.

East and southeast of the Forks the main mass of the San Bernardino Range is composed of old intrusive rocks and patches of sedimentary rocks, more or less metamorphosed. The location of the 

sedimentary areas as shown on the map (pi. 5) Lave been furnpftf1*? 

to the writer by W. C. Mendenhall, of the United States Geological 

Survey, and J. R. Unlay.

Mr. Finlay has found fossils in Holcomb Valley which have been 

determined by G. H. Girty to be of Carboniferous age, probably 

Peansylvanian. The age of the granite, which forms a large part 

of the ranger has generally been believed to be Meaozoic^ the same asthe intrusive rocks of the Sierra Nevada, but Fmlay, on the bom-
386 THE MOHAYE DBSBET REGION, CAUFOBNIA

of studies south of the San Bernardino Mountains, believes it to 

be Permian.80

West and southwest of the Forks, as far as the south side of Horsethief Canyon and westward to Sheep Creek, a large part of the headwater area is underlain by Pleistocene deposits. (See pi. 8.) These 

deposits not only occur along the stream channels but also form the 

very intricately dissected hills north of the West Fork and Horsethief Canyon. Farther west they form the divide between the 

Mohave River basin and Cajon Creek, which drains to the Pacific 

Ocean. The beds are very well exposed both along the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway near Summit station and along the 

main automobile road near the summit of Cajon Pass. They are 

apparently a remnant of a former alluvial slope which was built out 

from the San Gabriel and San Bernardino Mountains and was later 

uplifted and greatly dissected. The uplifting is probably related to 

movements in the San Andreas fault zone.

As the main mass of the mountains consists of relatively impervious 

rocks and has steep slopes most of the rainfall and melted snow is 

carried directly into the streams. There is, however, some soil and 

vegetation that temporarily retains a part of the precipitation and 

hence makes the run-off more evenly distributed through the year. 

For this reason the principal streams in the area underlain by bedrock 

are perennial.

In the area of dissected alluvium along the West Fork and Horsethief Canyon a large part of the precipitation is absorbed as it falls 

and does not reach the streams. It apparently moves northward 

beneath the alluvial slope and becomes part of the great groundwater body that lies beneath Upper Mohave Valley. The West 

Fork occupies a rather broad valley filled with more recent alluvium, 

which absorbs some of the flow of the stream. In the valley of the 

West Fork there is a little irrigation by water taken from some of 

the near-by streams before they reach the porous alluvial filling of 

the valley.

The headwater region forms a collecting area for the water of both 

the surface flow of Mohave River and a large part of the ground water 

of different parts of Upper Mohave Valley. The total drainage 

area of the headwaters of Mohave River above the Forks is about 

215 square miles. It is divided into two main parts that drained 

by Deep Creek, also called the East Fork, and that drained by the 

West Fork and its tributaries. The area tributary to Deep Creek 

is a little more than two-thirds of the total area, and that of the 

West Fork nearly one-third. The Deep Creek basin reaches altitudes from 2,000 to 3,000 feet higher than the West Fork basin. The

M Finlay, J. R., The Permian revolution in North America: Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 112, No. 27, 

pp. 1058-1059,1921, and personal communication to the writer.
MOHA.VE BIVEE BASIN

average annual discharge for the 10-year.period from 19Q5-3 to 

1914-15 was about 72,000 acre-feet from Deep Creek aad 47,000 

acre-feet from the West Fork (p. 379). This relation suggests that 

although the West Fork basin does not reach such high altitudes as 

the Deep Creek basin, the precipitation is greater, perhaps because 

of topographic conditions, especially the way in which rain-bearing 

winds blow through Cajon Pass.

Outside of the area tributary to Mohave River above the Forks* 

there are areas of mountainous territory on each side of the river. 

The areas are small, and the streams in them are short. The largest 

stream is Sheep Creek, at the w^est end of the area included in the 

Mohave River Basin. This cree^k has built up below the mountains 

a large alluvial cone which slopes northeast, north, and northwest. 

This cone forms the divide betWeen the Mohave River Basin and 

Antelope Valley on the west. At one time or, another, whenever

there has been any surface flow the creek has discharged first into

one basin and then into another. The present channels were not 

traced, and it is not known just where the surface drainage goes. As 

a matter of fact, any surface flpw from the stream is probably absorbed before it gets very far out on the cone. The water thus 

absorbed probably percolates both northeastward to Upper Mohave 

Valley (including El Mirage ValUy) and northwestward to the drainage 

basin of Antelope Valley. The drainage area of Sheep Creek is about 

13 square miles. For a distance^ of about 5 miles on the south border 

of the basin the mountains ris^ to an altitude of more than 8,000 

feet, with precipitous slopes, ijhe presence of large pine trees shows 

that the precipitation in the uj>per part of the valley must be considerable. The channel of the <}reek is cut in bouldery alluvium, and 

apparently a large part of the nin-off is quickly absorbed, even before 

the alluvial slope is reached. On May 1, 1920, there was no surface 

flow in the wash as far as abciut 4 miles above the mouth of the 

canyon. At a point located approximately in the SE. J^ sec. 7, T. 

3 N., R. 7 W. San Bernardino meridian, there was a small stream 

estimated to flow about 0.3 secind-foot.

The only other noteworthy ojrainage area in the headwater region

is the Arrastre Canyon Basin, east of the Forks, which covers 20

square miles. Most of this basin is less than 5,000 feet above sea 

level. No data are available in regard to discharge from it, but the 

discharge is probably less than that of Sheep Creek. Like Sheep 

Creek the stream has built an alluvial cone in front of the mountains

that form the surface divide of the Mohave River Basin.

UPPER tyOHAVE VALLEY

In this report the term "Upper Mohave Valley" is applied in ft 

general sense to that portion of the drainage basin of Mohave River 

shown on Plate 22, Except the headwater region in the San Bernardino
388- THE MOHAVE DHSBHT RESIGN, CALIFORNIA

and Saa Gabriel Mountains. Locally other uam«s are given to parts 

of the v«!«y, such *« Victor Vaitey, Summe Valley, Apple Valley, 

Fair-view Valley, and EH Mirage Valley, but no definite bonadariea 

can be drawn between them valleys.

Tfee write* spent but a very abort tiiae in the valley. The discusskxa of ground-water conditions is based, largely on well date collected 

by C. E. Tait in the investigation by the Mohave River Commission, 

which he kindly made available to the writer. Some of these data 

that relate to siae and depths of wells, depth to water, altitude of 

well, yield, and equipment are published in Bulletin § of tlw California 

Department of Engineering.31 In addition, the data ooUeeted by Mr. 

Tait but 3oot used in Bulletin 5 include well loga and other valuable 

information. The information on wells 302 to 333 was collected by 

G. A. Waring in the fall of 1916 for the United States Geological 

Survey. For convenience in reference the well data given m Bulleftan 

5 ore repubiished in the present report. In order to avoid confuaLon, 

the same numbers are used as in Bulletin 5, and the additional wells 

that are not listed in that report are added at the end.

PHYSICAL FEATtTBES AWB GEOLOGY

The Upper Mohave Valley is a great alluvial plain that in general 

dopes gently northward from the San Bernardino and San Gabriel 

Mountains. This plain has- been formed from disintegrated rock 

debris washed down from these mountain ranges. The southern 

border of the plain extends approximately east and west and is no where 

more than 2 or 3 miles north or south of the line between Tps. 3 and 

4 N. The northern border of the plain is more irregular. At the 

extreme eastern edge of the area the plain is only 2 or 3 miles wide 

where it abuts against mountains on the north. West of Victorville 

the plain extends northward for a distance of 25 miles or more from 

the mountains.

The alluvial slope built out from the San Bernardino and San 

Gabriel Mountains and the continuation of these ranges extends in 

an approximate west or northwest direction continuously for more 

than 100 miles. The area that is tributary to Mohave River, however, is only about 30 miles long. It is limited on the east and west 

by two alluvial fans, which have been built out against mountains 

ooa the north by streams that emerged from the San Bernardino and 

Sea Gabriel Mountains.

On the east the surface divide is formed by a fan built out from 

Arrastre Canyon to rock hills near Deadman Point. East of this faa 

there is a small closed basin several square miles in extent that is cut 

off from the Mohave drainage basin by a very low divide, anpl east 

of that basin there is another small closed basin formed ia a similar

w California Dept. Eng. Ball. 5, pp. 84-92,1M8.
. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 22

EXPLANATION

Playa or dry lake

(Number refers to table in text,)

(Niuriber refers to table in text)

drainage "basin

(Approximate -where tene ta broken)

Divide of suTasidiary"basins

(Approximate -where Hne is trroken)

Lines indicating depth, 

in feet to water

I SAW mHTONIU «.«* -of JJ ^fe>N:° MTs J?

loaf 

Jfeak 

Orifario

MAP OF UPPER MOHAVE VALLEY SHOWING BOUNDARY OF DRAINAGE BASIN AND LOCATION OF WELLS

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 23

A. VIEW LOOKING EAST AND SOUTHEAST ACROSS MOHAVE RIVER VALLEY AT VICTORVILLE 

Upper Narrows at right and Sidewinder Wash at left. Photograph by G. A. Waring

B. ALLUVIAL SLOPE RISING TO THE GRANITE MOUNTAINS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF BICYCLE VALLEY

Photograph by G. A. Waring

MOHAVE KITS* BASIN

by fans built out against the hills on the north, one of then 

near Filtecomile Point and the other about 2 miles west of Hie Box 5 

ranch. Although there is no surface drainage from these two email 

basins, apparently there is some movement of ground water from 

them to the Mohare River Basin, and they are therefore included 

ift the description, of the Upper Mohave Valley. No k>eai names are 

known for these basins, but for convenience in this report the eastern 

one is called Fifteenmile Valley and the other one Deadman VaJley, 

after the points at then* west ends.

On the western part of the alluvial plain'the boundary of the baem 

k formed by a huge fan that appears to have been built largely by 

the discharge from Sheep Creek. This fan exteiads northward for 

15 miles or more, and where it abuts against the south ends of low 

hills arranged in a bow, it has caused the complete closing of a small 

basin, which is known as El Mirage Valley. There is evidence that 

ground water moves from this basin into the Mohave River basin, 

and it is therefore described as a part of the Upper Mohave Valley* 

(See pp. 405-410.)

The northern boundary of the Upper Mohave Valley is irregular. 

On the west, low hills just mentioned form a definite divide, which 

bounds El Mirage Valley. The southwest end of these hilfe, including 

Gray Mountain, is composed of granite. Farther north the hills are 

more rounded and from a distance appear to be composed of alluvium. Probably, however, bedrock surrounds El Mirage Valley 

entirely on the north. East of El Mirage Valley the boundary of the 

alluvial plain is indefinite. Alluvial beds, apparently of the same 

series as those that form the alluvial plain of the Upper Mohave Valley, 

extend northward for many miles, but in the northern part the slope 

i® more eastward from hills on the west toward the river than northward from the mountains. A long wash, which heads near the south 

end of the Shadow Mountains, at the east side of El Mirage Valley, 

extends northeastward to Mohave River near Helendale, and this 

may be considered to mark the north side of the Upper Mohave 

Valley west of Mohave River.

East of Mohave River rock hills and mountains He within half a 

mile to 4 miles of the river from Helendale south to Victorville. The 

largest of these mountains is Oro Grande or Silver Mountain, which 

rises to an altitude of more than 4,000 feet. East of Victorville low 

rock hills extend for about 10 miles, broken at several places by low 

passes. The southeastern border of the basin is formed by the Granite Mountains, which reach an altitude of more than 5,000 feet.

There are several stream channels that join Mohave River on the

alluvial plain and extend back 10 or 15 miles to the mountains. The

largest is a wash that reaches the Mohave east of Victorville, between.

the Upper and Lower Narrows, and drains a large territory to the east

5631 29 26
390 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

and northeast. A small nearly inclosed valley in the southwestern 

part of T. 7 N., R. 2 W. San Bernardino meridian, apparently drains 

through a narrow pass westward and thence southwestward into the 

large wash. For convenience this large wash and the valley in which 

it lies may be called Sidewinder Wash and Sidewinder Valley, respectively, after a watering place and abandoned mill near the center of 

the valley. A valley that branches to the southeast from Sidewinder 

Valley may be called Granite Valley.

The rocks of the mountains east of the river are principally metamorphosed sedimentary rocks and intrusive rocks. The sedimentary 

series occurs in Silver Mountain, as quartzite and limestone, which 

have been called the " Oro Grande series " by Hershey.32 On the basis 

of lithologic comparison with rocks in other regions Hershey believes 

these rocks to be Cambrian. Metamorphosed sediments also probably occur in the Granite and other mountains on the eastern border 

of the basin, but large parts of these mountains are composed of 

intrusive rocks. Some Tertiary volcanic rocks occur in the northeastern part of the area shown on Plate 22.

The great alluvial plain that forms the Upper Mohave Valley 

slopes generally northward at the rate of 50 to 100 feet to the mile. 

The steepest slope is nearest the mountains. Near Mohave River 

the alluvial slope has a component of slope toward the river, and near 

the mountains on the east and north sides of the valley for a short 

distance the land slopes directly from these mountains. The upper 

part of the alluvial slope is considerably dissected by channels of 

erosion. Most of these channels reach only a mile or two from the 

mountains, but in an area southwest of Victorville and west of Hesperia several large drainage channels pxtend for many miles. The 

largest of these channels is Oro Grande Wash, which extends from a 

place near the summit of Cajon Pass northeastward to the river at 

Victorville, a distance of about 15 miles. The land adjacent to these 

washes and to the large wash that extends from El Mirage Valley to 

the river near Helendale is more or less dissected. Most of the great 

alluvial slope, however, is nearly level and requires very little work to 

prepare it for agriculture.

The materials that form the alluvial slope are sand, gravel, and clay 

washed down from the mountains. Near the mountains the materials 

may be coarse, but throughout most of the valley there is very little 

coarse gravel or boulders. The beds are well exposed at a number of 

places along Mohave River, especially near the Forks and also on the 

west side of the river about opposite Bryman station, where there 

are nearly vertical cliffs 100 feet or more in height.

** Hershey, 0. H., Some crystalline rocks of southern California: Am. Geologist, vol. 29, pp. 287-389, 

1902. Baker, C. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern 

California: California University Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, No. 16, pp. 336-337, 1911.
MOHAVE BIVEB BASIN

The total thickness of these alluvial deposits is unknown. A 

number of wells have been drilled in the Upper Mohave Valley to 

depths of 500 to 900 feet without striking bedrock. The deepest 

well in the valley (No. 47, pi. 22), in sec. 36, T. 5 N., R. 4 W., is in 

alluvium for its entire depth of 985 feet. (See log, p. 403.) This well 

is on the Mohave River bottom. A well in sec. 15, T. 4 N., R. 6 W. 

San Bemardino meridian (No. 171, pi. 22), is believed to be 909 feet 

deep, and it is said to have been drilled all the way through material 

much like that at the surface. Well 182, in the SE. ^ sec. 16, T. 5 

N., R. 4 W., struck bedrock at a depth of 835 feet. (See log, p. 407.) 

This well is about a mile from the Upper Narrows, where granite 

hills rise from the valley. Hershey estimates the thickness of the 

sand and gravel beds where they are exposed in tributaries of Mohave 

River and Cajon Creek, near the head of Cajon Pass, to be about 2,000 

feet. The upper beds, at least, are Quaternary, and doubtless also 

the lower, although the lowest beds may be Tertiary.

The great alluvial slope of Mohave Valley is divided into two areas, 

unequal in size, by Mohave River. The smaller area lies east of the 

river and is commonly known as the east mesa and also as Apple 

Valley. The much larger area west of the river is called the west mesa. 

The part of it that extends for 8 or 10 miles from Victorville is also 

called Sunrise Valley, and the elevated part near Phelan post office is 

known as Baldy Mesa. The areas designated by these terms have 

no definite boundaries.

For about 2J^ miles north of the Forks the valley of Mohave River 

is not more than a mile wide. On the east it is bordered by the hard 

rocks of the San Bemardino Mountains, but on the west it is bordered 

by dissected hills of alluvium. Farther north, as far as the south edge 

of Victorville, the land rises gradually on each side. On the west 

the alluvial slope stretches southwestward from the river to the 

mountains, a distance of 10 or 12 miles, but on the east the land rises 

away from the river only a mile or two to the upland or mesa, which 

has almost no slope.

From the Forks to the south edge of the town of Victorville Mohave 

River flows over alluvium. As the river emerges from the mountains 

most of the water is quickly absorbed by the alluvium, and in dry 

seasons there is often no surface flow for several miles. At the south 

edge of Victorville the river passes through a steep, narrow canyon}> 

cut in granite, which is known as the Upper Narrows. The rocks at 

these narrows act as a barrier behind which the ground water is partly 

impounded, with the result that water is brought close to the surface 

on the lowlands and there is a perennial stream for several miles above 

the narrows.

The canyon at the Upper Narrows is only about 1,000 feet long. 

(See pi. 23, A.) The narrowest point at the stream bed is 140 feet,
392 THE MOHAVB D&SBBSt EBGttOW, CALIFORNIA

and at a, height of 150 feet the eanyoa walls are only 360 feet apart.3* 

Soundings show that the channel IB filled with saad and gravel to a 

depth of about 50 feet, where bedrock is struck. The granite hiHs 

extend east of the river for several miles and without doubt form am 

impervious barrier to the movement of .ground water. On the 

west side of the river, however, the granite is exposed for only a very 

few hundred feet and then gives way to alluvium. There is noevidence that the granite lies close to the surface for even a quarter of 

a mile from the river. In well 142 (pi. 22),, about a mile south of th& 

Upper Narrows, bedrock was struck at a depth of 835 feet. (See logy 

p. 407.)

North of the Upper Narrows, for a distance of about 3 miles, the 

river flows over a broad flood plain composed of aluvium that is about 

100 feet below the undissected surface of the alluvial slope. Three 

miles north of Victorville the river passes thorough another short 

canyon cut in granite, known as the Lower Narrows. The Lower 

Narrows are not as deep as the Upper Narrows, but the conditions are 

essentially the same as at the Upper Narrows in that the bedrock 

extends eastward for several miles but westward for only a few 

hundred feet.

The Upper and Lower Narrows present an interesting geologic 

feature in that the river has cut its channel in hard rock instead of 

following what seems to be the easiest course and cutting a channel 

in the soft alluvial materials a little farther west. This feature, 

which is uncommon, may be explained by assuming that the present 

course of the river was determined at an earlier period, when the 

river valley was filled with alluvium that completely covered the 

spurs of the mountains on the east in which the narrows are now cut. 

As the river cut down its channel it encountered the bedrock, but 

instead of turning westward onto the more easily eroded alluvium, 

it was able to cut gradually into the granite until the present canyons 

were formed that is, the present drainage has been superimposed 

on the old rock ,hills.

The rocks at both the Upper and Lower Narrows act as barriers 

behind, which the ground water is partly impounded, with the result 

that water is brought close to the surface on the lowlands. The 

river is perennial between the Upper and Lower Narrows and generally for several miles both above and below them. The length of 

the perennial stream, however, varies from month to month and 

from season to season according to the precipitation.

Below the Lower Narrows the river flows across alluvium, which 

absorbs much of the water, and except in times of flood the> stream 

gradually dwindles hi size. It usually disappears entirely several

» Scbuyler, J. D., Reservoirs tor Irrigation: U. 8. Geol. Survey Eighteenth Ann. Rep*., pt. 2, pp. 78&-710r 

1867.
MQHAVE RIVER BASIN 393

miles below Oro Grande, but farther dowa it comes to tbe surface 

at ether places where rocks are close to tlie surface.

In the vicinity of Victorville the stream is about 100 feet wide, 

but normally the water is only a few inches deep. Experiments 

made by Slichter at the Upper Narrows show that there is some 

underflow through the gorge, although it is not great.84 It was estimated that the total underflow through the gorge for 24 hoBrs 

probably did not exceed 300,000 gallons.

Along most of its course in the Upper Mohave Valley Mohave 

River is bordered by a flood plain half a mile or more wide. South 

of the Upper Narrows the land rises more or less gently from the 

flood plain, but north of that place it is steeper. In some places, 

particularly on the west side, near Bryman station, there are cliffs 

of alluvium 100 feet or more in height. The flood plain is nearly 

everywhere covered by mesquite, cottonwood, or willows, except 

where the land has been cleared.

SOILS

The United States Bureau of Soils 35 has made a reconnaissance 

soil survey of the part of the Upper Mohave Valley that lies south 

of latitude 34° 30' and the Mohave River Commission 36 studied 

the alkali content and moisture requirements of the soils at a number 

of places. Lake most soils of the desert region, those of this area 

are very low in humus except on the flood plain of the river, where 

the content of humus is slightly higher. Alkali hi injurious amounts 

is absent in most of the region, but it occurs around the borders of 

the playas or dry lakes in El Mirage Valley, Deadman Valley, and 

Fifteenmile Valley. The playas can not be cultivated. The soil for 

some distance around El Mirage Valley is unusually silty and can 

be pulverized into a fine powder. In some parts of the area the soil 

is more or less cemented into a calcareous hardpan. In Apple 

Valley, on the east side of the river, the soil in places appears to 

contain more clay than the soil on the west mesa. This condition 

may be due to the fact that part of the valley is almost completely 

separated from the river by a long alluvial ridge, which reaches 

northward from the mountains nearly to the rock hills east of Victorville. Possibly at one time the separation was complete, and a playa 

may have existed east of the ridge.

GROUND-WATER CONDITIONS

For convenience in discussing the occurrence of ground water the 

Upper Mohave Valley may be divided intjo several parts, in each of

 * Slichter, O. S., Field measurements of the rate of movement of underground waters: U. 8. Oeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 140, pp. 56-64,1905. * w Dunn, J. E., and others, Reconnaissance soil survey of the! central southern area, California: U. S. 

Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Field Operations, 1917-1921, advance sheeti

M McClure, W. F., and others, Report on the utilization of Mojave River for irrigation in Victor Valley: 

California Dept. Eng. Bull. 5, pp. 31-34,1918. I
394 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

which conditions are more or less different from those in the adjacent 

parts, although no sharp boundaries may be drawn. These areas 

are the Mohave River lowlands, the west mesa, El Mirage Valley, 

the east mesa, Deadman and Fifteenmile Valleys, Sidewinder Valley, 

and the upland on the east side of the valley north of Oro Grande.

Data have been collected for about 350 wells in the Upper Mohave 

Valley and these are summarized in the table below. The location 

of the wells is shown on Plate 22.37

** California Dept. Eng. Boll. 5 contains a valuable map showing contours of the water table, to which 

the reader is referred for details of the shape of the water table.
Records of wetts in Upper Mohave Valley, 

No. 

on

£

1

4 

5 

6 

7 8" 

9 

10 

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

86 

37

m

Location (San Bernardlno meridian)

Sec.

7 

7 

7 

6 

1 

1 

1 

6 

36 

36 

36 

31 

31 

30 

30 

30 

19 

19 

19 

30 

29 

29 

20 

20 

20 

17 

17 

17 

7 

7 

7 

6 

7 

6 

6 

36 

23 

23

T.N.

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

6 

5 

5

R.W.

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4 

3 

4 

4 

4 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4

Owner

.. do. ..................................

A. Bewitt __________________ 

 Vlodek... .............................

C. F. Hedrick _ .......................

F. Spencer- _________________

1.0. McLaughlin _________ . ....

A. O'Neil ...............................

.....do...... ....................... _ ......

.....do .............. .....................

H. A. Jock.. . .. _ . __ ........... _

.....do...................... .............

Sidney O'Neil... ............ _ ...........

J. M. Allison..-. . ........ ...............

 .do . _ ..

.....do. _....-. .-.. .-....._ 

I. K, Miller _________________

A. W. Phffiips ...._ ..... . 

. __ do-..--... .-.... . .-.._ ....._

Altitude 

of surface 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

2,945.8

2,944.4 

2,931.4 

2,935.1 

2, 927. 4 

2, 922. 9

2,~927.6 

2, 910. 0 

2, 913. 5 

2, 897. 7

2, 897. 7 

2, 898. 0 

2,899.9

2~905. 2 

2, 896. 3 

2,891.2 

2,882.1 

2,880.1 

2,883.4 

2,868.5 

2,862.4 

2,866.8 

2,861.9

2,854.6 

2,853.7 

2,842,9 

2.848.8 

2,833.7 

2,830.5 

2,825.2 

2,751.5

2,748.6

Type of 

well

 do . 

 do ....

Drilled 

 do. 

... do 

Drilled.... 

 do 

 do 

... do ... 

... do ....

... do .

Dug - 

Drilled 

Dug _ .

Drilled ....

... do 

...do 

Dug... ...

Drilled 

... do 

... do .

 do. 

...do.......

... do~ 

 do 

...do.......

...do 

 do....... 

...do .

... do...... . 

Dug ___

Drilled 

...do.. 

...do. __ .

_ do ___

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

22 

30 

11 

20 

216 

250

ii§

202 

280 

34 

52 

225 

36 

162

54

120

70 

70 

155

150 

146 

225 

133 

166 

25 

94 

110 

260 

350

Dia

et

of w

(inc

 The data on wells Nos. l to 301 were furnished by O. E. Tait, senior irrigation engineer, IT. S. Bept. A

California State Dept. Eng. The numbets are the same as those used in that bulletin.
Records of wells in Upper Mohave Valley, Calif

No.

OB 

pi.

22

39 

40 

41 

42 

43 

44 

45 

46 

47 

48 

49 

60 

51 

52 

63 

54 

55 

66 

57 

58 

59 

60 

61 

62 

63 

64 

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70 

?1 

72

n

n

75 

76 

77 

78

Loeation (San Bernardino meridian)

Sec,

28 

15 

26 

26 

26 

26 

26 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

35 

36 

36 

36 

24 

24 

26 

19 

31 

30 

30 

30 

31 

31 

31 

6 

6 

5 

5 

8 

7 

8 

8 

17 

20 

21 

8

T.N.

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4

R.W.

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3

Owner

..... do...................... ....... .........

... ..do................. ................ ..

.....do..... ..._..-..-...-....... 

 do 

 .do.... ....... ... 

 do............................. ......

..... do... . .. ........

 do... .. .. 

 do........ ... ...... ..................

... do . . .-.--... ....

 -do. ...-.. .- .......... _ . 

 do 

 do......-....- .................

.....do.. ................. .................. 

.....do... ..................................

 - -do._ ... ..... ... ... ...... ... .....

E. P. Dewey ____ . ___ . ___ ... ....

Victor Ranch .. ...............

..... do...... .... ..... ..... .... .... ....... ..

W. C. Smith............... ................

L. C. Bailey.... ........... ...... ...

A. W. Phillips...-..-.-.... ................

0. L. Smith.- . ............... ........

F. E. Harrison ________________

N. F. Marsh __________________

W. C. Harris .... ___ .... __ ...

Altitude 

of surface 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

2, 750. 2 

2, 765. 0 

2, 782. 1 

2, 782. 1 

2, 783. 3 

2,798.4

2, 800. 4

2, 799. 1 

2, 800. 2

2, 811. 0

2, 811. 0 

2, 811. 0

2, 824. 0 

2, 824. 0

2, 824. 0 

2, 815. 7 

2, 801. 7

2,833.0

2, 835. 0 

2,850.0

2, 845. 8 

2, 845. 8

2,848.0

2, 863. 8

2, 865. 0

2, 866. 5

2,878.7

2,923.4

2,923.8

2,9041

2,880.4 

2,904.3

2, 969. 0 

3, 090. 0 

3.080.9

Type of 

well

Drilled 

... do. 

 do.... 

... do .

 do 

... do... ....

... do - -

 do ... .

... do... .... 

 do 

 do ..

... do .... 

... do .... 

 do..- 

... do 

 do.__ 

... do 

... do 

... do......

... do 

 do. 

... do... 

_._ do. 

...do 

 do.. . 

...do... ...

... do ...

... do ...

 do .._

 do......

 do.. .

 do... ...

...do 

Dug. ..

Drilled 

Dug. ..

Drilled....

... do 

...do. _ ..

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

92

"""""552"

106

895

270 

270 

270 

306 

270 

270 

270 

72 

300 

100 

100 

545 

500

100 

100 

370 

160 

164 

48

225 

81 

180 

250 

345

Dia

ete

of w

(inch
MOHAVE BIVEB BASIN 89?

M c« c* c« c« co c« co co c« co c« c« n c^ <« co t« co <o<« <« «o eo co co c« co «o TO <o C) co co co co «t «i» «« co co «o co co » co co co co co co co co
Records of wells in Upper Mohave Valley, Calif. 

No. 

on

132 

133 

134 

135 

136 

137 

138 

139 

140 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

146 

147 

148 

149 

150 

151 

152 

153 

154 

155 

156 

157 

158 

150 

160 

161 

162 

163 

164 

165 

166 

167 

168 

169 

170

in

172

Location (San Bernardino meridian)

Sec.

9 

10 

10 

10 

12 

18 

12 

12 

2 

2 

2 

4 

4 

34 

28 

28 

7 

6 

5 

8 

5 

4 

32 

32 

4 

4 

4 

10 

10 

14 

12 

12 

1 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

35 

16

T.N.

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

4 

4 

4 

4 

5 

5 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

2 

2 

2 

2 

1 

1 

1 

1 

1 

5 

6 

6

R.W.

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

2 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4

Owner

J W TTTrla

E. D. Mitchell.. _ ...... _____ .... _ .

C TVT A Mwivq

..... do.. ..-.. ................

A. L. Martin.. _ ...... __ .... 

E. C. Vessey.. .... _ __ ... _ 

J. B. Davis. . 

E. R. Wheatley.. _ __ .... .....

..... do. __________ . _______ 

F. Liebold. ... ...... ...... ........

W. 8. Cherry.. __ . __ :.... __ .... __ .

.....do....... ............................

... -do... ....... ............................

.....do... ...................................

S. Zacsek ___________ ...... _ .. 

L. J, Hampton .............................

Altitude 

of surface 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

2,905.5 

2, 905. 5 

2,903.6

2,965.9

2, 947. 3

2,950.9

3,100.0

3, 041. 0 

3, 027. 0 

3,025.7

3, Oil. 5 

3,024.9 

3, 036. 0 

3, 075. 6

3,073.2 

3, 058. 2

3,613.9 

3,800.0 

3,551.9

Type of 

well

Drilled 

Dug.. . 

Drilled. 

Dug

Drilled 

Dug..... .

 do. _ ..

... do 

 do 

Drilled -

Dug ......

Drilled 

Dug. 

Drilled 

 do. _ ..

Drilled 

...do 

... do 

...do... ... 

...do. _ -

...do ...

... do 

... do.. .

... do 

 do 

 doDug .......

Drilled.... 

... do.. 

Dug 

... do 

... do 

 do 

... do.......

Drilled 

...dodo ..

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

213

85 

218 

80

127

165 

97 

94 

110 

193 

190 

133

311 

418 

280 

450 

307 

200 

195

500 

550 

501 

147 

270 

70 

24

30 

30 

26 

26 

816 

909 

802

Diam

ete

of we

(inch
ITS

174

ITS

178

m

8

180

181

183

183

184

185

180

187

188

189

190

191

192

193

194

195

198

197

198

199

200

201

202

'203

204

205

208

207

2QS

209

*210

311

212

213

214

215

216

217

218

219

332 m

36

6

22

22

12

21 

18

J5

20

16

22

22

22

12

12

13

2

2

8

12

6

32

34

34

33

2ft

14

14

16

28

28

20

20

20

27

8

5

9

4

2

12

6

31

80

27

27

21

22

22

24

24

6

5

6

6

5

4 

5

5

5

4

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

6

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

5

7

7

£

5

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

6

F. W. Long . ..... ... . .......

F. C. Lang ___ . ..... _ ...... ... .....

Julia Lang- ___ .. __ ... __ .... _ .......

.. do. ............... . _ . 

H. T. Woods. . _ . __ .....

P. 8. CarL ..... . 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe By 

C. H. Smith. .

.....do ...................................

E. L. De Bolt .......... ___ .........

L. W. De Bolt ............ __ .....

J. D. Oaldwell.. __ ......................

E. S. Fisk.. .. _ ......................

J. M. Scott.. .. _ 

H.Martin.... ..-. ..............

 ..do _ . _ _ . ..... _____

E. H. Richardson.. _ .. _ . ___ . .... 

 do ..................................

do 

.....do ....................... _ ........ 

 do.... ....... .. -. ............

A TW KtAelo

T. O. Ford ............. .. _ ........ 

Q. S. Pownald. ............................

W. Sly. ........ ...... ...............

W. Campbell. .. . _. ......

j. B. Palmer... ... _ . ......

O. Wflliams. _______ . ____ ......

H. Braden.. ...... .......... _ ......

3,406.9 

3,390.0 

3,254.5 

3,250.1 

3,351.5

3,200.0 

3,142.8 

3,090.3 

3,165.3 

2,848.3 

3,125.9 

3, 125. 9

3,121.0

2,938.3

2,967.1 

2,949.6 

2,902.2 

3,060.0 

3,065.0

2,925.0

2,841.1 

2,836.7 

2,838.3 

2,879.5

2,857.6 

2,857.0

3, 155. 1 

3,211.1

3, 157. 4 

3,157.8

3,149.3

..........

2,922.0

...do.......

...do.......

 do....... 

...do....... 

...do __ ..

...do.......

Dug ..

Drilled 

...do.......

 do.......

... do....... 

 do.......

 do.......

Drilled 

 do.......

Drilled 

Dug.,.. ...

Drifted . 

 do. ...

Dug ...

Drffled 

...do.......

 doDug.......

_ do .......

Drilled 

... do 

 do.......

 do 

... do ... 

do

 do.......

 do.......

... do 

 do.......

 do....... 

 do...... 

...do......

...do......

... do......

 do......

Drffled.... 

Dog ......

DriBed 

...do......

Dug ......

Drifted....

598 

644 

536 

475 

572 

753 

305 

323 

365 

861 

340 

325 

340

80 

300 

156

285

650 

243

157

500

~~"~m~

595

.........

709 

295 

390 

350 

300 

380 

415

410 

296 

150 

400 

97 

330 

425 

61

.....

.....

* For analysis see p. 417.
Records of wells in Upper Mohave Valley, Calif

tfo. 

(tt

ft

924

11 

237

244 

246 

 <24§

261 

283

Location (San Bernaraino meridian)

See.

39 

30 

32

18 

IS 

14 

15

IS 

18

?

i

10

11 11 11

2 

3

4 

0 

8

6 

5

oZi

27 

10

T.N,

6

6 

C 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

C 

6 

6 

6

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6

1

R.W.

8 

« 

6

6

i

6

6

7 

7 

7

7 

7

7

1

7 

7 

7 

7

7

7

7

I

7

i

7 

. 4

Owner

do - -

J. W. Walker __ _____ ...... _ ..

W. B. Phillips...-. .__.._.-..,.-.._._.--

F. P. Williams...- ..,_..... ......

.....do. .. . 

R. Atz ......... ................. ..

Ed. White ___ . ____ . ___ . _ . _ ..

W. Suston _ .. * _ .....

O. B. Flock.. ______ . _ . ___ . ___

I. 8. Lindley . . _ ......... 

J. Seward.. _ _...,.. . ....

K. McDonald _ . _ .... __ .... _ . ......

T. R. Crowell.. ........ .... 

.....do -.... 

.....do....................................

L. L. Whitlock... .........................

F. Buscfu. _ .. ___ ..............

Altitude 

of surface 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

3 (U7 S

2,948.3 

2,948.9

..........

2, 920. 8 

2,897.8

2, 870. 4

2, 857. 1 

2,869.0 

2, 849. 2 

2,853.9 

2,841.1

2,853.3

27838. 2 

2,859.3 

2,843.3 

2,848.0

2,862.9

2,719.6

Type of 

well

Drilled . 

..-.do......

... do......

...do... ...

...do......

...do .

...do. _ ..

Dug ..

Drifted..., 

Dug...... 

Drilled....

_ do.. __

...do......

Drilled.... 

...do......

...do. _ ..

...do......

Dug _ ...

_ do ......

Drilled... . 

Dug. _ ..

Drffled_.. 

...do.... ..

...do......

do......

Drffled...- 

Dug.. .... 

Drffled.... 

Dug......

...do. .....

Drilled...- 

...do...... 

...do. .....

...do...... 

Dug... ...

...do. .

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

250 

136 

380 

136 

150 

76

205

58 

67 

300

SO

42

140

" 210* 

25 

226 

392 

367 

183 

26 

157 

41 

58 

24

80 

03 

118 

128 

100

Diam

eter 

of we

(inche

......

......

* For analysis see p. 417.
263

284

265

266

267

268

269

270

271

272

273

274

375

976

277

278

279

280

281

282

283

284

285

286

887

288

889

200

261

292

293

894

295

296

297

298

299

800

801

802

SOS

304

305

306 to?

308

809

810

311

812

813

814

10

103

34

34

34

105

32

32

18

18

18

30

SO

19

26

27

27

27

15

312

262

10

28

28

14

14

35

26

266

8628

12

186

19

197

18

21

26

19

80

SO

20

27

18

655666556666677777777767666

'6667776766646777766666666

G. Smith __________________

E. Doulch .................................

C. Bassini _____________ .. __ ...

.. do

 Hadley. ...............................

.....do. _ .................................

.....do.....................................

 ..do..................................... O A "Pnnla W "Wai*ra<n

Y. M. C. A.................. ____ .......

.....do. _ ...................... __ ......

B. 8. Hook-.................... ........

B. M. Elsey _ ............................

 Gilbert.................. ...........

P. Herlicfc ....

F. C. Abbott. ___ .... _ ................

C. A. Garbutt __ . ______ ........

A. H. Diamond ............................

J. C. White ................................

W. L. Norrls ...............................

E. B. Jamison ___ , _ , ., _...,..

2,714.0

2,715.8

2,708.6

2,696.4

2,758.4

2, 770. 9

2,780.7

2, 737. 3

2,721.4

2,737.0

2,718.3

2,786.0

2,724.0

2,780.0

2,807.0

2, 878. 0

2,878.0

2, 823. 0

2,833.0

2, 853. 0

2,857.0

2, 891. 0

3, 109. 0

2,837.5

2,835.7

2,842.8

2,867.0

Drilled 

...do. .

do .....

...do. _ ..

 do .

 do .

...do. __ .

...do. __ .

Drilled 

...do 

 do 

...do......

...do 

...do. _ ..

Dug ......

...do. _ ..

...do. _ ..

Drilled 

... do ...

...do.. .

Dug 

_ do ......

...do. ..

Drilled....

...do. _ ..

Drilled 

DrUled....

... do ...

...do 

Drilled....

Drill nrl

Dug .

Drilled....

Dug. .

_ do. _ ..

...do......

...do. __ .

...do......

Drffled- 

...do. __ .

Dug..

69

39

75

107

260

125

270

202

100

225

235

230

235

350

203

25

330

41

270

110

40

270

87

58
Records of wells in Upper Mohave Valley, Calif

No. 

on 

Pi. 

22

315 

316 

317 

318 

319 

320 

321 

322 

323 

324 

 325 

326 

327 

328 

329 

330 

331 

332 

333 

335 

336 

337 

*33S 

339 

340 

341 

342 

343 

*344 

345 

346

Location (San Bernardino meridian)

Sec.

14 

14 

30 

2 

12 

12 

18 

34 

24 

1 

10 

34 

15 

4 

19 

19 

27 

28 

33 

21 

/4 

»S 

«8 

9 

17 

27 

27 

4 

3 

10 

12

T.N.

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

3 

3 

2 

2 

2 

3 

2 

2 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

2 

2 

2 

2

E.W.

6

6 

7 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5 

4 

5 

4 

4 

5 

5 

7 

6 

6 

7 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

6 

5 

5 

5 

5

Owner

W. W. McKinney-- ..... ........ .

T. A. De Bolt -. - 

D. S. Ball -

P W«ilA

R. W, Miller.... _ .... _ . 

F. H. Nett _ . - -

A T A lion

A. Q. Trendell 

Altitude 

of surface 

above 

sea level 

(feet)

Type of 

well

...do-.. 

 do 

...do- 

... do- ...

Drilled... . 

...do ... -

... do. ...

... do 

Dug-....-

Drilled. 

...do 

 doDug. 

... do- 

...do. ...

 do ... .

...do ...

 do 

Dug.... ...

Drilled 

Dug.. .

...do ....

 do- ...

Drilled.... 

Dug.......

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

50 

54 

159

423 

365

578

200 

344 

195

75

33 

46 

87 

85 

81 

175

Dia

ete

of w

(inch

« For analysis, see p. 417. / SW. J£. NB. 

i Reference point, top of platform, 8 inches above ground surface.
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 408

MOH4.VB BIVEB LOWLANDS

The Mohave River lowlands form a narrow belt, in most places 

not more than a mile wide, which extends along the river from the 

Forks to the north end of the Upper Mohave Valley. The belt 

comprises the flood plain of the river. It is separated into three 

parts by rock barriers at the Upper and Lower Narrows.

In the stretch of the flood plain from the Forks to the Upper 

Narrows more than 30 wells have been drilled or dug, and the depth 

to water has generally been found to be less than 25 feet. A number 

of flowing wells have been obtained on the lands of the Rancho 

Verde in a narrow belt that extends upstream from the Upper Narrows 

for a distance of about 3J^ miles. This belt is apparently not more 

than half a mile wide. In wells on the east and west mesas the water 

rose from 5 to 25 feet when struck, but it is not clear whether the 

formations beneath the river flood plain are the same as those beneath 

the mesas. Probably part of the flood plain is underlain by river 

deposits, of more recent age than the alluvium of the mesas. It is 

hardly likely, however, that the river has at any time excavated its 

channel very deep and refilled it. The accompanying log of a 

flowing well on the Rancho Verde shows that a strong flow was 

obtained as deep as 542 feet. This well was originally drilled as a 

test for oil.

Log of flowing well on Rancho Verde ° 

[Well 47, pi. 22; sec. 36, T. 5 N., R. 4 W. San Bernardino meridian]

Thickness 

(feet)

Depth 

(feet)

Coarse sand and giavel _____ . __ ______________ 136

Blue day; flow of 495 gallons a minute at 160 feet _____ . ______ 23

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 640 gallons a minute at 180 feet.... .... 30

Blue day..... _______ . __ ... ______ . ____________ . ____ 13

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 640 gallons a minute at 220 feet __________ 34

Blue day. _ . _____ .... ____ . ____ .. __________________ 7

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 540 gallons a minute at 265 feet __________ 26

Blue day ___ .... __ . __ .... 9

Shaly rock........................................................................ 15

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 450 gallons a minute at 312 feet __________ 22

Blue clay.. _______________ . __ . _____ . _____________ 10

Yellow day; flow of 495 gallons a minute at 357 feet. _________ . _ ... _ 46

Soapstone ___ __ ...... 7

Coarse sand and gravd; flow of 405 gallons a minute at 395 feet __________ 39

Soapstone; flow of 495 gallons a minute at 421 feet __________________ 5

Coarse sand and gravel... ___ ..... _ .. . 24

Soapstone. __ .... ____ ... . .......... _____ . ____ .... 8

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 765 gallons a minute at 461 feet __________ 34

Soapstone.... ___________________ T .............................. .. 9

Coarse sand and gravel; flow of 1,440 gallons a minute at 542 feet..... . 78

Blue day, hard; water at 687 feet __ .......... 150

Coarse sand and gravel _______________________________ 11

Shaly rock _______________________________________ 4

Coarse sand and gravel . ... ____ .. __ .. . 16

Shaly rock........................................................................ 4

Coarse sand and gravel; water at 762 feet _____________________ .. 16

Shaly rock........................................................................ 4

Coarse sand and gravel _ __ . ___ .... 10

Yellow day...............-.....-... ...-.............................-,. . 10

Shaly rock; 90 gallons a minute of mineral water at 820 feet _ ..... 39

Blue day ___ . ___________ . __ . _ . _________ . ___ 8

Shaly rock........................................................................ 66

Blue day....... ...... .. .. ................ .. - 7

Yellow day.. _ ...... ... . . . _ - . 38

Blue day. ... . <. . _ 11 shaiyrock.-.........:::...:.:.:::.... . .........::::::::::::...... ....-.. 23

185 

168 

188 

201 

235 

242 

268 

277 

292 

814 

324 

370 

377 

416 

421 

445 

453 

487 

496 

574 

724 

786 

739 

756 

769 

776 

779 

789 

799 

838 

848 

901 

90S 

946 

t57

* From data collected by C. E. Tait, senior irrigation engineer, U. 8. Dept. Agr. Bur. Public Koads.
404 THE 5IOHAVIJ DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The first eight flows raised over 45 feet of pipe; the ninth flow (461 feet ?) 

raised over 55 feet of pipe; the tenth flow (542 feet ?) raised over 74 feet of 

tower. AH water closed off as far as possible; pressure was so great that the 

water was forced up outside the casing. In 1917 well was flowing from first 

wetter-bearing stratum.

The conclusion is that the flows, in part at least, are derived from 

formations that are continuous with those beneath the mesas and that 

flowing wells are obtained hi a small area along the river flood plain 

because the surface is below the altitude to which the water will rise 

and not because the artesian conditions are due to deposition of 

water-bearing materials by the river.

The rise of the water in well 47 is apparently greater than the rise 

in any other well in the Upper Mohave Valley, either on the flood 

plain or on the uplands. Probably this difference is due to the 

greater depth of the well, but perhaps the partial barrier created by 

the granite ridge at the Upper Narrows is responsible for some of the 

artesian pressure on the flood plain above the narrows.

The immediate source of the water obtained from the flowing wells 

is conjectural beyond the fact that it must enter the alluvium some 

distance upstream, probably near the Forks. Even if no water is 

absorbed above the Forks some water percolates into the gravel 

below that point, as is shown by the fact that the water level in wells 

close to the river in sees. 30 and 31, T. 4 N., R. 3 W. San Bernardino 

meridian, changes from 15 to 25 feet between wet and dry seasons. 

Apparently as a result of the percolation from the river during 

periods of high run-off, the water table is built up higher than it is 

a short distance farther away on each side.

Between the Upper and Lower Narrows and north of the Upper 

Narrows several wells on the flood plain obtain water at slight depths, 

but there are no flowing wells. This leads to the conclusion that the 

rocks at the Upper Narrows act in some way to cause the artesian 

flows south of them. Flowing wells may be absent below the Upper 

Narrows because the water-bearing beds do not have sufficient slope 

to produce artesian pressure or perhaps because the rocks of the 

narrows prevent ready access to any horizons that present the proper 

conditions.

Practically all the wells along the flood plain of the river have large 

yields. Three wells (Nos. 53, 54, and 55) on the Raneho Verde are 

said to have a combined yield of 400 miner's inches (about 3,600 

gallons a minute, or 1,200 gallons a minute for each well). Three 

other wells on the same ranch (Nos. 49, 50, and 51) are reported to 

have a combined yield of 350 miner's inches (about 3,150 gallons a 

minute, or more than 1,000 gallons a minute for each well).

The well of A. W. Phillips (No. 35) in the NW. M sec. 6, T. 5 N., 

R. 3 W., is said to pump 216 miner's inches (nearly 2,000 gallons a 

minute) on the river bottom and to pump 148 inches (about 1,300
gallons a minute) >when the water is (raised BCVES&I fiefcfc to

above the river. This well is only i8 feet deep. Setiarad -otiaear J^eids

on?the Ibed jplaiatjafeove the Upper Narrows yield

(900 gaiifcm; ft nainiite) or more. The only dis&ft availafcLe for

yield of wells farther downstream relate to two wdle '(Nos. 274 mill

275) of the Golden State Cement Co., at Cfero Grange, which im*w ft

eombiaed yield of 180 miner's inches (about 1/600 gallons a

Yields of less than 25 miner's inches (225 gallons :a 

reported from two or three wells on the river flood plain, bu*«f>pa» ftitly 

these low yields are due to the fact that tike wells wr« up* pux&fe&ifco 

capacity and not to poor yield of the u^,6er-bearing feeds. Ttwme 

seems to be 10© ne&eom why properiy constructed wells on the flood 

pleirn sh®uM ao* yield 50 miner's inches (450 gallons a ludraite) us* 

BOtore, provided they are not too close .to febe «dge of rtfae jHQouh 

where .they /may peBetrate materials tiaat do not yield as nmcii 

as ttee iaihitfiad filling t)f the flood plain. Altfeongh tte 

low -of the deep well on rthe Rancho Verde (Nio. 47, sfee |). 

obtained below a depth of 900 feet it is f>robaMy 

that deop on the flood plain in order to get yields .sufficient for irrigation. Doubtless large yields can be obtained &t depths not sgieastea? 

than IftQ to 200 feet, and deeper drilling siin^ly Means uxided «?sj»li«*:

WEST MESA AND EL MIRAGE YALLBT ^ ''-'.'

The great alluvial slqpe that lies west of Moh&^e Bwar eeally ini 

dudes El Mirage Valley, wMch differ*? focm the mst of the slope in 

that it is ihemnae^ in on the north by low bilk in,«uch «, way that -a 

closed .basin is formed. On this gr.eat alluvial .plain 

gcaaetajly juocthward, K)0 :or more welk have fbeen pvtt 4<W?ib 

these wells give a good idea of ground-water ^o&ditie^ jj;

The water table slopes m general in the same directieai asj 

th<at is, jioijth and northeast but tkere are some 

The.slope of the water table,, however, is much more gentle fthjaa 

of the surface. Thus, fsr-om the SE. % sec. .2, T., 5-N., R. 5 W. < 

189), to the SE. ;M sec. 5,.T* 4 N., E, 5 W. -(wiell 174), 

about 6% miles, .t±ue land surface rises about 440 feet<,fen* a lifctl« more 

than 60 feet to the mile, wJberaas the water table rises ^aly is^evit .$3 

feet* or a little mor« than 10 feet to the mile. As w result 

to water increases away from the river and toward the 

In well 189 tfee depth to water is 153 feet, and it becomes l*es iajenth.- 

waud and eastward. In well 174 it is 510 feet, -a&d. m. «erV tr&! wells 

fr-oiti 2 4e 4 iailes southwest or southeast of tlvat weil it is st*id-to foe 

»s mudi as ^800 feet. j

In tte^eft&texn.iifllf of the alluvial slope, the water ta-bie aiopas in a 

northeasterly direction, toward Ibe river. Fari^er w-est ti-t sk>p«i 

more to the north. The effect is that of a bulge or swell of the water 

6081 29 27
406 . THE MOHAVE DESERT BIHHON, CAMFOBNIA

table beneath the western part of the area similar to the bulge formed 

by the great alluvial fan built out in front of Sheep Creek. The 

water table follows the same general outline as the surface of the 

great fan, except that between Victorville and El Mirage Dry Lake 

it slopes somewhat more directly toward the river than the surface. 

This slope doubtless is in part due to the effect of the rock hills east of 

El Mirage Dry Lake, which divert the underground waters eastward 

toward the river.

The bulge of the water table beneath the fan of Sheep Creek 

makes the depth to water in wells at a given altitude on the fan considerably less than it is farther east. This condition is undoubtedly 

due to the fact that a greater quantity of water is poured out on the 

fan by Sheep Creek and is absorbed and reaches the water table than 

the quantity farther east, where there is less concentration of run-off. 

Conditions here are similar, in part at least, to those in Antelope 

Valley, where the water table is higher and nearer the surface beneath 

the fan of little Rock Creek than where no large stream pours out 

onto the alluvium. (See p. 337 and fig. 13.)

The depth to water is more than 100 feet throughout nearly all 

the alluvial slope west of the river, except in El Mirage Valley and 

eastward nearly to Adelanto and in a narrow belt near the river 

flood plain. On Plate 22 are lines along which the depth to water is 

100 and 200 feet. On the west mesa the 100-foot line, north of which 

the depth to water is less than 100 feet, extends almost due east from 

El Mirage Valley about 2 miles north of the south side of ^ 6 N. nearly 

to Adelanto and thence bends north. From Adelanto a belt about 2 

or 3 miles wide runs northward on the west side of the river in which 

the depth to water is more than 100 feet. 'The greater depth to water 

in this belt may be due to the fact that the water table slopes downward to the river, whereas the surface does not slope very much 

toward the river. Well data indicate apparent abnormal conditions 

in this belt, for in two wells (Nos. 285 and 287) the depth to water is 

more than 200 feet, and the water table appears to be considerably 

lower than in wells a mile or more to the north or south.

On the upland close to the flood plain of Mohave River, between 

Victorville and Oro Grande and for a mile or two south of Victorville, 

the water table stands considerably above the river. In well 182, 

about a mile south of Victorville, the water struck at a depth of 380 

feet stands about 30 feet below the surface. Water struck at higher 

levels during drilling stood about 60 feet below the surface. The 

surface altitude of this well is about 100 feet higher than the river 

bottom about a mile east, and the water table in the upper beds is 

fully 40 feet higher than the river. The log of this well is given here as 

typical of conditions on the west mesa:
MOHAVE BIVEE BASIN 407

Log of weU 182, SE* H *& *6, T. 5 N.t R. 4 W. San Bernard^no mendian

Thickness (feet)

Compact ersvelljsofl .. _ . _______.___.__ 8* ' ' &

Compact bedded dry fine gravel__,__.__________________ 8 14 Compact medium coarse gravel ... . . __.__.______ ._ 11 ' " ISS Bedded coarse sand with fine gravel and tMn layers of yellow clay.. _..... . 6 SI Very hard light-yellow sandy clay _ . > 2 .;.'-, gf

Bedded rand......................... _ _. .._.. . . . 3 38 Compact light-yellow sandy clay .. __ __.__._______.____ 14 <Sl Ssmd with little fine gravel-..-....---..- --..-... . 6 JS Compact yellow sandy clay____________________________'.. 38"' IS Soft randy clay and layers of water sand.... __________________ 9 87 Compact yellow sandy clay . . _ _.__..__..___._ .. " 8 08

Coarse water sand... . _ _..__ . . 3 98 Sandy yellow clay . . . . ..__._.......____.. IB ! ! 101 Sand with layers of hard clay.. _______.___________________ 5 108 Sandy yellow clay and layers of sand.. _..___________________ IS Ii» Hard grayish sandy clay . . .._____________._ 8 ^28 Hard rusty yellow clay._______________________________ 39 '-" 487

Coarse sand and little fine clay___________________________ 6 178 Hard yellow sandy clay.. _ __..______________________ - 35' 308 Soft sandy clay. _ .........___________________ 9 217 Soft sandy clay with layers of coarse sand and fine gravel and soft sandstone. . 16 28*

Very hard sandy clay, changing every few feet in color and texture. ________ 34 267 Soft sandy clay.....__.__.___..____________________._ 7 8T4

Coarse rand with clay and little gravel ... _._____________..... 4 ., 278 Hardsandyclay... ._..-- - .-.. . ._. . . ........._ 12 -296 Coarse sand with clay and little fine gravel_____________________ 6 296 Sandy yellow clay.._________________________________ 21 «t? Sand and fine gravel, dirty___.__.______________.._______ 16 833 Sandy gray clay... . _ ... _._____..___.__. . 5 338 Sand and fine gravel_________________________________ 24 362 Hard gray clay........... . .. . _. ......-._ ......__..... 8 87d Very compact shalelike yellow clay.....__..________________.__ 10 380 Sand with very little fine gravel . .. .... ....__.. . 22 * 492 Cemented coarse sand________________________________ 18 415 Hard blue clay....___________._._______...___..______. 28 438 Bloe and brown shale... ... .. _ __..__ __..._ .. 22 460

Layers of packed sand and sandy shale. _ . .... .. . 70 £30 Layers of packed sand and sandy shale mixed with boulders__________,. 25 665 Softsandrock.--..._.____._.....__.___..................____ 3 59$ Sand, clay, and gravel........_.__ __.__.______.________ 22 680

Hardshale- . ..- -.. -..- .. ...-.. -... ...... ..... .. 32 «1» Hard shale with loose boulders. . . .. __.... __..__ 10 622 Hardshale. __________________..._._________.__ 18 ! *40 Sand, gravel, and clay. ______.__.____«.____.________ 128 768 Fine water sand and gravel . _..__..__..______... 10 -778 Sand, gravel, and clay._______________________________ 34 81

Gypsum conglomerate__.__.__..__.___________________ 14 81% "Rock".. .. ., .. . . . ...... 9 838 Hard granite. .. . .. .. .. . . .. ... ..... . ____28 861

NOTE. Appleton Land, Water & Power Co., owner. Originally drilled to a depth of 460 feet for the Hesperia Land & Water Co. Drilling stopped in October, 1911. Later the well was drilled to a depth of 

861 feet. The leg given above is compiled from the two logs that represent the two different periods of drilling. Altitude of surface 2,863 feet.

Water said to stand generally 36 feet from surface, but on February 24,1917, the depth to water measured 29.0 feet.

The driller's log for the first 460 feet contains the following notes. 

It is not known whether the well was perforated as recommended.

Water bearing but hazardous to perforate because of fineness of material. 

Water 60 feet below the surface: 95-98 feet, 103-108 feet, 167-173 feet.

Water bearing; hazardous to perforate because of fineness of material but 

might be perforated with fine blade. Water 60 feet below surface: 217-233 feet 

274-278 feet.

Water bearing; should be perforated with fine blade. Water 57 feet below 

surface: 290-296 feet, 317-333 feet, 338-362 feet.

Should be perforated with fine blade. Water 36 feet below the surface: 380 

402 feet. 

A series of springs emerges on the side of the cliffs or steep hillsides that separate the upland from the flood plain. These springs 

occur at intervals along a stretch of 3 or 4 miles from a point about &> 

mile south of the Upper Narrows to a point about the same distance 

northwest of the Lower Narrows. The public water supply for Vi<K
498 THE MOHAVB DESBET CJAIIFOBNIA

torvffle is obtained from several of these springs. At the springs which

are used for ttie town supply the water appears along the steep slope

Just above a bed of clay that is several feet thick, and this <day bed

doubtless causes the springs to emerge at the otiber places,, although

evidence of it is lacking. It is not certain wlaether the springs at®

esaused by an isolated water-bearing bed "perched" ahoira 4fae main

ground-water body, with a dry zone between, or whether fcite beds

we saturated below the spring zone. However, as nearly as can tae

determined from the available data, the water table in wells a aaile -or

two west of the river appears to be about 100 feet above the river and

.somewhat higher than the springs. This would indicate .that fcae

alluvium below the horizon of the springs is saturated aad tikat the

immediate valley of Mohave Kiver is cut below the water taMe on

most of the valley.

The part of the area in which the depth to ground water is less th«a 

100 feet is confined almost entirely to lands which lie within 3 or 4 

miles north and south of El Mirage Dry Lake and which extend 

several miles eastward from the dry lake. Close to the playa fixe 

depth to water is about 20 to 25 feet, and in well 298, on the south 

edge of the playa, in February, 1918, it was only 17 feet. It is said' 

that when the Gray well (No. 248), in the NE. ^ .sec. 3, T. ^ N., 

R. 7 W.» was being drilled, water struck at a depth of about 165 feet 

overflowed at the surface. When the well was drilled deeper itoe 

water sank several feet below the casing. This well, 392 feet deep, 

is the deepest one within several miles of El Mirage Dry Lake. 

log is as follows:

Log of weU£48, in southwest corner of NE. J4 sec. 8, T. 6 N., K. 7 W.

meridian

" Cement gravel " ........

Bed clay ______________________________________ . _

"Cement gravel"; streaks of sand ___ . ______ . ___ .. ................

Clay . .-. ... . --. . .- -

Sand; a test at 294 feet yielded 15 miner's inches, lowering water to 36 feet from top..

Clay . ... .......................

Fideminfl _ ^x ,_ ^ »4,,». ,. _,..,__ .. .-...

Gravel Clay ... . __ ___ - ...............

Clay ............. .-...-......-..--.-... . - .............. -... .- .

Glay. . ., _ ... . __ .. __________ ...

..

Thickness 

(feet)

10

10 fid6

61

24

10

1

17

24

10

4

36

10

8

5

io

7

8

6

3

3

1

.5

15

15'8

at

Depth 

(feetj

IS

%

84

90

151

1?S

.185

186

208

227

237

241

96T

277

285

ago

290

son

 307

316

.881 824

327

«28

838

848

363

sn

m

Nota. W. M. _. 

by E. J. Krause. T

owner. Drilled May, W12, by Ckrapttt & Moss. ,_ . 

well is perforated in water-bearing beds tor a total length of 144 feet.
MOHAVK BIYER BASPi

This log gives an idea as to the alternation of gra?el, *ami» aaet elay 

in the alluvium. The-term " eement gravel" probably iadie^-tes gE*^«i 

and one sand cemented together by calcium ; carbonate. The 

"cement" is probably similar to the "honeycomb cement" penetrated 

by wells in Antelope Valley.

The depth to water increases both north and south oi the pt$jfa» 

The few data available in regard to the altitude of the water table ifl 

different wells show that the water table slopes northward from fb* 

mouth of Sheep Creek 'as far as the south side of El Mirage Dry 3B<ak k 

but beneath the playa and for at least half a mile north of its niortheHtf 

border the water table is essentially flat. Data in regard to- the altjk 

tude of the water table are not available for wells 259 and 261. The 

depth increases northward from the playa; it is 78 feet hi well 250 and 

95 feet in well 261. This increase is believed to be due t®- a rise itf 

the land surface northward.

Apparently there fa some movement of ground water: from JJ 

Mirage VaHey eastward past the south end of the hills that Me- east 

of the playa. The playa is of the dry type, although the depth <& 

water is only a few feet greater than the depth where playas of 

wet type occur. This fact is believed to indicate that there is 

ground drainage from beneath the playa. Doubtless the altitude of 

the water table beneath the playa is limited by the altitude of the 

water table at the south end of the hills. The hills north of the play» 

are low, and the rainfall is meager. There is no great contribution &P 

the ground-water supply which would cause the water table to stand* 

very much higher in that part of the valley than in other parts.

The yield of wells on the west mesa and in El Mirage Valey*i» 

generally not as great as that of wells on the river flood plain. 

largest yield, 675 gallons a minute (75 miner's inches), is 

from a weE of L. Hess (No. 260), in sec. 22, T. 7 N., K. 7 W.,- 

BernaroSno meridian, on the north side of El Mirage Dry Lake. 

other wells near El Mirage Dry Lake (Nos. 245 and 247) are reported 

to yield between 350 and 400 gallons a minute. No other welk 

of the river flood plain are reported to have yields as much as? 

gallons a minute, and a number of them yield less than 250 gallons & 

minute. It was not determined whether the low yields are dbe to 

poor construction of the weJfa, to poor pumping equipment, or &* th«* 

absence of good water-bearing beds. The material beneath the «Eu~ 

vial slope is probably less porous than the river deposits along tfafc 

flood plain. It is apparently relatively fine, with very little 

gravel, and in places the pore space is decreased by cement, 

use of casing perforated for p?aeticaHy the entire depth of the w«B, as. 

in Antelope Valley, might result in somewhat larger yiekfe.

No large streams pour water out on to the alluvial slope, and aa* 

tBte- water tasble fe relatively flaft. Doubtless this i» one
410 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

reason why the yield of wells is not large, for the water is not under 

sufficient head to cause the rapid replenishment of the gravel hi a 

given locality as the water is withdrawn.

BAST MESA

! The upland east of the Mohave River flood plain, or, as it is called, 

the east mesa or Apple Valley, is much smaller than the west mesa, 

, and ground-water conditions beneath it apparently are more affected 

by the proximity of the hills and mountains that border it on the 

north and east.

H^The water table slopes in general toward the river, but in contrast 

to the water table west of the river there is almost no northerly component to the slope, except at the very south side of the mesa, near 

the San Bernardino Mountains. In the northern two-thirds of the 

mesa the slope of the water table is almost due west toward the river. 

This slope indicates -that the source of the ground water in this part 

of the mesa is probably the Granite Mountains, on the east. On the 

north the water table rises with a steep slope to the rock hills that 

border the valley, but the rise is more gentle in a pass between the 

hills 6 miles east of Victorville, which is apparently filled with 

alluvium.

On no part of the east mesa is the water table as close to the surface 

as in El Mirage Valley. In only two wells (No. 130, in the SE. % 

sec. 8, and No. 134, in sec. 10, T. 5 N., R. 3 W.) is the depth to water 

less than 75 feet, and in these two wells it is 72 feet. The area in 

which the depth to water is less than 100 feet lies within the closed 

line hi the northeastern part of T. 5 N., R. 3 W., on the map (pi. 22) 

that indicates a depth to water of that amount. On the other hand, 

the depth to water on the east mesa is nowhere as great as on the 

upper part of the alluvial slope west of the river. The greatest 

reported depth to water is 248 feet, in well 81. Throughout nearly 

title whole of the east mesa, except within a mile or two of the mountains, the depth to water is less than 200 feet.

On the west mesa, south of the Upper Narrows, there are only one 

or two wells within 2 or 3 miles of the river flood plain. Apparently 

the scarcity of wells is due to the fact that the upland west of the river 

is much dissected by numerous arroyos, leaving very little land 

suitable for development, and because the land rises so steeply that 

the depth to water is considerable a short distance from the flood 

.jplain. On the east side of the flood plain the upland is much less* 

tdissected and there is a "bench"or terrace between the flood plain 

«-nd the main mesa. The depth to water beneath this bench in most 

places is less than 100 feet, and a number of wells have been drilled 

on it.

The area in which the depth to water is less than 100 feet is sepa-?j 

rated from the shallow-water area along the river .by a strip in which!
MOHAVS EIVEB BASIN 411

the depth to water is more than 100 feet. This condition appears 

to be due to two causes. A rock ridge that lies in see, 17, T. 5 N;, 

R. 3 W., apparently acts as a partial barrier, east of whidji the watei 

is held, for the few data available indicate that the slope df the water 

table toward the river is slightly greater west of the rock ridge 

east of it. Alluvium washed from the north and south toward 

ridge has raised a ridge slightly higher than the land farther-;east. 

Furthermore, east of the rock ridge the land surface rises 

more gently than the water table.

Several wells have been drilled close to rock spurs of the 

Mountains. All these wells, with one exception, seem to have obtained water. Only one well (No. 136), in the NE. % sec. 12, T. 5 

N., R. 3 W., is known to have struck rock, which in that well was 

reached at 190 feet. Detailed data are not available in regard to the 

other weHs. A well owned by H. F. Anders, in sec. 4, T. 5 N.,, R. 2 

W., is reported to have failed to reach water at a depth of 175 feet. 

This well is in a reentrant valley that extends eastward for some distance into the mountains. Other wells farther east in this valley 

reached water.

The yield of wells on the east mesa is in general a little greater 

than that of wells on the west mesa. Several wells on the bench, 

between the river flood plain and the upland are reported to yield 

between 450 and 900 gallons a minute (50 to 100 miner's inches), 

and a number of wells on the upland yield between 450 and 650 gallons a minute. There are nevertheless some wells in which the yield 

is not great even less than 225 gallons a minute (25 miner's inches).

DEADMAN AND FIFTEENMILE VALLEYS

Deadman and Fifteenmile Valleys are small closed basins that lie 

east of Deadman and Fifteenmile Points, respectively. Fifteenmile 

Valley is also locally known as Cobarts Valley. The basins have 

been formed by alluvium that has been washed northward from the 

San Bernardino Mountains to spurs of the Granite Mountains, preventing the movement of surface run-off to either the east or tsb.e 

west. Each basin contains a playa, which lies close to the mountains, 

on the north, because the volume of alluvium washed from the souths 

greatly exceeds that from the north.

Several wells have been drilled in each valley. In Deadman Valley 

the depth to water ranges from about 160 feet in well 155, in tjhe 

lowest part, near the playa, to 255 feet in well 151, some distance/ 

up on the alluvial slope. Bedrock was struck in two wells near tihe 

playa; it was reached in well 154, on the north side of the playa, at 

307 feet, and in well 157, southeast of the playa, at 200 feet. Both; 

these: wells are. close to the foot of the mountains. Wells in Deadman 

Valley are reported to yield 360 to 540 gallons a minute .(40 t© f^ 

miner's inches).
412 THE MOHAT» MGSffiKT SB tf ttf» CAMFOBNIA

The depth to water in wells in IWteenmile Vattey rianges from 

about 20 feet ia wells near the playa to i!3 feet ia wfB 102, about a 

nolle west of tire playa, on higher gwumd. So 'faras m known bedrock was not reached in any of the wells. N® iaformatim is available 

in regard to the yield of the weUs, m all ea&ep* one', when visitefet, were 

equipped only with windmills. It is said that the water in some of 

the wtttts m this1 valey is so salty that it is not good for drinking.

Th& playa in Fifteenmile Valley is more than 50 feet sand psobably 

nearly 100 feet lower than the playa in Deadman Valley. The 

water table near the plarfa in Fifteenmile Valley, however, is hig&er, 

probably at least 50 feet higher, than it is near the playa ia Deadman 

Valley, There is no surface evidence of any barrier between the two 

basins, and ground water probably- percolates from Mfteenmile 

Valley into Deadmam Valley.

Similarly the water table, where it is lowest near the playa (m weH 

155) in Deadman Valley, is at least 20 feet higher than it is in well 

9S, Just west of the boundary of the basin. There is probably 

tinderground drainage toward Mohave Biver.

The playa in Fifteenmile Valley is about 50 to 75 feet above the 

playa in Lucerne Valley, 2 miles to the northeast, and there is about 

as muck difference in the water table. As the divide between the 

two basins in part is formed by alluvium there may be some underground drainage from Fifteenmile Valley into Lucerne Valley. This 

feature is suggested by the presence of Babbit Springs, about a mile 

aorth of the alluvial divide, and by artesian conditions at the Box $ 

ranch. (See pp. 617, 620.)

SIOBWINDHB VAIJtBY

Sidewinder Wash is a tributary to Mohave River that dtiains an 

aorea of about 50 square miles northeast ol Victorville. The main? 

Wash reaches baek in a northeasterly direction for about 5 mJJea feona 

the river, and for that distance its valley is comparatively n&sv&w 

and the grade of the wash and the valley slopes are rather steep. 

About 5 miles from the river the valley broadens out and the siopesr 

aare more gentle. Several branch drainage ways extend eastward ancl 

Hotthwaord for 5 miles or more. For the flrst 3 ©r 4 miles back 

the river flood plain rock crops out at a number of places half a 

oar less from the wash, but the upper half of t&& valley has typical 

alluvial slopes that rise gradually 2 to 5 miles on each side of the* 

wash to the mountains. The alluvial slope m the upper part ol the* 

t*afiey evidently at one time extended at a higher level across th* 

Biter lowlands »md was contirawfaa with th?r nae»a west? of 

river, but the- continuity of the slope baa been broken, by tha 

el Mohave River and by dissection in the h»wer part of 

Sidewinder Vafley- $&*pt2J, A)
M0HA¥E 'BTCTB BASIN -jl$B

Several wells have been put down in Sidewinder Valley, 

data obtained in regard to them are meager. Near the junction

 of t&| wash with J^ofeave Eiver, a little above the no{«4 j$atn .01 

t|^e river, water was obtained at depths of 56 to &7 feet,' in 

2137 and $56$. These wells appear to be sunk on a fan built at 

lower end of the constricted part of the valley. One of these 

(No. 267) is reported to yield 270 gallons a minute (SO 

inches) and another well near by (No. 266) 630 gaflons a minute 

(70 miner's inches). About a mile northeast of these wefts, In th^ 

constricted part of the valley, wells 341 and 342 were dry &i Si afiA

 85 feet, respectively. The dump piles at these wejls indicate thai 

probably rock was struck in each.

In tlje upper part of the valley, where the land is more IfeirSk 

several wells have obtained water at moderate depths. A duj? l^efr 

(No. 340) on the ranch of G. Marietta, in sec. 17, T. 6 N., K, 3 W.; , 

which is 8$ feet deep, reached water at 73 feet. This well is said. 'Jo 

be pumped dry in three hours when yielding 35 gaflons a minute 

(about 4 miner's inches). About 100 feet west of this well anoffcer 

well, in which the depth to water is ajbout 56 feet, is said to pt&fo 

struck granite at a depth of 100 feet. About a mile northeast of tltt£ 

well is Sidewinder Well, a roadside watering place, which is 33 fee't 

deep, with 30 feet to water. When visited, this well was «*quippe$ 

with a hand pump, A well on the Adams ranch, in the SW.M sec. 4, 

T. 6 N., K. 3 W., is 75 feet deep, and the depth to water is reported

 to be 64 feet. It is said that this well is easily pumped dry. A well 

ia the ,SE.M see. 27, T. 7 N., R. 3 W.» near the head ol S^wwMter 

Valley, fe said to reach water »t «, depth of 130 feet. This walj yieiite 

about 90 gallons a minute (10 miner's inches).

Apparently water may be obtained throughout mo&t of tbe 

gently sloping upper part of Sidewinder Valley -a-t. a depth of ksf 

100 feet, Near the upper borders of the valley the depth may 

greater. The yield of the few wells for which any data are «T*i 

is small, and it is doubtful if any large quantity of water cswj. fee 

(obtained. The drainage area is not great, and the raiafall in -light, 

so that the quantity of water added annually to tha 

«Hpply can hardly be v-ery great. Furthermore, the slope of 

valley toward Moifcave Eiver is sufficient for a conti 

i&. that 'direction. Indeed, it is surprising that the water table i» so

 close to the surface, pedess a rock barrier has raised it ,*o-oa«wtLa&. 

Although all the wells in the upper part of the valley appb&rsatty 

arfe dug in alluvium, it may be that bedrock lies at no great ,dep*h a*wl 

that tb« water encountered is a body only a lew feet thick which ie 

<heM up on tfee rock aad whieh is movkig slowly toward 

The prosp« te for ground-water dev^lopmeat are not «e good 

Sidewinder Valley as on the east and west mesas.
414 THE MOHAVE DEBEBT BEGION, CALIFOENLA.

UPLAND EAST OF MOHAVB RIVES BETWEEN OEO GBAND® AND HHLENDALE

Several wells have been drilled on the upland east of Mohave 

River between Oro Grande and Helendale. In this area an alluvial 

slope rises rather steeply from the flood plain to hills and mountains 

3 to 5 miles .east of the river. There is no sharp boundary between 

the flood plain and the alluvial slope.

In the lower part of the alluvial slope, near Bryman station, water 

is obtained at a depth of 15 feet in well 277 and at a depth of 54 feet 

less than half a mile farther east, in well 276. In the NW. ^ NE. M 

sec. 19, T. 7 N., R. 4 W., well 303, on the E. B. Rowley ranch, is 275 

feet deep, and the depth to water is reported as 57 feet. This well 

is reported to yield nearly 900 gallons a minute (100 miner's inches). 

In well 304, on the east side of this same section, the depth to water 

is 94 feet. Well 306, in sec. 18, T. 7 N., R. 4 W., is 270 feet deep, 

with 55 feet to water. This well is said to yield 1,125 gallons a 

minute (125 miner's inches).

In general it seems probable that wells on the lower part of the 

alluvial slope will obtain good yields at depths of less than 100 feet. 

The alluvial slope rises so steeply, however, that the area in which 

the water table is close enough to the surface for economical 

pumping does not extend more than 1^ miles east of the river 

flood plain, and in some places it may be less.

PUBLIC SUPPUBS

Water for public use is distributed at Victorville by the Victorville 

Domestic Water Co., and at Hesperia by the Hesperia Water Co. 

Both companies are subsidiaries of the Appleton Land, Water & 

Power Co.

The Victorville supply is obtained from seven tunnels, from 3 to 

7 feet long, driven into the cliffs west of the river about half a mile 

north of the center of the town. These tunnels penetrate a hard, 

impervious clay bed, 2 to 7 feet thick, above which the water Js 

found. ' The location of the clay bed is indicated by a succession of 

seeps for a considerable distance. The seven tunnels are distributed 

over a distance of about 200 feet. The horizon of the springs lies 

about 10 feet above the flat of a low terrace along the river. The 

water is carried through ditches to a collecting reservoir that has a 

capacity of 75,000 gallons. Thence it is pumped into a 50,000-gallom 

distributing reservoir, at the top of the cliffs, 118 feet above the 

terrace, giving a pressure in the lower part of the town of about 

65 pounds. The water is pumped into the distributing reservoir by 

an electrically operated belt-driven triplex pump which has a capacity 

of 39 gallons a minute. The water is distributed through 6 and 4 inch, 

mains. The yield of the seven tunnels is about 90 gallons a minute
MOHAVE EIVER BASIN ,

(10 miner's inches) and is said to be nearly constant from season to 

season. The seepage along the horizon of the springs is apparently 

greater in winter, but this is believed to be due to an actual increase 

in the flow but to decreased evaporation. As shown by analysis jjk 

the table on page 417, the water is very good for all purposes, jS^ fa?jp 

its mineral content is concerned. The situation of the tunjafjbyJb 

such that if reasonable precautions are taken to prevent contamination 

between the tunnels and the distribution system, the water is safe lor 

human consumption. In December, 1917, the company served about 

150 customers, who represented about 90 per cent of the water users 

of the town. At that time the rate for domestic use in houses was 

$1.25 a month. :: f

The water for Hesperia is obtained from Deep Creek, a> short distance above the Forks of Mohave River. It is carried through 4 miles 

of ditches and 6 Ms miles of pipe line to a reservoir on the south edge of 

the town. The Hesperia Water Co. operates only from the reserproi^ 

the pipe line and ditches above that being owned by the Appletoiji 

Land, Water & Power Co. The original capacity of the ditches and 

pipe line feeding the reservoir was about 10,800 gallons a minute (1,200 

miner's inches), but hi 1917 it had dropped to about 6,750 gallons a 

minute (750 miner's inches). The company at that time was restoring the system to its original capacity. Most of the water carried by 

the Appleton Land, Water & Power Co. fe used for irrigation. In 

1917 there were only 10 connections for domestic use, and the rate for 

these was $1.25 a month. The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

Co. buys some water from the company.

QUAITTY OF WATER

Analyses of samples of water collected at eight different places in 

the Upper Mohave Valley are given on page 417. Of these samples, six 

come from wells, one from the springs that furnish the public supply 

for Victorville, and one from Mohave River at Victorville. The 

analyses show that the water obtained in wells nearly everywhere is 

good for domestic use and irrigation and fair or good for boiler use. 

One sample (analysis 5) from Sidewinder Well (No. 338), is inferior 

in quality to the other samples. It contains 636 parts per million of 

total dissolved solids. It is satisfactory for drinking, but only fair 

for washing on account of the high content of iron. It is bad for 

boiler use because of the tendency to foam. It is considered only 

fair for irrigation. The other samples contain less than 400 parts per 

million of total dissolved solids and are considered good for domestic 

use and irrigation and fair for boiler use. The samples from the 

springs that furnish the public supply for Victorville and from Mohave 

River are exceptionally low in mineral content and are good for all 

purposes.
416 TBE MOHA.VB DESEKT REGION, CALIFORNIA

T!*e water m. $t» rivet at Yictorville differs from season to season, 

as it is somewhat more mineralized in dry seasons, on account of 

evaporation. However, a determination of the total solids in ths 

river water at the Upper Narrows on August 10, 1902, showed only 

135 parts per million.*11" The chloride content was 20>1 parts pw 

million. Determinations were also made in the same month vt 

samples from wells in the bed of tbe river at the narrows, and in 

none of them were the total solids higher than 150 parts per million., 

These samples were taken in the dry season, when th« mineral content 

of the water might be -expected to be higher than at other times, 

The low mineral content of the samples from the surface flow and 

underflow of the river is an indication that the water from welte 

along the river flood plain above the narrows is good for all purposes.

N'O 'samples were collected very close to any of the ;play«a. It ii 

said that the water in several wells near the playa in Fifteemnife 

Valley is too salty to drink, especially after the wells have not been 

pumped for some time. So far as is known, the water around th» 

play a in Deadman Valley and around El Mirage Dry Lake is good 

enough for domestic use and irrigation,

*» Slichter, O. S., Field measurements of the rate of movement of underground waters: XT. B. Geol. Surrey 

0, p. 84, 1905.
"*;t%T®:?Wf!&:Y'/TffcWHN . 

in, U$$4r Methane Valley'

Silica (SiOs) -. 

Irea(I*)_._ . 

CMctum (Ca)\.

-. _ . ..,,.< _. _ _^^._ 

8tk&um antfpotasskun (N»4-E) eaicmatedt. 

Carbonate radicle (C0i>. __ , - , 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs).

.-.... _ -

Ttital' dissolved solids at 180° C.. .. 

Tptal hardness as CaCO* (calculated)- 

Etete of collection.. .....................

22

.Sfr 

2* 

2.1 

79

a

9fr

129

5.8 

Trace.

292

.90- 20

.

17

46

a

ISA

8.S 

Traeeu. 

330 

140

ie

Trace. 

40

O 

7»

0 

88 

19?a* .0

378

113

4.9 

SI 

0

11*

a

6fl

8.3 

M

.. 

Item ^Ve).... ...............................

Catatam (.Ga);-- _ ...., . _ ...- ....

Magnesium (Mg) __ .-.. ... _____ . and patassiuro (Na+K) calculated.

B*carb8nate.radicle(H.C.O.a),- 

8alph-jt«-ra<Jie}e (SOr). 

CMxadda radicle. (Qll-m ,

. ....... ...

'disseJ-eed aollds atiso0 «..... . 

' hardness as OaOOs-(crfbidated) . 

Date qf coUection ..-,., -^., _ ,

38 

Tracer

54

s. a

63

ff

193

91

374ie395

171

.07- ..Mi

29 

O

122 

7.4. 

9.1 

.98 

147 

58 <*)

16

flu 

88 

7.,'fc 

6.0 

.36 

117 

49

20

72i

 Enclodes sHiea (SKh), iroa-eside (Fe?O%), and adumtaom oxide (A}jO»).

* CalculaiBd.

. . 

< Nov.,2Z,,18ia. 

"Dec. 3», 1917- Jf 0816001064 with the: Whitney electrolytic bridge. 

» At«. 12, I«K. 

* r»ee. sa, istt.7.

«-Mar: 17, 1998. 

i Aug. 10, 1906.

Analysts: 1, 2, 3, 6, S. C. Dinsmore; 4. Los Angeles & Salt Lafee Railroad; 5, Addle T. Qeiger, IT; 

GteoB. Snrvey;?; A.Jt. Cbaraheis, G. ST. GJBOJ. Sarvess.S1, WaltoaVawWlalda.

t. WfcB 208} pi. 29, aad-table on,p. 3fl9;||S.Hi Biohardsan,,ewner. 

ftom which one of three wells is not known. 

2; Weft~2U3t J& 22, and tabft on p. 368, O. W. Jessup, owner. 

3. Wefl 246, pi. 27, and table on p. 400, KT. McDonald, owner.

A4el»nto, bw*

4. Wfell 325, &: 23, and ttibleon p. 409, Atoaison, Topeka & San 

llle. Analysis furnished by Los Angeles & Salt LaRe Railroad;

Topeka & Santa F&BaiWay ]

ville. Analysis furnished by Los Angeles & Salt LaRe Railroad; i-ecaicnlatBd*front! 

tionsfin.graiBS p«r United States gallon. A.sampl&callwted' (fQ>iuty22t ,WQr.fUuAt 

contained 208 parts per million total solids. 

& Well 338) pk 22, and table on p. 402. SidawindeF Well.

6. WeU 344, pi. 22, and table on p. 402". A. G. Trendett, owner.

7. SpringF-probably.in se«. 9, T. 5 KT<., R. 4 W., San Bemaidino ,meri4ian, ViototvUIe Damestic Wat«* 

Co., owner; furnishes public supply for VlctorvUle.

81 Mohaw River at VictcaJviHe. TJ. S. 3o«l. Surrey Water-Supply Pause 283; p/. 12V 191ft 

9. Mohave River at Victorville. ir. S: Geol. Survey Water-SuppljrPaper 140, p>8K, ttOR,

AGBICTJITUKAi DEVELOPMENT

Accouding to statiatica presented in the report of> 

River Commission the total area ift the Upper Mobave ¥alfegr suitahife 

for agriculture is about 325)00^- aeres.39 The; area consideEed? ia tk&t 

report is essentaaliff the same: as that showo. @n Plattt; 22, Qf tihia 

area about one-third comsists of patented railroad lands,, p-anfc 

raikoad lands, State school lands, or lwa<ia.

" McClure, W. F., and others, Beport on the utilization of Mobave Hivwfteirrigation iKWo^VSaHeyv. 

CaHf.: ©tfliftirrta B^pfe Ing. BuH. 5, p. 26,1918. :
tf

THE MtfAtEs »15SE»ftcftEtlON, CALDFOBNIA

the Appleton Land, Water & Power Co., the Arrowhead Reservoir & 

Power Co., or the Rancho Verde Co. that is, it is owned or controlled by a few organizations. The remaining two-thirds is public 

land, nearly all of which has been applied for under the homestead 

and desert-land acts and some of which has been patented.

Of the total area of 325,000 acres only about 7,700 acres, or less 

than 2.5 per cent, was irrigated at the time of the investigation" by 

the commission.40 About one-third of this area was irrigated from 

the river and two-thirds from wells. About 72 per cent of the irrigated 

land was along the river bottom or the bench between the flood plain 

And the east mesa; 16 per cent was on the west mesa, including El 

Mirage Valley; and 12 per cent was on the east mesa and in Deadman and Fifteenmile Valleys. By comparing the area of land 

irrigated in each unit to the area in that unit that is suitable for 

agriculture, however, it is found that the area irrigated on the river 

flood plain is about 35 per cent of the available area in that unit, 

the irrigated area on the west mesa is only about one-half of 1 per 

cent of the available area, and that on the east mesa is about 2.5 

per cent. In brief, the greatest development, both in area and percentage of possible development, has been on the river flood plain 

and the bench between it and the east mesa; and although the area 

developed on the west mesa is somewhat larger than that on the east 

mesa, the percentage of possible development has been somewhat less.

These conditions are more or less directly due to conditions that 

govern the water supply. Along the river a considerable area is 

irrigated by water diverted from the river in a number of ditches at 

different places from the vicinity of the Forks down as far as Bryman.41 

The largest area irrigated in the entire valley is at the Rancho Verde, 

on the river flood plain south of the Upper Narrows, where about 

1,000 acres is under cultivation, of which about 400 acres is irrigated 

with water from the river and the remainder from wells. About 

9,000 gallons a minute (1,000 miner's inches) is diverted from the 

river, about 8,000 gallons a minute (880 miner's inches) is obtained 

from seven pumped wells, and about 3,150 gallons a minute (350 

miner's inches) is obtained from 12 flowing wells. On account of 

the relative cheapness of water from the river and from wells in 

which the lift is low, most of the irrigated land along the river is 

devoted to alfalfa. The greater part of the area irrigated along the 

river lies above the Upper Narrows.

The relatively greater percentage of irrigated area with respect 

to total agricultural land on the east mesa as compared to the west 

mesa is due in a large part to the fact that the area in which economical 

pumping is possible is relatively larger on the east mesa, where the

1 "McClure, W. F., and others, op. cit., p. 28.

|t,« Data in regard to ditch filings and appropriation of water from Mohave River are gjvan in the report 

of the Mohave River Commission: California Dept. Eng. Bull. 5, pp. 48-49, 1918.
:: MOHAVE M¥EE BASIN 419

area in which the depth to water is less than 100 feefc elvers frosau 

one-'fotirth to one-third of the ^entire mesa, including Deadman and 

Fifteomnile Valleys; and the area in wMeh the depth to water,is jM>t 

more' Sthan 200 feet covers fully two-thirds of the entire mesa, if aot 

more. On the west mesa the area in which the depth to water is 

less than 100 feet covers probably not more than one-fourth of 

mesa, and the area in which it is less than 200 feet covers prob 

not over one-half of the mesa. Furthermore, the lands on the 

mesa that are most favorably situated with respect to gr0und-wa*er 

conditions are much nearer to Victorville. Throughout a liurge port 

of the west mesa the depth to water is too great to permit water for 

irrigation to be profitably pumped. In the areas on the east- and 

west mesas where there has been any irrigation the water is used 

principally for fruit orchards, as the pumping lift is generally too 

great for the profitable raising of alfalfa, except on some oft the loir; 

land around El Mirage Dry Lake.

One drawback to irrigation development on the mesas, especialljr 

the west mesa, has been the small yields from many of the wells, few 

of them yielding as much as 450 gallons a minute and some of them 

less than half as much. The initial cost of the well and pumping 

plant is a considerable item. Few individuals can invest enough 

capital to farm enough land to run a pump to capacity all the time. 

When a plant is idle a large part of the time the depreciation is relatively high as compared to the return. The cost of the water can 

be reduced materially if two or three landowners will unite to obtain 

water from a single well. In this way the cost of additional wells 

and pumping plants is saved, and the one pumping plant may be 

used to its fullest efficiency.

An example of a plan to reduce pumping costs by the reduction of 

pumping equipment is found at Adelanto. At this place the Adelanto Water Co. has been organized to develop water more cheaply 

than can be done by individual effort. The company is a mutual 

organization, and stock in it is purchased by landowners according 

to the acreage irrigated and the quantity of water used. The developments at Adelanto have been largely under the direction of E. H. 

Richardson, of Ontario, Calif., who has spared no effort to develop 

a community that will be a model, as regards both economic and 

social conditions, for other projects to reclaim desert lands. The 

yield of wells at Adelanto is from 90 to 225 gallons a minute (10 to 

25 miner's inches), and it is not possible to obtain enough water 

from one well for a large acreage. The maximum pumping lift is 

about 150 feet, and it is, necessary to reduce the cost of pumping as 

much as possible. The original cost of installation and the subse* 

quent cost of labor in pumping are reduced by pumping with com* 

pressed air, which is distributed from a centralized
420 THE MOHAVE DESERT KEGIGN, CALIFORNIA

When tMted by tibe writec in December, 101%. fe*ir<:w»Ite 

were pumped from thia central compressor stjttioa (Nos. 2Q2r 2 ar 

2G5, and 289). The coinpreasor plant is near the- ceaisar ci sec. 28, 

T. 8 N., E. 5 W. San, Bem&rdino meridian. Two of tbe wells <N<sa. 

202 mid 203) ore within 300 feet of the plant, a third CN«x. 2&ft) ia 

about a quarter of a mile distant, and the fourth is half a. mite iuorth 

aod half a mite west from the plant. It is stated thai the k>s& in axe* 

transmission to the farthest wedl is very little, and, the cempa&y. 

hopes to be able t& oarrj air I or $ miles, ii necessary/. Thfl 

water is distributed through concrete pipe,, and in 1919 the company 

bad laid about I mile of 10-ineh pipe and 2^ miles of 8-inch pipe* 

The longest fun of water through the pipe is about 1M mil®. The 

w*ter is distributed by gravity. Two cement reservoirs, each of 

which, ha* a capacity of 250,000 gallons, am provided near tfes cw&tmi 

plant. These reservoirs are filled! during- the* nigfatti,. and the 

used during the day. During the irrigating season, tfat 

plant is run practically all the time. Im Jmita, 1931, the system was 

u«*d te> iifigftte 100 acres of pears from 2 to & years old, 45 a&ree of 

apples from, 4 to 5 years old, and 60 acres of farm e*op». At tbafe 

time it was planned to add an additional 100 acres and to driH. Bi«re 

wells, Seine fruit had been sold, but the trees had not all soadhed 

beating age, and it is not possible to give data ewa th& yklds. Ttee 

cost of water in 1921 was $15 to $18 an acre a yean, iueliwLing ponror* 

upkeep, and labor of pumping but not the

IEEIGATTON PROJECTS AND DISTRICTS

Because the depth to water throughout a large parti of the ea*t and 

west mesas is too great for profitable pumpng, projects have been 

\radfer way for some years to divert water from the. headwater region 

of Mohave River for irrigating land on these are AS. Tbese projector 

are briefly described below, chiefly from the* report of the Molaasre 

Eiver Commission. Most of the wnirrigated patented land cm the 

east and west mesas is being held by tihe owners in the btOfpe 

water lor irrigation may be obtained from the river. In 

1922, the projects were still under consid&raiiom, ao tha.t 

s^4®Bte&tf is not indicative of final plans.

As cteseiibfcd on page® 3^1-^384, the firs* development «f the headwftfc^ra 

of Mohave Eiver was undertakea ia the eighties and oariljr nm^feie^ 

amd more o» leae work continuing the early development has been, 

done from time to time. The water rights and improvements are 

now controlled by two companies tbe> Appteton Land, Watee & 

Bower Co. and the Arrowhead Reservoir & P^wer Co. The h$ldi»gs 

of the Appleton Land, Water & Power Go. consist pri»ieipa% el wftfeet 

rights on Deep Creek and of ditches and pipe line feeding 

Deep Creek to lands owned by the company ia tl^ vieinity ol
The ooiapftny; owns about 20,000 acres erf kcd oa the river 

flood plain and west aaesa, but oudy t r^ry small portion; of it hft& 

In'CH. irrigated. T he Arrowhead Reservoir & Fewer Co, eontrok -fehe 

a^ailabk reservoir sites on the East Fork (D«^p Creek) and 

Fork and their tribntaries. It has partly gpastructed a dam 

a reservoir ID Little Bean Valley, and also partly drrnem tunnefeto coo*. 

meet reservoirs to be created on others of the headwater streams. The 

company owns or controls about 16,000 acres of land, of wMch ftb&ut, 

12,000 acres is in the mountains. The remainder is <M>aapeesfiici fcf;. 

riparian lands scattered along the river for some distance below 

Victorvilkt, which were purchased: to quiet opfjositika* from adverse 

claimants to- water rights. Practically no land is, irrigated by* the) 

company.

The greater part of the east and west mesas is not included in the 

lfcu<4$ owned by the Appleton Land, Water & Power Cft., oar the^ AcrawN 

h»ad! Reservoir & Power Co., and its owners haye aot b«en w. * position 

td> benefit by the developments on the headwaters of the rirer. In. 

1913 iQidarf of the landowners and entrymen on both mesas forjnad, 

the Vktor Valley Mutual Water & Power District Association, tm 

unincorporated organization, with voluntary membership. One of the 

chief objects of this association was to obtain the development oi the 

hwtdwater* of Mohave River as a project of th© Federal GoTernmeut, 

Such development was not found to be possible.

After the passage in 1916 of the Smith Act, which permitted thfl 

ifictosiom oi Government land in irrigation districts organized, uncter 

State Laws, the Victor Valley association propa»ed the organization 

ol»(iis$?ict to inokide 55,000 acres on the east and west mesas. The 

eBtryjgaea on the east mesa demurred, befiendxig that they c®uM gat 

water cbeapeyfroni »& independent system aerviog- oaily tibst area, aaid 

undertook the organiaation of the Mohave River irr%ation diestrH^. 

Subs«qmeatiy the Victoi Valley irrigatiojai district was proptssei ^ 

include only the west mesa. The organizatioii of tha tw& disfcri0te 

w*e delayed, pending the* approval of the co:\nLty board ol snpenriaosm. 

The organi^.tiea of the Mobave River irrigaiiioik ddstr-kt wa» eventualty eoinp-Jeted ®n April 9^ 1917, and that «f, the Yicter¥altey irrigar \ 

tfen district on October 22, 1917.

The Mohave River irrigation district as organised cofnpsaed 3[7,fblS 

acres, ol whkli 2©,8>74 »eres was imgable. The distciot originally 

to purchase tiae Forks reservoir site from the Ayrow-haasd 

& Power Co, The watear was to be- earned to the e«»t m«sa 

12 mites ofi taaanei and ©anal, with a siphon. Water-for aaosfc ojl 

mesa would be distributed by gravity, but for tlie h%h iaotd 06, 

the south it would have to be IMtad about 100 feet. Later t&e di&tricfc 

to. unite with the A^pJteton Land", Water <fe FpwerrC?0. 

5631 29 ^28
422 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

and the landowners on the west mesa to obtain wa^er from Little 

Bear Reservoir, but the result of this action is not known.

The Victory Valley irrigation district, as organized, included 71,517' 

acres, of which 65,000 acres was considered to be irrigable. The 

district does not cover any land of the Appleton' Land, Water & 

Power Co. At the time of its organization the district obtained 

options to purchase all or parts of the properties of the Arrowhead 

Reservoir & Power Co. It was proposed to purchase all the properties 

for $2,500,000.

Two plans were suggested to distribute water to the lands of the 

district. One plan calls for the completion of the Little Bear Valley/ 

Reservoir and inlet works and construction of a conduit from the 

reservoir across West Fork of Mohave River to the west mesa. Toe j 

conduit would be 27 miles long and would consist of a tunnel in the 

upper part, an inverted siphon across West Fork, and concrete pipe 

in the lower end. A power drop of 810 feet would be developed. 

Under this plan all the water would be distributed by gravity. Under 

the second plan the Little Bear Valley Reservoir would be completed, 

and the water would all be carried to the Forks in a power conduit. 

The Forks reservoir site would be improved. Water for the higher 

land of the district would have to be lifted to a high-line canal, and 

the lowlands would be served by gravity. A combination of tb« 

two plans has been suggested whereby sufficient water to serve,the 

higher lands by gravity would be carried direct to them from the 

Little Bear Valley Reservoir, and the remainder would be diverted 

to the Forks Reservoir.

As a result of its investigation the Mohave River Commission 

considered it doubtful whether water from the Arrowhead Reservoir 

& Power system could be supplied to the Victor Valley irrigation 

district at a reasonable cost, on account of the length of conduit, 

expensive nature of construction, small quantity of water available, 

and comparatively small amount of power to be developed.42 The 

commission suggested that some land on the east mesa could be 

irrigated from the Little Bear Valley Reservoir at less expense than' 

that of carrying the water to the west mesa and that reservoirs oil 

the West Fork could be used to store water for the west mesa. It 

also suggested that the present ditch and pipe lines of the Appleton 

Land, Water & Power Co. would be of value for the distribution of 

water to the east mesa and to lands near the river on the west mesa;

The commission pointed out that the average annual discharge 

of the headwaters of Mohave River is about 90,000 acre-feet. Of 

this quantity the commission considered that about one-third is 

available for storage in Little Bear Valley and one-third for storage

« McClure, W. F., and others, Report on the utilization of Mohave River for irrigation in Victor Valley, 

Calif.: California Dept. Eng. Bull. 5, p. 81,1918.
in proposed reservoirs on the upper part of West Fork that isr about 

60,000, iwre-feet is available for use on the east or west mesas. The 

commission believed that one-third should Jp$ allowed for riparian 

lands along the river. It is not clear whether this quantity includes 

w^ter that is now absorbed by the alluvium and replenishes th©> 

ground-water supply in parts of the drainage below Victor Valley; 

(See p. 434.)

The commission considered that the proper duty of water is between 1.25 and 1.50 acre-feet. On this basis sufficient water ; |s 

available to irrigate about 45,000 acres on the two mesas. If ,tbe; 

1 water is to be most economically used it is necessary that opposing. 

interests in different parts of the valley unite to bring about an 

equitable distribution of water with the least expense. The commission has suggested the following plan: Water for the west mesa 

should be stored hi reservoirs on the upper part of the West Fork 

(above the junction with Horsethief Canyon), and the initial unit 

should have a capacity of 33,000 acre-feet, subsequently to be enlarged to 60,000 acre-feet. The west mesa district, with the initial 

unit, would include 18,400 acres and eventually would include 29,000 

acres. The east mesa would obtain water from the Little Bear 

Valley Reservoir system, and the irrigation district would, include 

23,000 acres. The total area of the two districts would be about 

52,000 acres, of which about 45,000 acres would be irrigated.

MIDDLE MOHAVE VALLEY 

GENERAL FEATURES

In this report the name "Middle Mohave Valley" is applied to an 

expansion of the lowland along Mohave River between Hicks and 

Barstow and northward to low hills north of Hinkley. The greatest 

development is near Hinkley, and the valley is locally called Hinkley 

Valley. As nearly as can be determined from available data, the 

town of Hinkley and a considerable area around it is not in the 

Mohave River drainage basin but in the drainage basin of Harper 

Dry Lake, on the north. The divide in this locality, however, is 

indefinite, and that part of the Harper Dry Lake basin is considered 

here. The part of the Mohave River basin that lies between Helendale and Hicks (see pi. 17) and a few sections east of Barstow are 

also described.

Barstow, the only large town hi the area, is an important railroad 

junction, and the population largely consists of railroad workers. 

It has good stores and garage and several hotels. In 1917 Hinkley 

and Hicks each had a small store, and Hinkley had a post office. 

Hjelendale had a post office but no store. Wild and Todd are railway 

sidings only, with a few houses for section hands, where water canbe obtained in an emergency. :
424 THE MOHAVE BBBBRT f^SION,

Good train service fe available along the^tw© liaes 

Topeka & Santa Fe Hallway. The National fet Trails? Bead para&efo 

tfeer Los Angeles liae of' the Santa Fe, and a roa$ of less ifflapoartance 

which leads westward along the San- Franeisoo line is used' for travel 

to Kramer, Mbjare, arod San Joaquin Valley and to the 

district and Owens Valley. A road teads- southward? from 

to Stoddard Well and Victorville. The land west of Mohanw 

is largely isolated from the-east side-because of the sandy riv*r bottom. 

Automobiles- sometimes- cross near Hefeiadale, but a number of tifeem 

have become stuck. When the river is not passable in order to readhr 

t&e west side it is* necessary to g& sauth to* tfce brkfcge 21 mile* sotttib 

of Ore Grande or to cross- the river at Barstow.

«

PHYSICAI FEATURES!

The divide of the Mohave Kiver drainage basin i& Binktey Valley m 

shewn on Plate 17. This boundary is only approximate, as practieafiy 

ner part of the area is covered by topographie maps. Tie are* 

extends northeast, and the river crosses it in the same-genial dwee^QB.

ffirom the vfcinity of Helendale to Hsefcs the conditions' akwig the 

river are- nrach- th& same- as between the Lower Narrows aad" Hkfes, 

except that the change from the lowland along tfce river t& ^e uplwaxk 

is not quite so abrupt as- farther south. The river is bordered? by fc 

flood plain that is from* a few hundred yards to a mile wide. I» 

most of this stretch the river is dry for much of the year, but near 

Hicks and possibly at other places the water flows where bedrock 

evidently is close to the surface'. The water is near the surface and 

for a large part of the year appears in a small stream where the 

channel is close to a rock butte at the, west end ol Barstow.

West of the river the land rises laoire or less gradually to low mUsh 

tbait are 6- to-10 miles distant. East of the river the land, rises somewhat more steeply to hills and mountains that are higher than those 

west of the riven. The lower slopes consist of alluvium, washed down 

fjQm the hUfe and mouataijas. In the: upper part of the slopes,, 

however,, the alluvium is probably not very thick.

A sh©a?t distance north of Hicks the lowland that bowlers Mohave 

River widens out into- a Large alluvium-filled basin. An almost 

level plsia. extends nearly 10 miles northward to low hills north of 

Hinkley and as far northeast to Barstow, where the lowland agaia 

becomes constricted. On the southeast, although the hills are some 

miles from, the river,, the lowland does net extend farther than approxuaaately, to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe tracks. A lai^e 

valley that eater& southeast of Todd station reaches back 15- miles 

oar mare to tjue base of Ord Mountain and the Granite Mountains 

This valley may be called Stoddard Valley, as Stoddard Well is near 

the head of its southwest arm.
In order to iinderstand the condifckrns that goT^m the 

of 'ground water la the lowland east and southeast of Hiiikiey it ie

to cousickr briefly the relatioais fbetweee tMs area 

¥slley, whidl joins it on the ndfth. They 

Ipfcge*428i429. Hie bottom of Harper Valley is eefetpsed Ig 

known as Harper Dry Lake, which is about 16© fee* beJew 

Biver neeur Totld station and afoomt 120 feet below the va-ttey 

Hinkley. On the west, northwest, and north hills ia which 

crops out separate the lowland around Hiukley froto knd. 

*lop8B directly to the play a. The hils extend eastward aimettt 

continuously to tfese «r«a beyond Barstow, but titej «-re broken by ft 

low, broad pass into Harper Valley about 2 Hi wi^ aoi'i3ie«*& fcf 

Huikley. ,,:

Tite lowland is so caatmuoTasly bordered by these tall* <«a the west 

and north that at first gknce they seem to form the divid-e 

Mohwvw Valley and Harper V«dley. A definite dttfciaAge lmet. 

ever, extends from .Harper Dry Lake «outkvrmrd through ^be 

uortheftst oi Hinkley and reaches at least as far as ti*e nortbe«tgi«rti 

part oi sec, 24, T. 10 N., R, 3 W. The land for seTertd square miice 

near Hmkley is so nearly level that it is almost impossible to &tt 

without instruments which way it slopes. In tibee absence of 4etail*cl 

levefeig, as nearly as can be determined from waterooumes, «.n v»- 

completed topographic map, and railroad profiles, the divide between the Mohave drainage basin and Harper V<ey Apparently 

extends northeastward across the southeastern, paart of T. 10 N«, 

5L 8 W., «8 shown on Plate 18. Patches of bare, haftieaed m«ttl ae«r 

HinHey indicate that the slope may not be sufficient to carry off 

the storm water, but if there is any surface drainage ifi tiaM locrajity 

it must go toward Harper Dry Lake. Although the lowland between Mohave River and Hinkley lies partly in. two distinct drdtoage 

basins, the ovciuTence of ground water is apparently unaffected b? 

the atrrface divide. There is reaeon to ibelief^ that ground 

mores from Mohave E-iver into Harjffitr Vulley.

At Barstow the lowland,along Mohave River become* 

and £roM that place down as far «s Daggett it is not raoiKi tbam!«. 

mile ifid« and hi gome places leas. Nortik of the river rise 

toountaiaafl of oM cryatalliae end Tertiary eruptive rocks. 

these mountains w typical aMuvdti slop® extends toward th+. 

Northwest of Barstow the slope is broken by a somewhat abrupt 

descent to the lowland, but farther east it merges into the lowland 

"without any steep descent. In the area ribrthwtwst of BafBtt>ir:>'bed- 

'rock is exposed at many places, and thfe seemmf afluTial sle^fe fe 

probably in TeaBty a mountain pe^ment tmderiain by fcedr^it ^f tofr 

fereat depth over a considerate area. On the smith *Mte tf^tfcfe. 

lowland, «t the east and west en5s of Barsttur, stand two large Wife
426 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

of Tertiary eruptive rocks, which rise abruptly close to the river 

channel. Each hill is about a third of a mile in diameter and between 

100 and 200 feet in height. Several knobs of roeks of the same 

kind rise from the river lowland north and northeast of town. Between the two hills mentioned, and for several miles southwest and 

southeast of them the land rises rather gradually several hundred 

feet to a high ridge with rounded outlines. This ridge, wherever 

seen, is composed of unconsolidated alluvium, probably of Quaternary age. In a railroad cut on the south side of the rock hill east of 

Barstow gravel beds abut against the Tertiary eruptive rock*. 

Presumably the gravel, which is probably between 25 and 50 feet 

above the present river bed, was deposited by Mohave River at an 

earlier time in its history.

The profile of the alluvial slope northwest of Barstow, if projected 

across the lowland to the rock hill on the west edge of the town, 

would indicate that prior to the erosion of the present valley the 

river ran at a somewhat higher level. There is similar evidence at 

intervals upstream, as far as the San Bernardino Mountains, that the 

river has trenched its valley to a depth of 25 to 200 feet or more 

since the late Tertiary or Pleistocene time. If the main features of 

relief in the valley at the time Mohave River was at a higher level 

were about as they are to-day it seems probable that the river, for 

some time at least, may have flowed into Harper Valley and formed 

a lake. No outstanding lake beaches or cliffs were observed by the 

writer during a few hours' visit to the valley, but more careful study 

may reveal evidence of the existence of a lake. It is reported that 

shells were found at a depth of about 200 feet in a well drilled near

Harper Dry Lake.

sons

The soil in a considerable area adjacent to Mohave River is very 

sandy, especially in the area north of Hicks, where the water is below 

the reach of the water-loving plants and the sand is blown into low 

hummocks around the plants that do exist. In the lowland between 

the river and Hinkley there are numerous patches of clay. In several 

places these patches were observed to produce bad roads in wet 

weather, and they are poorly drained for farming. On the uplands 

the soil is generally the typical coarse arkosic sandy soil formed 

from the weathering of the crystalline and eruptive rocks.

VEGETATION

The slopes of the upland have a typical growth of creosote bush. 

Along the stretches of the river where the ground water is close to 

the surface mesquite, willow, poplar, salt grass, and other waterloving forms flourish. Where the depth to water along the river is 

greater the soil is very sandy, and only the most resistant types occur.
MOHAYE JRIYEB 3ASIN

In places on the lowlands between the river and Hinkley, where the 

soil is clayey, the vegetation is sparse.

I PRECIPITATION '

, j The only records of precipitation available are those for parstpw. 

These records, which are given on pages 85-94, show the average 

annual precipitation at that place to be about 4 M inches. The Iaii4 

in the Middle Mohave Valley that is available for agriculture lies at 

about the same altitude as that at Barstow, and the precipitation is 

practically the same.

Ord Mountain and the Granite Mountains, at the head of Stoddard 

Valley, rise to an altitude of 3,000 to 5,000 feet, and the precipitation 

on them may be a little greater than in the valley. None of $ie 

' other mountains rise high enough to influence the precipitation greatly.

WATER EESOUICES 

GENERAL FEATURES -'-

Mohave River is the only stream in the valley, and there is no oilier 

available source of surface water. The flow of the river during tie 

irrigation season is practically zero, and the area that is irrigated 

with water from the river, if any, is negligible.

 In discussing the ground-water conditions the area may be divided 

into several parts, as follows: The part between Helendale and Hicks, 

both lowland and upland; the lowland between Hicks, Hinkley, and 

Barstow, locally known as Hinkley Valley; the river valley from 

Barstow eastward for 2 or 3 miles; and Stoddard Valley.

The locations of wells for which data are available are shown on 

Plate 17, which also shows wells in Harper Valley. The essential 

data in regard to these wells are given in the table on pages 435-436. 

Wells 51 to 102, except 96, are within the drainage basin of Mohave 

Kiver. '

HELENDALE-HICKS AREA

Practically all the wells in the Helendale-Hicks area are close to 

the river. The river is generally bordered by a flood plain a few 

feet above the present river channel. From the outer edge of the 

flood plain the alluvial slopes rise, in some places steeply, 10 to 

50 feet or more, in other places more gradually. The depth to water 

on the flood plain is generally less than 25 feet, and in some places 

it is not more than 10 feet. Away from the flood plain the depth. 

to water increases with the altitude of the surface. Few wells have 

been drilled on the upland, and few data are available as to the depth 

to water there. In wells 94 and 95, in sees. 14 and 15, T. 7 N., R. 

§ W., the depth to water is 143 and 132 feet, respectively. In well 

^0, in sec. 23, T. 8 N., R. 4 W., the depth to ^ater is 127 feet, and 

iin well 91, in the next section to the east; it is 160 feet. In well 102,
428 THE MOHATM UESEKT KE&ION, CAMFOENIA,

in tkB S, H'JBOC. 19, T, 8 N., ft. 4 W., the depth to *»<«r is 52 feet, 

and it is about the same in wells &§ and £6, in aees, 7 and $8, T. 5 

N., R. 3 W.

The alluvium of the lowland yields much water. Many of the 

welfe are dug, and they t>btatn large quantities trf water witfcsmt -going 

Tery deep. For example, fbe well of J. L. Thompson {No. 101), in 

the N3S. M sec. 3t), T. 8 N., R. 4 W., which is 5 feet in <fiftm*te* sad 

only BO feet deep,, with H) feet to water, yields 810 gafloias tt mftautfe 

(9Q miner's inches). The dug veil of B. T. Estler tNo. 88) in 

,15, T. 8 N., R. 4 W., in which the depth to water is $0 fftet, 

to yield 1,215 gallons la minute (135 miner's inches), flue dug*well 

of L. $. Emerson (No. 79), in the SW. M sec. 34, T. 9 N., R. B W., 

Which is 27 feet deep, with about 16 feet to water, yielils $0© gallons 

a imirate tlOO miner's inchBS). 'This well is 6 fey 6 feet to ft depth -of 

16 feet. Below that depth it is canimd with boiler plate 54 inches 

in diameter for 4 feet, and 42 inches in diameter for the remainder. 

The boiler plate is perforated. The gravel in this well is sai<J to be 

coarse, from 1 to 2 niches in diameter.

No data are available in regard to the yield of wells on the uj>lano!, 

but they probably do not yield as much water as those on tne ioW- 

-land. The alluvium of the upland consists of relatively fine 

pacted sand, witli little gravel, whereas the alluvium of ^be l 

which has keen worked over by the river, contains coarse 

The alluvium of the lowland is recharged by underflow fromM 

River, but the area which is affected by underflow^ from the 

probably does not extend very far on either side of it.

, The Hicks-Hkikley-Barstow area is a triangular lowland almost 

completely surrounded by low hills. The depth to water in tke 

lowland is less than 40 feet, and ida several wells it is less than 15 feet. 

On the border of the lowland area, where the land rises gradually to 

the hills, the depth to water increases. For example, at HinJdey the 

depth to water is about 11 feet. About ^2 Ms miles soutliweist tif 

Mnkley, in well 49, the depth to water is 75 feet. In wells .67 Mud 1S$, 

in the eastern part of sec. 3 and sec. 2, T. 9 N., R. 3 W., t&fe A^th 

to water is -about "20 feet. In well 68, in the NW. ^ sec. 3, nearer 

the Mils, it is 71 feet; in the $£. % sec. 4 it is 87 feet; and in wefis 

70 and 71, in ike NE, M SE. H sec. '8, T. 19 N., R. '3 W., it is lt)8 and 

130 feet, respectively.
MOHAVE BIVER B&SIN

"42

Depth, to water, altitude qf surface, and altitude of water table ^n welh. in Hinkley 

' '"-! o»# Harper Valleys i '

Well 

We;

69 

50 

51 

44 

39 

37 

36 

2*

Approximate 

altitude 

above sea 

level (feet) 

2,195 

2,185 

2,175 

2,164 

2,150 

2,140 

2,100 

2,040

Depth to

water 

(feet)

1* 

17 

14 

11 

26 

3S 

35 

Flows,

Approximate 

altitude of 

water tabte 

above sea 

leseKfjset)

2,182 

2,173 

2,161 s,ia

2,12* 

2,108 

2,085 

2,Q*H.

 Estimated from uncompleted topographic map by the IT. 3. Geological* Survey; the §4ade» -IsiWfc 

t«f»grapbioBiap, and profile of Atchison, Togeka & Santa Be Ry. '

The estimate of the altitude may be in error by several fe<# At? nnf 

of the wells, but a careful study of the topographic map and ra&tiftdf 

profiles indicates that the water table at wfefl 44, at HittHe;& fir 

d'efinitely lower than at well 69, in sec. 2> T. 9 N., K. $ W., attd ' 

considerably lower at well 37, in sec. 15, T. 10 N., R. 3 W., 

pinkley.

The water table slopes from Mohave Elver nortnwflCrd to ' 

Valley, indicating that ground water moves from Mohftvfe 

toward Harper Dry Lake. In Harper Valley flowing wells are found 

ftt the Black ranch (No. 96) and the P. E. McDonald ranch (No. 

an,*! in other wells the water rises under pressure when struck. 

tation that indicates an abundance of ground water neat the 

also occurs some distance southeast of the play a toward the 

Hinkley. The drainage area tributary to this part of Harper 

is not great, and unless the ground water comes from Mohavfe 

it is difficult to explain the abundance of water in tnis part of 

valley.

Two or three miles west of Hinkley, in sec. 1$, T. 10 N., B. 3 Wit 

there is a low pass that leads to the main part of Harper Yaftey iff 

wHch the divide is only about 20 feet above Hinkley. TM£ jfMW£ 

may be filled with alluvium, so that there may be tmdferflow through? 

it northwestward toward Harper Dry Lake. That there may"W 

such movement is suggested by the fact that the water in well 23, ia 

the SW. ]4 sec. 3, T. 10 N., R. 4 W., when struck at a dep% of $0f 

feet, rose to a level 80 feet below the surface. The writer iHd imfc 

have an opportunity to examine this part of Harper faHey, anrf nd^ 

definite data are available to shed Kght on this possibility.

Data in regard to yield am available for only a very few wells in 

Hicks-Hinkley area, but the yield of all these wells is good, 

one well (Ifo. 44, p. 272) w reported to; yielii*i0&» fc**aa 

s a inifiut* (40 niiner'a-inelies), and lhat one, wbk& te osed 

Tbpeka & Stfnta F@ Railway, i& B©t pumped' ix>
430 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

full capacity. Yields as high as 540 and 675 gallons a minute (60 and 

75 miner's inches) are reported. Apparently an abundant supply 

of water can be obtained from properly constructed wells throughout 

the area except, perhaps, very close to the foot of the hills, where 

bedrock may possibly be encountered.

/

BARSTOW AND VICINITY

On the western edge of Barstow the lowland that borders Mohave 

Kiver becomes much narrower, and from that locality down to 

Daggett the lowland is generally not more than half a mile to a mile 

wide. On the lowland in this stretch, as farther upstream/water is 

obtained at depths of 10 to 35 feet. The yield of wells is generally 

sufficient for irrigation. Beyond the borders of the lowland the rise 

of the land is so great that within a short distance the depth to water 

is beyond the limit of economical pumping. As a result very few 

wells have been drilled, except on the lowland. For example, in 

well 98, probably in sec. 5, T. 9 N., K. 1 W., on the lowland a few feet 

north of the river channel, the depth to water is 13 feet. In well 

66, about half a mile from the river channel, it is 98 feet, and in well 

99, less than half a mile farther from the river, it is 142 feet. '

BARSTOW PUBLIC STTPPLY

The public water supply for Barstow for many years was furnished 

by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, as a large part of the 

population was employed by the railroad. For domestic and general 

purposes water was obtained from two drilled wells, each 12 inches in 

diameter and 65 feet deep, at the east end of the town. The depth to 

water in each well was about 14 feet, the yield of each was about 350 

gallons a minute, and the drawdown when pumping was done at that 

rate was 6 feet. For engines and use in the shops water is pumped 

from a dug well, 21 feet in diameter and 28 feet deep, which yields 

about 500 gallons a minute. In certain seasons the supply from 

these wells was not sufficient, and water was also obtained from a 

near-by well owned by the Barstow Ice Co. In 1919 the water 

service was taken over by the Imperial Utilities Corporation, an<|. 

an additional well was drilled, 12 inches in diameter and 77 feet deep 

This well and the well of the ice company are now used to serve the 

town. Together they yield 650 gallons a minute. The wells are 

pumped by centrifugal pumps operated by electricity.

STODDAKD VALLEY '

 . ' ' , f

Stoddard Valley is a large upland valley southeast of Todd station., 

At its junction with the main valley it is somewhat constricted* but 

about 8 miles southeast of Todd it expands into a large valley with,a* 

gently sloping alluvial floor several miles across^ Because of tibe
MOHAVE KIVER BASIN

relatively level character of the land the valley might readily appeal 

to prospective settlers, but, so far as known, no wells have been drilled 

in this valley. Stoddard Well, in the southwest side of the valley $ 

fe att the foot of the Granite Mountains, and the water is obtained 

Irom a tunnel in the granite. In December, 1917, the yield wjs 

only about a quarter of a gallon a minute. The water, as shown 

by analysis 7 on page 433, is of fair quality and contains 472 part# per 

million of total solids. The well is of value only as a roadside watering place. The water is piped to an open wooden tank near the mad 

between Victorville, Barstow, and Daggett by way of Sidewinder 

Well. Another unnamed spring is reported to emerge in the Graaite 

Mountains at the extreme southeast end of Stoddard Valley, probably in sec. 30, T. 7 N., R. 11 E. San Bernardiao meridian, but 

nothing definite is known about it. It is reached by a road thafc 

branches to the southwest from an old road from Stoddard. Well to 

Ord Mountain about llj^ miles from Stoddard Well. Sweetwater 

Spring and Aztec Spring, at the north end of Ord Mountain, are 

probably in the drainage area of Stoddard Valley. (See pi. 24.) 

However, the boundary of the drainage basin in this locality was not 

accurately determined, and they may be in the drainage basin of 

Lower Mohave Valley, and are described under that area. (See pp. 

499-500.)

It is not believed that water for irrigation can be obtained in 

Stoddard Valley. The valley has a considerable drainage area and 

reaches an altitude of probably 4,000 feet, at the summit of the Granite Mountains and Ord Mountain, so that it may receive a slightly 

greater precipitation than some other parts of the Mohave Valley. 

The quantity reaching the water table is probably not great. The 

small drainage channels do not show evidence of carrying much 

water, and the run-off is doubtless dissipated over the alluvial slopes 

and mostly evaporated. The freedom of underflow into the main 

part of Mohave Valley probably causes the water table to stand at a 

considerable depth throughout the valley.

QUALITY OF WATER

The analyses of seven samples of water from the Middle Mohave 

Valley are tabulated on page 433. These analyses show that in 

general the ground water in the area is good or fair for domestic use 

and irrigation but poor for boiler use.

The best water is that from wells of the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway at Helendale and Hicks. These waters contain 

313 and 332 parts per million of total solids,-respectively. They are 

both sodium carbonate waters and similar in composition. The 

Voters are good for domestic use and fair for boilers and irrigation. 

The wells are on the river lowland, close to its outer border, aa<| 

probably they are fairly representative of the underflow of the liver.
432 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

the wells of W. Graham (No. 78; wrralysia 5, p. 433), 

and Miss- A, L. Waterman (No, 55; analysis 1, p. 433-) are somewhat 

more concentrated, as they have 565 and 457 parts per million of 

total soHds respectively, but No/. 78 is fair and No. 55 is g-ood for 

domestic uae» They are not so good for boiler use because the foam* 

ing and scale-forming constituents are more abundant. The; more 

eoaesmtcaSed oi these two samples comes from a wel on th» aJJbvial 

slope some distance from the edge of the lowland, where, the water is 

pmsfoably not derived from the underflow of the river.

One of the poorest samples comes from two wells thai were former ly 

u*edr for tJie potdie supply at Barstow. (See analysis 2, p. 433..) TMs 

sample contained 1,036 parts per million of total solids, and it was 

especially high m sodium sulphate. This water could be considered 

only fair fosr domestic use and irrigation, and on account of the high 

scale-forming and foaming constituents it would be very bad; for boilers. 

Another sample- taken from a new well (see analysis 3, p. 433) is of 

considerably better quality, for it contains only about half as nrach 

total solids m solution (519 parts per million). It is a sodium carbonate water. It is good for both domestic use and irrigation but poor 

for boiler uaer because the scale-forming1 and foaming constituents 

ore abundant, although not as great as hi the other sample. The 

second sample is from wells that are deeper than those that suppfied 

the fiant sample, and they may penetrate better water-bearing beds. 

The other four waters are carbonate waters and contain much bss 

mineral matter. The similarity hi these two waters suggests tfa»ft 

they have a common; source. The Leak well is on the aBfuviat slope 

south of the river,, and probably the water cornea from the hills south 

of the river and not from the river underflow. This same eonditiom 

may exist at Barstaw, but the wells there are so close tcs the mrexthatt the lower strata may be supplied from the river.,

Water obtained from wells anywhere in the river lowland wfli 

probably ba of good quality for domestic use and irrigation. Water 

from wells on the upland may be somewhat more corasceuttratad,, 

because the supply of water that annually reaches the water table 

beneath the upland is not great, and the underflow is not rapid, so 

that there- is- greater opportunity lor tke solution- ol mineral? matter 

from tfee soil. The water from the upland, however, will probably 

nowhere be so- concentrated as to be bad either for domestic use- or 

for irrigation.

The samples from* the lowland between Heiendale and Banstow 

are- somewhat more concentrated than the samples from the lowlaact 

farther upstream, HGKF Vietorvflte. Tha» i& to be esspected for tworeasons. As the underflow of the river mw*es dbwnstraam it » gradually eoaeentFtfted by evaporation at places wfeere it comes close t» 

She* surface. The accessions to the underflow from the uplands on
MOHATE RIVSTE

each side of the river jure doubtless saMnewihttft mofia 

tfasna the river flow. It is probable that the concentration of 

beaieath -the lowlands differs from season to seasom and 

t© y$ar, according to the rainfall and consequent ste*?ugth 

the floods which recharge the alluvium, i ,

Analyses of ground waters in Middle M,ohcwe Valley

[Parts per million] '

saicamtos) ............ ................ ...

Iron (Fe) ___________________

Sftdium and potassium (Na+Z) (calculated). 

Carbonate radicle (COa) ___________

Sulphate radicle (SOi).... __ ..............

Chloride radicte (Cl).-... . ........ .....

Nitrate rsdide (NOs)........... ..............

Total disaolvad'aolids at 180° C..... ..........

Total hardness BS CaC Os (catatferted) ........

Dote of colteotion _______________

1

48

11

5.0

133 

SI

246

42

28.0'

457 .

48

C)

2

66

.15

88

19

232 

t)

277

348

148

3.0

1,036

298(")

3

13

.90

A7 .

13

100 

0

233

128

63

.80

519

1W(*)

4

YO2 '

Eg :

6.4

70 

0

221

40

87

b 332

121

O ,

5

I 37

iTraee.

14

96 > 

0

194

130

40*.'0'

865 213

-<*) ,

6 '

 -,-f

} »

SI

49,

73 J 

0

215

31

82

 013 ,

98 '

t W :

 -> ;'

f m '

i .%

»

23

40 

0

233

68

tt

10

*3nS '

^0 

 Includes silica (SiOj), iron O3£ide (FesOs), and aluminum oxide (AljO»). > »Calculated.

 Aug. 19,1916. i. ,

 Sept. 12,1917. i. t ,, 3 ,

 Nov. 17,1919. '": 

/ July 20,1908. 

« Aug. 16,1916.

 July 21,1908. 

< Dec. 30,1917.

Analysts: 1, 5, S. C. Dinsmore; 2, A. A. Chambers, TT. S. Geol. Survey; 3, Margaret D. Foster, U. 6. 

Geol. Survey; 4 and 6, Los Angeles <fe Salt Lake Railroad; 7, Addle T. Qeiger, U. S. Geol. Survey.

1. Well 56, pi. 17 and table on p. 435; Miss A. L. Waterman, owner.

2. Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. Co. pumping plant at Barstow; formerly used*for public supply 

but now replaced by other wells. (See analysis C.)

3. Well 63, pi. 17 and table on p. 435. Imperial Utilities Co.; public supply tor Barstow. Sample 

is composite from two wells.

4. Well 77, pi. 17 and table on p. 435; Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. Co. pumping plant at Hicks. 

Analysis furnished by Los Angeles & Salt Lake R. R. Co.; recalculated from hypothetical combinations 

in grains per United States gallon.

5. Well 78, pi. 17 and table on p. 435; W. Graham, owner.

6. Well 103, pi. 17 and table on p. 436; Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Ry. Co. pumping plant at Helendale. Analysis furnished by Los Angeles & Salt Lake R. R. Co.; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per United States gallon.

7. Well 104, pi. 17 and table on p. 436; Stoddard Well.

IRRIGATION

A few hundred acres is irrigated in the Helendale-Hinkley-Barstow 

area. Most of the irrigated tracts cover less than 50 acres, but several 

contain between 50 and 100 acres, and at the Helendale ranch 150 

acres is under cultivation. Except at the Helendale ranch the principal crop is alfalfa, which can be raised cheaply on the lowland 

because of the abundance of water and low lift. The yield of alfalfa 

is 6 to 8 tons to the acre. A small acreage is devoted to corn and 

other grains. At the Helendale ranch 150 acres is planted in fruit 

trees, 4 acres in pears and the rest mostly in apples. At other ranches 

grapes and melons are cultivated. Most of the produce is sold locally, 

especially at Barstow. Some alfalfa and fruit are shipped out of the 

valley.
434 THE MOHAYE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Practically all the irrigation is on the lowland, where the depth to 

water is not great. At the Helendale ranch the water is pumped 

40 feet to a bench above the lowland, but nearly everywhere at only 

a short distance from the lowland the lift becomes so great that 

pumping is not profitable. On the upland the yield of wells is also 

probably not sufficient for irrigating on a large scale.

No evidence was obtained of any overdraft of the ground-water 

supply, and there seems to be opportunity for some further development in the area. If the flood discharge of Mohave River is greatly 

decreased by storage in the headwater region for irrigation in the 

upper part of the basin, the quantity of ground water available in 

the Middle Mohave Valley may be considerably decreased. (See 

pp. 423, 497.)

WEII RECORDS

The following table gives information concerning wells in the Middle 

Mohave Valley. The numbers in the first column are the numbers 

by which the locations of the wells or springs are shown on Plate 17. 

Wells 62, 62A, 66, 97, and 98 are in the Lower Mohave Valley but 

are shown on Plate 17 for convenience in indicating their relation to 

wells in Barstow.
Record o/ toeKa MoKave Tattey

No. 

on

ft

51 

52 

53 

54 

55

66 

57 

58 

59 

60

61 

62 

62a 

63

64

65 

66 

67 

68 

69 

70 

71 

72 

73 

74 

75 

76 

T7

78 

79 

80

Location

Quarter

SW.~

8E....

NE?..

NE_~

NW...

NE... 

SE....

NW 

sw...

NW-.

NW?. 

NE?..

sw.._

Sec.

30 

32 

33 

36 

36

36 

36 

30 

31 

31

32 

32 

32 

6

6 

6 

8 

3 

3 

2 

8 

8 

24 

18 

19 

25 

27 

33?

34 

34 

8

T. N.

10 

10 

10 

10 

10

10 

10 

10 

10 

10

10 

10 

10 

9

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9 

9

9

9 

8

B.W

2 

2 

2 

2 

2

2 

2 

1

1 

1

1 

1

1 

1

1 

1 

1 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

2 

2 

3 

3 

3

3 

3 

S

Owner or name

J. D. Rich.... ....................

A. O. Butler ________ . ......

Miss A. L. Waterman ______

 Cook......... __ . ...........

.....do............................

W. D. Rich.......................

F. Q. Mitchell............... ._

G. C. Compton __________

__ do _______________

Imperial Utilities Corporation .... 

C. E.-Williams....................

Mary Dowdy _ , _________

C. A. Leak......................

T. B. Walker..... ................

F. Walker __ ..... _ .. ___ ...

C. Gomes. .. .............

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway. 

W. Graham ____________

L. 8. Emerson __________ 

P. Cannady. __________ _

Type of 

well or 

spring

Dug ....

Drifted..

Dug and 

drilled.

Drilled..

Drilled..

Dug....

Dug __

Dug ....

Depth 

of 

well 

(feet)

103

13

82

14

77

125 

60 

100?

60 

152 

135

65 

105 

32 

34 

16

27

Diameter 

of 

well 

(inches)

12

175

72-42

Depth 

to

water 

(feet)

14 

15 

&10.6

«9.3

17 

10 

75 

27 

<<11.6

23 

22

6

110 

97 

98 

20 

71 

18 

108 

180 

18 

60 

95

8 

8

65 

/16.1 

12

* Data on depth of well, depth to water, and yield are those reported by the owner, driller, or other person

was measured by D. G. Thompson. 

* Reference point, top of wood casing.

» Reference point, bottom of 12 by 12 inch timber about level with ground.

* Reference point is 3 notches cut on eastern one of two 12 by 6 inch timbers laid across hole.

* Reference point is ground surface.

/Reference point, 3 notches in south west corner top of curb.
Record of wells in Middle Mohave Valley, Calif. 

No. 

en

S

81 

82 

88 

84 

88 

86 

87 

88 

89 

96

et 

es

98

s

98 

97 

98 

9» 

100 

101 

102 

1Q»

104

Location

Quarter

SW ...

SE.... 

SW... 

81.... 

SE?__

NE...

s& - 

SW?..

Sec.

8

?

id

14 

15 

23 

24 

30 

7 

14 

15 

19 

8 

5 

4 

4 

30 

19 

32?

9

T. N.

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

8 

7 

7 

7 

11 

9

8 

8

7

B.W.

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4 

4 

3 

4 

5 

5 

3 

1 

1 

3 

3 

4 

4 

4

2

Owner or name

O. C. Butehins __ .............

__ <fo__ _____________

Q. S. Hodge.. __ ... _ 

B. T. Esttar.. .........__ 

J. L. ThetiTpsoft __________

AtchlsoB, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway. 

Steddard Wen.._. ................

^^ffi.?r

Dug .

Drilled..

Dug.-..

Dug __

Depth 

of 

w«lt

(feet)

142

40 

153 

138 

58 

154

35

30

Diameter 

of 

well

(inches)

12

60

84

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

3*

16

10 

32

57 

52

 if

127 

160 

160 

34 

143 

132 

5 

»146.6 

13 

87 

12 

10 

52 

10

D

O

O

* Kefettnoe point, top of casing.
U. 8. GOELOGICAL SUBVBT

c 3^ i/y^

WATBK-StTPPtT PAPER 678 FLA^B

EXPLANATION

MAP OF LOWER MOHAVE VALLEY SHOWING PHYSICAL FEATURES AND LOCATION OF SPRINGS AND WELLS

Easier n 'boundaty 

of sand dunes in 

T.9N.,T?s,2and3E.

The water table is 

much tower east of

offh fnK " Wff3

-437

JL.OWEB MQHAVE

QIWEEAI FSATUBtS

The Lower Mohave Valley includes in general tha* patios of tibe 

drainage basin of Mohave River that lies between longitude 116? 30' 

and 117°. The valley, particularly the part around Yermo, iia» afeo 

been called Yermo Valley or Otis Valley (Otis was* the former *BfttS© 

of Yermo) . A considerable area east ^f Water post office ; is separated 

from Mohave River by a low, indefinite divide, but in the present 

description it is considered as being a part of the Lower Mohave 

Valley. The principal features of the region are shown on Hate 24,

The transcontinental line of the Atchison, Topeka <& $mik 'Ife 

Railway lies along the south side of the valley, and the LQS Angeles 

& Salt Lake Railroad crosses it from northeast .to southwest' arid 

joins the Santa Fe at Daggett. The National OJ<J Tratis Road, a 

transcontinental automobile road, parallels the Atchison,

* : I - ' /

& Santa Fe for most of its length in the valley ^ and nowhere is it 

than 3 miles from the railroad. From it a number of minor roada 

lead to numerous ranches south of Mohave River. . The, river' Jb 

crossed by a wagon bridge near Daggett. Local rarieners Kftve 

established crossings at several other places on the river, but these 

are generally sandy, and persons not familiar with them should ii0t 

attempt to use them. From Daggett a road leads northwestward to 

Superior Valley, Randsburg, and Ballarat and also connects with tne 

road from Barstow to Silver Lake and Death Valley. Several roads 

lead northward to old mines in the Calico Mountains. ' The principal route from southern California to Salt Lake City leads northeastward to Yermo and thence along the Los Angeles & Salt Bake 

Railroad to a point between Manix and Field. Thence it continues 

northeastward, away from the railroad, through a pass in the Cave 

Mountains into East Cronise Valley and through another pass in the 

Soda Lake Mountains to Baker station on the Tonopah & Tidewater 

Railroad. This road was laid out by San Bernardino County in 

1922, after the preparation of Plate 11 for this report, and is not 

shown on that map but is shown on Hates 7 and 8.

Beyond Field a road formerly continued down Mohave River to 

Soda Lake. The road led down the river channel and was frequently 

washed out, and this route to Soda Lake is now practically abandoned. 

About 3 iniles northeast of Yermo a road leads northward to Coyote 

Valley and thence to the Barstow-Death Valley road near Garlic 

Spring. (See p. 279.)

Daggett and Yermo are small settlements where general supplies 

can be obtained. Yermo is a division point on the Los Angeles, j& 

Salt Lake Railroad. Food supplies, gasoline, and oil are also obtain5631 29 29
438 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

able at Newbeny station ** (Newbeny Spring), which is an important 

water-supply point on the Santa Fe Railway. Post offices are located 

at each of these three places. Water may be obtained in emergencies 

at Minneola and Hector, on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Kailway, and at Harvard and Field, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake 

Railroad. Section crews are stationed at each of these places. The 

other stations shown on the map are only sidings where neither water 

nor aid of any sort can be obtained.

MINERAL RESOURCES

Mineral products valued at probably $15,000,000 to $20,000,000, 

at least, have been obtained from the mountains that border the 

Lower Mohave Valley, and the greatest production has come from the 

Calico Mountains.

Early in the eighties rich silver deposits were found in the Calico 

Mountains, and for several years more than $1,000,000 annually was 

taken from these deposits. (See tables of production, pp. 27-29.) 

After the demonetization of silver in 1893, the production decreased to 

nearly nothing. For many years, however, a few miners have continued to work the patches of highest-grade ore. In recent years the 

Pittman Act, which guaranteed a price of $1 an ounce for silver, encouraged the working of some of the properties on a small scale. 

Recently also the tailings of the old mills near Calico were reworked 

in a small way by the cyanide process to recover silver and gold that 

were lost in the earlier days.44

According to Lindgren, the ores are predominantly chlorides and 

chlorobromides of silver in a gangue of barite and jasper.45 The 

deposits occur principally as fissure veins in liparite, liparitic tufa, 

and breccia of Tertiary age, but some occur in irregular pockets in 

f the tufa beds. The other rocks of the Calico district include Tertiary 

sandstone and clay and hornblende andesite. Small quantities of 

lead and copper are associated with the silver.

At the east end of the Calico Mountains, at Borate, lie deposits 

from which several million dollars' worth of borax has been obtained.48 

The borax deposits at this place were discovered in 1882. Prior to 

that time most of the borax produced in California had come from

« When this report was written the name of the post office at this place was Water, but according to the 

1927 Postal Guide it has been changad to Newberry.

44 Palmer, L. A., A cyanide plant without frills: Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 109, No. 23, pp. 1260-1262, 

1920.

« Lindgren, Waldemar, The silver mines of Calico, Calif.: Am. Soc. Min. Eng. Trans., vol. 15, pp. 

717-734, 1887. Storms, W. H., Tha Calico mining district: California Min. Bur. Eleventh Kept. State 

Mineralogist, pp. 337-349, 1893; The mines of Calico district, Calif.: Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 49, No. 14, 

pp. 382-383,1&90. Palmer, L. A., The Calico district: Min. and Sci. Press, vol. 116, No. 22, pp. 755-758,1918.

* Storms, W. H., The Calico mining district: California Min. Bur. Eleventh Kept. State Mineralogist, 

pp. 345-348, 1893. Bailey, Q. E., The saline deposits of California: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 24, 

pp. 33-41, 56-59, 1902. Keyes, C. R., Borax deposits of the United States: Am. Inst. Min. Eng. Trans., 

vol. 40, pp. 693-699, 1910. Campbell, M. R., Reconnaissance of the borax deposits of Death Valley and 

Mohave Desert: U. S. Oeol. Survey Bull. 200, pp. 12-13,1902.
MOHAVE RIVEB BASIN 439

Searles Lake and similar playas, but the Calico Mountain deposits 

proved to be so rich that in a few years nearly the whole production 

from the State came from that district.

In more recent years extensile deposits on the east side of Death 

Valley were discovered. These deposits are controlled by the same 

company that controls the Calico deposits, and as the Death Valley 

deposits were developed the Calico deposits were abandoned. In 

the last few years, however, some of the richest ore in the Calico 

Mountains has been mined. Ib is probable that the Calico deposits 

have produced nearly $10,000,000 worth of ore, if not more. Two 

large plants, the ruins of which are still to be seen, were built 

for refining the borax, one at Daggett and the other about 3 miles 

northwest of Yermo. The borax at Borate occurs as colemanite 

(Ca2B6On.5H2O) in a bedde4 deposit from 5 to 30 feet thick, 

interstratified with lake beds.,

In addition to the valuable

Calico Mountains mineral deposits occur in the other mountains

that border the valley, but at

Mountains. Strontium-bea: 

occur about 10 miles north of 

large valley that enters the 

Daggett.47 The deposits lie in 

are doubtless related to the lak

deposits of silver and borax in the

no other place has there ever been

any great development. Copper and gold ores are found in the Ord

deposits in commercial quantities 

arstow, at the extreme west end of a 

ain Lower Mohave Valley north of 

;reenish clay beds of Tertiary age that 

beds in which the borax occurs in the 

Calico Mountains. During the war considerable ore was shipped, 

but subsequently the production has been very small.

An attempt has been made to find oil in the region, and a well said 

to be more than 2,000 feet deep has been drilled in sec. 34 or 35, 

T. 11 N., R. 1 W. San Bernardino meridian.48 "Showings" of oil 

were reported, but the well was abandoned. There is little reason to 

believe that oil in paying quantities will be found anywhere in the 

region, as the rocks are not ol ! the kind in which oil occurs. (See 

p. 36.)

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND 6EOI06Y

West of Barstow for some miles the valley of Mohave River is wide 

and nearly level. From Barstow down as far as Daggett it is much

narrower, and the land rises to 

river channel. At Daggett the

diagonally northeastward across a large, nearly level plain, which is 

roughly triangular in shape, truncated at its west end, about 20 miles 

long and 5 to 15 miles wide. It is mostly included in the angle 

formed by the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad and the Atchison,

the north and south almost from the 

valley broadens out and the river cuts

"'Kaopf, Adolph, Strontianite deposits near Barsto 

1918.

48 Pack, R. W., Reconnaissance of the Barstow-Kramer region, 

p. 151, 1914.

, Calif.: U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 680, pp. 2S7-289, 

, Calif.: IT. 8. Cteol. Survey Ball. 641,
440 THE MOHAVE BES1ET REGION, CALIFORNIA

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, which, converge at Daggett. Beyond 

the two railroads rise the mountains, or the alluvial slopes are so steep 

that .they are distinct from the plain. Conditions on the plain are 

favorable for agriculture, provided water for irrigation can be 

obtained.

SOTTTHEBN BOEDER OF THE VALLEY

The south side of the Lower Mohave Valley is bordered1 by a range 

of mountains that extends continuously from Barstow southeastward 

for about 50 miles. Near Barstow this range is a low ridge, which 

rises with rounded outlines only a few hundred feet above Mohave 

River, but farther east it is higher and much more rugged. Ord 

Mountain, about 14 miles south of Daggett, reaches an altitude of 

about 5,000 feet, and for most of its length east of that mountain the 

fange reaches an altitude of about 4,000 feet.

South of Barstow the ridge is composed largely of unconsolidated 

or partly consolidated alluvium, and these deposits continue eastward 

nearly to Daggett. About 8 miles southwest of Daggett, on the road 

to Stoddard Well, beds of gravel, clay, and some limestone of either 

Quaternary or Tertiary age are exposed. These beds appear to 

have been deposited under conditions similar to those now existing in 

the desert. The beds strike nearly due east and dip very gently 

northward toward the river. About 3 miles south of Daggett, on the 

road to Ord Mountain, very coarse alluvium that contains boulders 

3 feet in diameter is exposed, as well as some limestone. These beds 

dip gently northward. Farther south on the Ord Mountain road rise 

knobs of granite and beyond them occur eruptive rocks of Tertiary 

age. From this vicinity eastward the mountains are composed mostly 

of a series of Tertiary lavas interbedded with tuffs and probably with 

sandstone and limestone.

Southeast of Newberry Spring areas of granite are present. Several 

miles nearly due south of the spring occurs a Quaternary lava flow, 

which came from a cone high up in the mountains and flowed 

down a large mountain valley to the main valley. It appears to have 

been poured out since the beginning of the formation of the present 

alluvial slope and is undoubtedly of comparatively recent age. Perhaps it is contemporaneous with a lava flow that came from Mount 

Pisgah, about 12 miles farther east. (See pp. 652-653.)

A notable feature of the range on the south side of the valley is tile 

long alluvial slope that rises from the plain along the river. Between 

Barstow and Daggett the alluvial slope reaches nearly to the summit 

of the ridge south of the river. South and southeast of Daggett the 

grade of the slope is steeper and it reaches far back from the valley 

plain. Farther east the slope becomes shorter and at Newberry 

Spring the mountains rise directly from the plain, with nearly no 

alluvial slope between. Several miles southeast of Newberry Spring
MOH&VE RIVER -BASIN

the slope is again weD. developed and rises fully 5 miles f#om Troy 

Dry Like nearly to the summit of the mountains.

Another notable feature is the rather broad washes and valleys thftt 

occur near the summit of Ord Mountain. As shown on the relief map 

(pi. 11), in the center of T. 7 N., R. 1 E., on the northwest side of Ord 

Mountain, there is a rather gently sloping valley that covers 2 or S 

square miles. It is several hundred feet above Stoddard Valley and 

only a few hundred feet below the top of Ord Mountain. It is almost 

completely hemmed in by low hills on the west and north, and 

whether it drains to Stoddard Valley or directly toward Mohave River 

near Daggett is uncertain. This valley, although it is strewn with 

alluvium, is undoubtedly floored with rock at a slight depth. According to recent township plats of the General Land Office, a similar 

valley lies at the head of Kane Spring Wash, northeast of Ord Mountain, and another valley a little farther south is separated from it by a 

low divide.

These broad valleys are suggestive of an erosion cycle prior to that 

of the present, which may have been interrupted by the uplifting* of 

the mountain mass. They are worthy of study in connection with 

similar elevated valleys in the San Bernardino Mountains and other 

areas in the southwestern part of the Mohave Desert region.49

The range on the south side of the Lower Mohave Valley is continuous with other mountains that extend far to the southeast. South 

of the range there is a large trough, which extends parallel to it for 

many miles, although it is separated into several distinct basins by 

low hills. (See p. 612.) The continuity of the range suggests that it 

is a great block uplifted by faulting. There are further suggestions 

of faulting in a series of low ridges that rise above the alluvial slope 

between the river and the summit of the range south and southwest 

of Daggett.

NORTHERN BORDER OF VALLEY

The northern border of the valley is more irregular than the 

southern. Between Barstow and Daggett a ridge of high hills, 

which is a continuation of mountains north of Barstow, rises almost 

from the channel of Mohave River. The ridge culminates about, a 

mile northwest of Daggett in a large, nearly flat-topped butte of 

Tertiary lava. Farther west tfye ridge consists of a series of Tertiary 

lavas interbedded with sedimentary rocks.

North of this ridge stretches a broad valley, in which rise several 

knobs. This valley, which enters the main valley about 3 miles 

north of Daggett, rises northwestward for more than 10 miles. It

« Baker, O. L., Notes on the later Cenozoic history of the Mohave Desert region in southeastern California: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 6, No. IS, pp. 861-371,1911. Vaugbaa, F. E., Otology 

Of the San Bernardino Mountains north of San Qorgonlo Pass: Idem, vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 821-388,1922.
THE MOHAVE DESEBT KE&ION, CALIFORNIA

is bordered on the west and northwest by low mountains, which 

contain outcrops of sedimentary and volcanic beds that constitute 

the Barstow formation, of Miocene age. (See p. 107.) The westernmost of these hills, which are composed of clay, are called the Mud 

Hills, or Strontium Hills, the latter name being given on account of 

the deposits of strontium in them. The gentle slope that rises from 

the plain to the Mud Hills has the appearance of an alluvial slope. 

It is broken by several knobs, however, and in sec. 26, T. 11 N., 

R. 1 W. San Bernardino meridian, where it is considerably dissected, 

steeply dipping Tertiary clay crops out a few feet below the surface. 

The valley is probably not filled with recent alluvium to any great

 depth but is more likely an eroded bedrock surface or pediment.

Directly north of Daggett the border of the basin is formed by the 

Calico Mountains, so called because of the different colors of yellow, 

red, green, and brown in the rocks. The rocks of the Calico Mountains consist of Tertiary lava and tuff, together with sandstone and

 clay of the same age. In contrast to the south side of the valley, 

the alluvial slope at the, base of the Calico Mountains is short, and 

the mountains rise steeply to an altitude of about 5,000 feet and 

are considerably dissected.

The Calico Mountains extend eastward nearly to the center of T. 

10 N., R. 2 E., and east of that place a low ridge continues for several 

miles, gradually decreasing in height toward the east. In this ridge 

Tertiary or older rocks crop out at several places. Limestone occurs 

in a large hill in sec. 11, T. 10 N., R. 3 E., and quartzite crops out 

along the railroad 1.7 miles northeast of Harvard station. These 

rocks are probably of Paleozoic age or older. They are probably of 

about the same age as limestones reported to occur in the Alvord 

Mountains, about 10 miles to the north,60 and as a small limestone 

lull in sec. 30, T. 9 N., R. 4 E., south of Camp Cady.

Near Manix a large wash, known as Manix Wash, extends from 

the ridge just described southeastward to Mohave River. It is 

possible that this wash reaches back to Coyote Dry Lake, a playa 

that lies north of the ridge farther west. The east end of Coyote 

Talley was not visited by the writer, and statements from local 

inhabitants in reply to inquiries as to a possible surface outlet of the 

valley through Manix Wash were conflicting. There is doubtless 

underground drainage from the valley which reaches Mohave Valley 

along the valley of Manix Wash. The rock outcrops indicate that 

the ridge between the two valleys is probably underlain by bedrock 

nearly as far east as Manix.

M Bnwalda, J. P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, in the eastern Mohave Desert region: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 24, p. 445, 1914.
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 448

EASTERN BORDER OF THE VALLEY

The eastern border of the Lower Mohave Valley is formed by a 

series of low hills that extend continuously from the vicinity of the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway northward to Mohave River. 

They are the western part of the Cady Mountains, which farther 

east rise to an altitude of more than 4,000 feet. Where examined, 

at the extreme northern and southern ends, the hills are composed 

of Tertiary volcanic rocks, very much sheared. Near Camp Cady 

an outlier of pre-Tertiary limestone rises from the alluvium. Possibly other pre-Tertiary rocks exist in the main mass of hills.

Southeast of Troy Dry Lake the basin is bordered in part by a 

lava flow of Quaternary age. This flow originated at a crater in 

the southwest corner of T. 8 N., R. 6 E. It is described on pages 

652-653.

MOHAVE BIVEB PLAIN

General features. Between Barstow and Daggett the flood plain 

of Mohave River is only a few hundred yards wide. On the north 

side of the river rock hills rise generally within less than half a mile. 

In this stretch the river channel is from 3 to 5 feet below the flood 

plain and 10 to 15 feet below .the edge of the alluvial slopes.

From Daggett eastward for 15 to 20 miles the river cuts northeastward across a wide, nearly level plain that slopes gently eastward. Daggett is 2,002 feet above sea level; Manix, in the northeast 

corner of the plain, 1,765 feet; Newberry Spring, about 1,830 feet. 

The average grade is between 10 and 15 feet to the mile.

From Newberry Spring the land continues to slope eastward to a 

playa which may be called Troy Dry Lake, the altitude of which is 

about 1,780 feet. This playa appears to be lower than the land 

between it and Mohave River, and there is no surface drainage from 

it to the river. The difference in altitude is so slight that the divide 

can not be located except by instrumental leveling. Although the 

playa occupies a distinct closed basin, physiographically and structurally it is a part of the lower Mohave Valley, and the groundwater conditions in the two basins are intimately related.

North of Daggett the channel of Mohave River is between. 15 and 

25 feet below the plain. Northeastward the gradient of the river is 

greater than that of the plain, so that the channel and flood plain are 

cut lower and below the plain. Near Camp Cady the channel is 

about 75 feet below the plain. At this place the rise from the flood 

plain to the level of the upland plain north of the river is an almost 

vertical cliff, but south of the river the rise is more gentle and is broken 

by several terraces.

The plain between Daggett and the Cady Mountains is nearly 

level, but locally there is a relief of 5 to 15 feet. At a number of places
444 THE MOHAVB DBSIS^T REGION, CALIFORNIA

occur elongated depressions, which are evidently old channels formed 

when the river flowed at the level of the plain. Several of these 

channels are especially noticeable in the northeastern part of T. 9 N., 

R. 3 E., and a mile or two south of Gamp Cady.

An indefinite, scarcely noticeable depression extends'from a place 

about a mile west of Newberry Spring eastward to Troy Dry Lake, 

The depression continues northward close to the west base of the 

Cady Mountains, and part of it is occupied by an arm of the playa. 

A distinct depression also extends southward from the river along the 

west base of the Cady Mountains, but there does not seem to be a 

continuous drainage line from the playa to the river. These depressions suggest an old channel of the river, now separated from the river 

by wind-blown sand or alluvium washed in from the Cady Mountains.

North of Mohave River the upland plain continues unbroken to 

Manix Wash, which joins the river about in sec. 11, T. 10 N., R. 4 E. 

On the south, however, the plain does not extend beyond Camp Cady, 

below which the river flows close to the northwest end of the Cady 

Mountains. Two or three miles east of the northwest end of these 

mountains a long alluvial slope reaches back into an embayment in 

them. (See pis. 26, A, and 27, J5.)> The river has cut its channel 

100 feet or more below the upland surface of this alluvial slope. 

Near Manix Wash at least two terraces were formed during the 

cutting of the channel. These are especially well developed on the 

south side of the river. (See pi. 27, B.) About 1^ or 2 miles east 

of Camp Cady the river makes a big bend to the south and then with 

a sharp curve doubles back upon itself. (See pi. 26, A.} A large 

part of the area in the bow between the river on the two sides of the 

meander consists of a broad terrace platform about 25 or 30 feet 

above the present channel. Less prominent terraces are formed at 

Camp Oady and at other points upstream.

There was no opportunity to determine whether there is any relation between the terraces south of Manix Wash and those in the 

vicinity of Camp Cady and the other points upstream. The exact 

origin of the terraces was not determined. It is probable that the 

terraces near Manix Wash were caused by a stoppage of down cutting 

by the uncovering of hard rock barriers farther downstream. As 

explained on pages 111 and 457, this part of Mohave Valley was once 

covered by a lake. This lake was drained and the present river 

channel cut when the water overflowed a barrier on the east. As the 

river cut through this barrier resistant rocks doubtless caused the 

liver to remain at certain levels long enough to cut laterally and 

develop the terraces. Possibly, however, they may be due to variations in the climate which caused changes in the run-off that affected 

the eroding power of the stream.

A notable feature of the plain is a belt 6f sand dnnes that stretches 

from Kouns southeastward across^ the valley nearly to Newberry
XT. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 25

A. STRATIFIED ALLUVIUM ALONG MOHAVE RIVER SOUTH OF YERMO

. NEAR VIEW OF STRATIFIED ALLUVIUM 

SHOWN IN ^4

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 26

A. VIEW LOOKING EAST AND NORTH ACROSS MOHAVE RIVER ABOUT 2 MILES EAST OF OLD CAMP CADY 

Shows alluvium at right, grading into greatly dissected Manix lake beds at left

£. SAND-DUNE BELT IN SOUTH-CENTRAL PART OF LOWER MOHAVE VALLEY 

Viewed from Edwards ranch, in the NW. J4 sec. 19, T. 9 N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian. Looking east (at left), southeast, and south. The left border of the dune belt marks an abrupt drop in the water table

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 27

A. NEAR VIEW OF MANIX LAKE BEDS 

Shows gradation of alluvium at right into lake beds at left. Lake beds at top in right side of view

B. TERRACES CUT IN MANIX LAKE BEDS ALONG MOHAVE RIVER 3 OR 4 MILES EAST OF CAMP CADY

Manix Wash in left foreground

MOHAYB BIVBB BASIN

tion and thence eastward and northeastward on the north w^si side ^ of,

Troy Dry Lake. The dunes are not especially prominent

the river. Their greatest development is between the ii

south side of sec. 3, T. 9 N., E. 2 E., and sec. 30, T, 9 N*, E,

this stretch at some places the dune belt is a mile or more wideband.

some of the dunes rise 15 to 25 feet above the general level of the plain.

Directly north of Newberry station the belt is only a few

feet wide and the dunes are only a few feet high. The western 

the dune belt is more or less irregular and indefinite, but the 

edge is rather sharp within limits of a few hundred feet. East $f 

Newberry station the distribution of the dunes is more irregular. A 

part of the dune belt in the southeastern part of T. 9 N,, E. 8 E,» 

is shown in Plate 26, B. The dunes, which cover all but about the' 

left-hand third of the foreground in this view, are marked by the 

very dark appearance of the vegetation against the white sand. By 

means of their dark appearance they may be traced in the phatograph toward the east end of Newberry Mountain, where they swim 

eastward toward a prominent black hill rising from the plain.

The dunes are mostly covered with vegetation. Some of the plants 

are those that live in dry sandy soils, but on all the large dunes grow 

crawling mesquite, which commonly exists only where its loag roots 

can reach ground water. Between the dunes lie many small closed 

depressions with bare clay surfaces like playas. In some of these 

depressions salt grass grows, indicating that ground water is close to 

the surface.

There is no evidence that the dunes are advancing, the vegetation 

probably being sufficient to hold them in place. They seem to; have 

a definite relation to ground-water conditions, for they occur only 

where the water table is near the surface, although they do not 

necessarily appear in all areas of shallow ground water, The most 

probable explanation of the presence of the dunes is that because 

the ground water was so close to the surface water-loving plants, 

especially the mesquite, grew in abundance, and wind-blown sand 

gathered around them. Perhaps the ground was so moist that some 

of the sand was held by moisture, but the growth of the dunes is 

explained largely by the habit of the mesquite to spread over tfa» 

ground. As the sand builds around it, the plant grows higher and 

higher and the sand dunes increase in size, but the roots continue 

to draw moisture from the water table. The significance of the 

dune belt in interpreting ground-water conditions ia discussed further 

on pages 478 and 481.

River channel and flood plain. Conditions along the channel of 

Mohave River and the bordering flood plain change from 0&® part of 

the river to another between, Barstow and Maais Wash. The different conditions throw some light on the occurrence of ground watw
446 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

in the valley. Normally the river is entirely dry for most of the year 

except along two stretches described below.

For a mile or two below the buttes of Tertiary lava at the east 

end of Barstow the, channel is almost bare of vegetation, except small 

plants that can exist in sand. No well data are available for this 

stretch, but the depth to water is probably 15 feet or more. Farther 

downstream mesquite and willow trees increase in numbers and size 

about as far as the center of sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 1 E., about 2 miles 

west of Daggett. At this place a low rock hill, not more than 200 

feet in diameter, projects above the flood plain just south of the 

river channel, and hills of the same rock rise a short distance north 

of the river. Here there is also an abrupt change in the vegetation. 

The belt of trees ends within 100 yards below the rock outcrop, and 

for several miles downstream the vegetation is composed of small 

plants that grow in sand. So far as is known, there is no surface^ 

flow from Barstow to a point several miles below Daggett except in 

the rainy season.

Beginning near the west line of sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., and extending downstream for about a mile, there is another stretch where 

mesquite and poplar grow in abundance along the river channel 

and on the flood plain. This stretch crosses the dune belt described 

on page 445. However, although the dunes are well developed on the 

upland plain and at one or two places reach out onto the higher part 

of the flood plain, they are entirely lacking near the river. In this 

stretch there is some surface flow generally throughout the year. 

When the place was visited by the writer in November, 1919, a small 

stream of water appeared a short distance west of the line between 

sees. 3 and 4. It gradually increased in size downstream for several 

hundred feet but disappeared about a third of a mile below the line 

between sees. 2 and 3, T. 9N.,R.2E., either because it sank into the 

sand or because it was all evaporated. The stream reached some 

distance below the stretch in which trees are abundant. In that 

stretch, about a mile long, there is a channel between 500 and 1,000 

feet wide. This channel was swept bare by the last flood, but since 

then many young mesquite had begun to grow on it. A large part 

of the sandy floor of this channel was moist in the stretch j of the 

perennial stream. /

On each side of the main channel stands a low terrace 3 TO 5 feet 

above it and several hundred feet wide. On these terraces the tree 

growth is rather abundant, in some places almost impassable. On 

the terrace on the south side of the river, in the SW. %. sec. 3, water 

emerges at a swampy place in an old channel and flows downstream 

a few hundred feet to a large pond. This pond at one place is more 

than 100 feet across and is said to be 10 or 12 feet deep. It is reported 

to persist throughout the year. At the lower end a small stream
MOHAVE KIVEB'BASIN 447

flows down the channel for a short distance. On November 11, 1919V 

the flow was less than a second-foot. It is said that prior to the 

last large flood the pond had extended farther downstream, but 

apparently the lower end of the depression was filled with sand.

In the NE. K sec. 3, on the terrace on the north side of the river r 

there is another marshy area where water comes to the surface. The 

seepage water is used for irrigation. On November 12, 1919, the 

flow of the ditches collecting the water from this marshy area was 

estimated to be 1 to 1^ second-feet.

The total flow of all the streams in sec. 3 observed on November 11 

and 12, 1919, did not exceed 3 or 4 second-feet. It was divided into 

three or four separate streams, and the surface flow disappeared 

entirely within about 1,500 feet of the lower end of the wooded 

stretch. During the preceding summer the flow had been considerably less.

Below sec. 3 the river bottom and flood plain bear no trees for 3 or 

4 miles. Front about the west line of sec. 33 there is a luxurious 

growth downstream for nearly 6 miles, to a place opposite the northwest end of th j Cady Mountains. In this stretch water is close tothe surface. A. small stream flows most of the time, except perhaps 

in the driest seasons, and the floor of the channel is moist over a 

considerable area. At one place on the south side of the river, 

probably in thu SE. % sec. 33, on November 25, 1919, a stream of 

about 45 gallons a minute was flowing from a pond about 1,000 feet 

long and 25 feet wide. The water disappeared, either by absorption 

or by evaporation, a short distance downstream. Pools of water 

were also observed 2,000 feet downstream from this place, but there 

was no flow.

On September 6, 1917, water was observed in the channel in the 

NE. M sec. 25, T. 10 N., R. 3 E., but there was no water a fewhundred feet downstream. In this vicinity there are two welldeveloped tern ices, the lower about 5 feet above the river bed and 

the other about 10 feet higher. In the NW. M sec. 30, T. 10 N., 

R. 4 W., many springs issue from the short cliff between the lower 

and upper terraces, and over an area of several acres the floor of 

the lower terrace is swampy.

Farther downstream the water apparently flows at the surface 

more persistently. On November 21, 1919, a stream 50 feet wide 

in places, whici was estimated to carry from 2 to 2^ second-feet,, 

was observed opposite the northwest point of the Cady Mountains, 

in sec. 20, T. 10 N., R. 4 E. Within less than a mile, however, the 

stream sank inl;o the sand. (See pi. 21.) In this distance the trees, 

which are so numerous above the point of the mountains, became 

fewer and fewur. A few clumps of mesquite are scattered at intervals downsti'eam for a short distance, but for several miles below
448 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CAMPOENIA

there is little indication that water is near the surface. Just above 

the junction with Manix Wash a few trees stand along the river and 

clumps of mesquite grow in the lower part of Mania: Wash and on 

the river bottom. They are not nearly as abundant as the growth 

in the moist stretches just described, and the indications are that 

water is not near the surface but that these trees obtain their moisture 

from flood water.

At the northwest point of the Cady Mountains bedrock crops out 

a few hundred feet south of the river channel. Although no rock 

was observed in the river bottom or the flood plain it is probable 

that the surface flow at this place is due to the fact that the bedro ck 

lies close to the surface.

Playas. Two playas lie on the plain of the Lower Mohave Valley. 

A small one, about 2 square miles in extent, is situated about 4 miles 

north of Daggett. No name is known for it, .and the writer suggests 

that it be called Calico Dry Lake. This playa is separated from 

Mohave River by a low, almost imperceptible divide, which may 

have been formed by alluvium that was washed in from the hills to 

the west. More likely, however, it was formed when Mohave River 

flowed on the plain before its present channel was intrenched. At 

that time during floods the river doubtless spread out in all directions and deposited material, either as a cone from the end of the 

narrow valley at Daggett or as a natural levee. A depression was 

thus formed between the aggraded bed of the river and the Calico 

Mountains in which was impounded the run-off from part of the 

Calico Mountains and the hills to the west. At present the playa 

is drained by a shallow channel that lies north of Yermo and enters 

the river about in sec. 5, T. 9 N., R. 2 E.

The surface of the playa is hard and smooth in dry weather. There 

is no shallow-water vegetation around it nor any noticeable accumulation of alkali. In all respects it is a playa of the dry type, as would 

be expected, for the depth to water in wells in the western part of the 

valley is 50 feet or more, and the alluvium is so porous that there is 

good underground drainage from the playa toward the river.

The second playa, which is considerably larger, is about 3 miles 

east of Newberry station, in the southeastern part of the valley. It 

is separated from Mohave River by a low alluvial divide, which 

apparently has been formed by wash from the low hills that form the 

west end of the Cady Mountains. A large part of this playa is 

covered with alkali, and the surface is roughened by "self-rising 

ground." Mesquite and salt grass grow at some places around the 

playa, and inkweed grows on the southwest part of the clay flat. 

The characteristics are those of a playa of the wet type. The depth 

to water in wells on the west side of the playa is about 7 feet. A 

long arm of the playa extends northward 3 or 4 miles from the rail-
449

road. This part is apparently a litth higher than the mft&t part el 

th« ptoya, for many individuals of some alkali-resistant plant grow 

on the fluff ace.

Gedogfo featwet aj the jpfow*. The plain of Lower Mofcave VaHey 

is underlain to an unknown depth by alluvium of Quatemarf age. 

So far as the writer is aware, no bedrock has been struck in any well 

except No. 19, which is close to a limestone hill. The deepest weB 

(No. 60, pL 24) is 500 feet deep. Several wells in different, parts 

of the valley reach depths of 300 feet or more without striking 

bedrock. Well 89, which is only about 1,500 feet north of the foot 01 

Newberry Mountain, did not strike bedrock at a depth of 316 f«et<

Surface exposures and well logs show that the character of the 

alluvium is different in different parts of the valley. The occurrence 

of ground water in different parts of the valley is affected by variations 

in the character of the alluvium, and hence the deposits are described 

below in some detail. On the south side of the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway about 2% miles east of Daggett, in a large 

cut, the alluvium is well exposed. (See pi. 14, A.} The beds are 

composed of sand and gravel and contain cobbles as large as 3 or 4 

inches in diameter. The material is fairly well stratified, but the 

coarse and fine materials are poorly sorted. The cobbles are mostly 

angular. The beds are typical of the deposits laid in the lower part 

of an alluvial fan. Material of this kind is undoubtedly encountered 

in wells around the borders of the valley wherever there is a welldeveloped alluvial slope. In two wells (Nos. 60 and 75) boulders of 

lava rock, as much as 12 inches in diameter, were struck at depths of 

300 to 500 feet. These boulders evidently have come from the 

mountains on the south. Because of the coarseness of the alluvium 

the yield of wells in such localities is generally large.

In exposures along the south side of Mohave River 1J^ miles duesouth of Yermo the alluvium differs from that just described in that 

there is a distinct alternation of strata. At the surface is a bed of 

fine buff clayey sand free of pebbles, which is from 5 to 10 feet thick. 

Below this sand lie irregularly cross-bedded sand and gravel from 7 

to 14 feet thick. At the bottom is another buff bed of clayey sand, 

slightly coarser than the upper bed, but the coarsest grains are not 

more than one-sixteenth inch in diameter. The maximum thickneseof this bed that is exposed is about 10 feet, but it extends below tbfc 

river channel. The character of the beds is shown in Plate 25. In 

Plate 25, A, the upper sand member extends down to a hole directly 

beneath the man. The base of the gravel below it is marked by a hat 

a little to the right of the center. In Plate 25, B, the hat is at thfc 

contact between the gravel and the lower clay bed- The gravel -bed 

is exposed continuously downstream for half a mile or more. Farther 

downstream it is covered by slumped material. It was not possibta
450 THE MOHAVB DBS1BT BEGION ^CALIFORNIA

to determine whether the bed is absent farther downstream because 

it dips below the river channel or because it pinches out. However, 

where measurements were made in a stretch of about one-third of a 

mile, the thickness of the gravel bed decreased from 14 to 7 feet, and 

apparently it pinches out.

On the north side of the river near Camp Cady, in cliffs 70 feet 

high, no gravel beds are seen, such as are exposed south of Yermo. 

The material is mostly buff clay and sand, with only here and there 

a pebble as large as 1 inch. It is much like the lower sand member 

of the beds exposed south of Yermo.

About a mile below Camp Cady a gradual change occurs. The 

color of the beds changes from buff to a light grayish green, and the 

percentage of clay increases. The green beds extend down the river 

for 10 miles or more. The graduation from the buff beds to the 

green beds is in most places almost imperceptible. Fish vertebrae 

and four species of fresh-water mollusks have been found at several 

places in the green beds.61 These fossil remains, together with the 

evenness of the bedding and the green color, which is due to oxidation beneath water, show that the beds were deposited in a lake. 

This lake, which Buwalda has named Manix Lake, existed during 

the Pleistocene epoch, when the climate was presumably more humid 

than at present. (See p. 111.)

The exact extent of the Manix lake beds is not known. Surface 

exposures are limited to the cliffs along Mohave River below Camp 

Cady and along the washes that join the river below that place. 

Along Manix Wash the beds are exposed as far back from the river 

as the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. Beds similar to the Manix 

lake beds are reported on the west flank of the Alvord Mountains 

about 10 miles north of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad.62 On 

a map accompanying his report Buwalda shows the Manix lake 

beds extending several miles northwest of the railroad, as far west as 

Kouns, and as far southwest as Camp Cady. The writer did not see 

any beds similar to those south of Manix in this large area, except 

along the river east of Camp Cady. In sec. 27, T. 10 N., R. 3 E., 

about 1^4 miles south of Harvard, greenish clay lies in a horizontal 

position, very much like the Manix lake beds, against the east side 

of a bedrock hill, covering an area about 100 feet in diameter and 

rising 25 feet above the present plain. These beds are probably at 

least 50 feet above the river channel less than a mile to the south, 

where only buff beds are exposed.

Although the green lake beds do not. crop out except along the 

river below Camp Cady and along Manix Wash, they have been 

struck in several wells on the plain between the Los Angeles & Salt

i Buwalda, P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, in the eastern Mohave Desert region: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, No. 24, p. 449,1914. 

» Bunwalda, J. P., op. cat., p. 448.
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 451

Lake Railroad and the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. In 

well logs, however, the color of the clay is said to be blw instead of 

green, as the clay is blue when wet.

The dump at well 32, about a quarter of a mile southeast of the 

road crossing at Manix, showed much green clay. The well is 88 

feet deep, but it is not known at what depth the clay was struck.

In well 128, in sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 4 E., blue clay was struck at ft 

depth of 152 feet, and the bed continued to the bottom at 196 feet. 

Blue clay was found hi well 107. The exact depth to the clay is not 

known, but it is said to be about 200 feet. Some sand and gravel were 

reported below the first blue clay, but it was all bluish. Blue clay 

was probably struck in wells 119 and 126, but definite information 

could not be obtained. In well 89, of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway at Newberry station, blue clay extended from 27 to 64 

feet and from 208 to 247 feet and blue sand from 252 to 260 feet.

Except hi well 89, the blue clay was not encountered in wells west 

and south of Camp Cady above depths of 150 feet. Although blue 

clay was found at a depth of only 25 feet in well 89, it is not reported 

so near the surface in other wells near by, and its presence is apparently 

due to local conditions. Although logs are available for several other 

wells southwest of Camp Cady, blue clay is not reported hi them.

No blue clay is reported in any well west of Newberry station. A 

very detailed log of well 142, a mile west of Kouns, in which the color of 

each formation is carefully given, does not show any blue clay. 

This well reached a depth of 437 feet. According to approximate 

altitudes determined from railroad profiles, its bottom Is nearly ISO 

feet below the top of the blue clay in the Harvard well (No. 15) and 

nearly 50 feet below the bottom of the well. Furthermore, although 

it is not known at what depth the blue clay was struck in well 32, 

near Manix, the top of the blue clay in the Harvard well is neatly 100 

feet below the bottom of well 32, and hence fully that much below 

the top of the blue clay hi that well.. The blue clay in wells 107 amd 

128, south of the river, was apparently struck at altitudes from 2515O 

50 feet below the bottom of well 32. In the railroad well at Newberry 

station (No. 89) the lower blue clay is fully 50 feet below the bottom 

of well 32.
452 THE MOHAVB DE&EKT KEGION, CALIFOENIA

The approximate altitude of the surface and of the top of the blue 

day in these several wells is given in the following table:

Altitude of top df blue day in wells in Lower Mohave VoUey, Calif.

Well No.

oo pi. 24

83 

15 

42 

128 

107 

89

Location

Sec.

8T 

15 

34 

IS 

20 

33

T. N.

19 

10 

10 

9 

9 

0

E. E.

4

a

2 

4 

3 

3

Approximate 

altitudoof 

surface

above sea 

level (feet)

 1,7«0 

-1,805 

-1,875 

^1,800 

* 1,820 

« 1,829

Depth of 

bittern 

green clay 

(feet)

*88- 

216 «437-f 

152

200? 

208

Approximate 

ajfitodect 

blue clay 

above sea 

level (feet)

M.6T2+ 

1,505 

« 1,488- 

1,648 

1,620? 

1,621

« Well is not far from railroad. Altitude is determined from isilroad survey and is probably accurate 

within 15 feet or less.

* Well te 88 feet deep. Dump shove much blue clay, but depth at which it was struck is not known. 

The altitude of the top of the clay is evidently somewhat more than 1,672 feet above sea lev«l. 

«WeB it 437 feet deep, and DO blue clay was struck in it.

* Well is several miles fron> nearest point on railroad where altitude is known. Altitude may be in 

wrcr ss much as £6 feet.

According to the well logs the blue clay pinches out toward the 

west, but it can not be said just how far west it extends, except that, 

as shown by the great thickness encountered at Harvard, it must 

extend some distance west of that place.

No well-developed wave-cut cliffs or beaches which might indicate 

the maximum extent of Manix Lake have been found, but a large part 

of the area has not yet been carefully examined for such features. 

A well-defined pebbly beach is reported to occur west of Cave Mountain, at the northeast end of the area covered by the ancient lake, 

but no information is available as to the altitude of the beach. Near 

the southwest end of the Cady Mountains what appears to be a low 

beach ridge extends northward across an embayment in the hills. 

It was seen only from a distance, and its true origin is not known. 

As no lake beds have been reported from wells in this part of the valley 

at depths of less than 150 feet, except at Newberry station, this ridge 

is doubtless not related to Manix Lake but has probably been 

formed when Troy Dry Lake has been flooded.

The character of the beds that underlie different parts of the 

Lower Mohave Valley is shown by the following well logs:
RIOHAVB BITBB BASIN 458

Log of wett IS, see. 15, T. 10 N., R, S St. San BernarMno meridian

[Los Angeles & Salt Lake Bailroad Co., owner. Drilled July-August, 1912. Diameter l]M inches. Soraw oaaiog, perforated at 75 to 80 feet and 2f5 to fflflleet. pepth to water «t time of drifting, 75 feet]

SaiwL. . . __

rt-l*fl Vfll * WA tff

Sand ......... ...._............. ..-_......-......_................---..-

Brown clay . . ...... . .. .. ...... ............... Sand __ _ ____ _____ ____________

8«nd........................-.......... ...... .......................... _ .. Blue clay ... . . . ......... ..........

Thickness 

(feet)

65

10

5

20

60

5

t

30

21

OS

10

33

Depth (feet)

00

76

80 too

180

 90

®9

310

2?S

««

818

Lop o/ weM 35, sec. 1, T. 9 N., R. 1 E. San Bemardino meridian

[Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, owner. Drilled September-October, 1905. Diameter, 13M htthnc. Stovepipe casing, perforated at 100 to 140 feet and 280 to 306 feet. Depth to water at time of drilling, 

60 feet. Log furnished by owner]

Gravel . __ .... _ _ .. . . __ ..

Sand . . . ........ Gravel. . . . _ ... _ . _ . . . _ . _

Saad... .......................................................... ___ .... Brown clay. . . . ... . _ ... gaud _ . _ __ . . . ... _ ... ., ......

Thickmwa 

(feet)

60

50 

8 

38 

«

a

98

21

Depth 

<fiw«

eo

100 

108 

146

m

380 

886 *eo

Log of well 87, sec. 1, T. 9 N., R. 1 E. San Bemardino meridian

[Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, owner. Drilled July-September, 1905. Diameter, 13W inches. 

Casing, stovepipe, perforated at 70 to 130 feet, and 160 to 270 feet. Depth to water at time of drilUag 60 

feet. Log furnished by owner]

Sand . i.

Gravel... ___ . _____ . _________ . _________________ I.

Thleknsas

(feet)

U 

49 

96ie

86

Depth 

(feetj

85

m

180 

ISO 

373

This well is only a few feet from well 36, but the two logs are considerably 

different.

Log of well 64, SE. M sec. 8, T. 9 N., R. 2 E. San Bernardino meridian 

[A. Elsholst, owner. Drilled by F. A. Canfield, January, 1918]

Clay..

Sand _ .

Ciay............... .......................................................

Gravel

Clay............................................................................

Clay

Clay. . .........._....... __ ........ ...

Clay . __ .... _ . .

Clay...... ..... .........................................................

Gravel .... . ... . _ . . .

Clay r3-i*AVAi

Clay . . . ....... .......... . .

Thickness 

(feet)

0

2

7

3

11

3

20

27

14

1

13

1

11

2

20

6

6

16

Depth 

(feet)

9

21

18

21

82

85

65

82

96

97

110

111

122

124

144

149

16S

171

Perforated at 35 to 55 feet and 82 to 155 feet. 

6631 29 30
454 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Log of well 66, SW. }£ sec. 15, T. 9 N.t R. 2 E. San Bernardino meridian 

[E. Wooldridge, owner. Drilled August, 1918. Log furnished by owner]

Thickness 

(feet)

Depth 

(feet)

Clay .- ...._.-.- -.-... ........._ ............. .-_.. ........ . 6

Gravel ____________________________________ 14

Clay............................................................................ 6

Not stated........................................._____.. . ......... 4

Fine sand; water . __ _______.__ _ 1

Clay............................................................................ 10

Sand and clay ___.___________________.__ _... 2

Clay............................................................................ 3

Sand______________________________________ I

Soft clay ..... ___.________II__________.__...... 3

Sand and clay___________________________________ 10

Clay...... ......_......4._._........... .............................. 10

Sand and clay_ ____________________________.___ 4

Gravel; casing perforated ______________.___.... . 2

Clay............................................................................ 1

Sand________________________________________ 1

Clay............................................................................ 1

Coarse sand____________________________________ 3

Clay and sand..__________________________________ 3

Quicksand . . _ . 5

Clay............................................................................ 1

Sand and gravel; casing perforated____________._.. _ . 3

Clay............................................................................ 1

Gravel; casing perforated________________________.____ 6

Clay............................................................................ 1

Gravel; casing perforated..___________________.... 1

Sand and clay___________________________________ 3

Gravel; casing perforated..____________________..__ .. 2

Sand and clay___________________________ . _______ 2

Clay............................................................................ 3

Quicksand______________________________________ 2

Clay and sand _ ..__.___..__ . . 5

Clay_______________________.__________________ 25

Sand. . __...___.___________ . 1

Clay............................................................................ 23

Gravel; casing perforated..________________________ _.. 1

Clay............................................................................ 6

Gravel; casing perforated _._______.__ . 2

Clay..............................__............................ ..... 8

Sand_ __ ___._______________.__ . . 2

Clay............................................................................ 3

Sand___________________________________......... 2

Gravel; casing perforated...._______________._ . 6

Clay__.___________________._________________ 3

Sandy clay.__..___._______________ __ 2

Clay............................................................................ 7

Gravel; casing perforated..___________________.__ _ 7

Clay..... ................................................................. fi

Gravel; casing perforated _____________ .. 12

Clay. ..-...-...-.....-................................-............- ...-.- 1

Gravel; casing perforated... . ____._ .. .. 3

Clay and gravel___________.______________.__.. .. 3

Gravel; casing perforated.....______________ .. 2

Clay and fine sand____________________________........ 8

Clay............................................................................ 11

Gravel; casing perforated______________________________ 12

Clay............................................................................ 1

Gravel; casing perforated __.___.__ . 7

Clay.........................._. ... .........-.... ........ 2

Gravel; casing perforated _______________.._ 8

Clay............................................................................ 1

6

20

26

30

81

41

43

46

47

60

60

70

74

76

77

78

79

82

85

90

91

94

95

101

102

103

106

108

110

118

115

120

145

146

169

170

175

177

185

187

190

192

198

201

203

210

217

222

234

235

238

241

243

251

262

274

275

282

284

202
MOHAVE BIYER BASIN 455

Log of well 88, southwest corner of SW. % we. 19, T. 9 N,, R. S E. San Bemardino

meridian 

[Mattie J. Edwards, owner]

Thickness 

(feet)

Depth 

(feet)

Drift sand; water at 12 feet___ 

Quicksand_ _ __ _ __ .

 Clay .............__........

Sand_______________ Clay . . . 

Coarse sand...__._.__......

Clay . .. . 

 Sandy clay.......................

Clay.............................

 Coarse sand...._._......__.

Clay . . .. 

Coarse sand___________ 

Clay. .........................

 Coarse sand___________ 

Clay .........................

Coarse sand......................

 Clay.............................

Coarse sand .. . .

 Clay ..........................

Coarse sand. . ....

Clay ......................

Coarse sand. ...._......_..

^Clay.............................

.Sand and gravel; flowing water..

Clay.__________....__. ..Sand and coarse gravel; water....

Clay.............................

 Coarse sand___________

 Clay .. . . . 

Coarse sand. . ...._.......

Clay.............................

Coarse sand. ..............

Clay.............................

Coarse sand___________ 

.Clay.............................

12

14

17

10

21

28

28

81

41

45

48

67

60

74

79

96

98

102

112

134

139

149

160

162

172

176

179

188

186

196

200

This well is in the midst of the sand-dune area, but only about 100 yards west 

-of the eastern boundary of it.

Water originally rose 4 feet above the ground surface, but in 1919 it rose only 

. about 1 foot above the surface. The well then needed to be "sand pumped."

About 100 yards east of this well, on the east side of the dunes, no water was 

found in a hole that was dug 27 feet; that is, about 15 feet below the depth at 

which water was struck in the well drilled among the dunes.

Log of well 89, NW.^i sec. S3, T. 9 N., R. S E. San Bemardino meridian 

[Atchlson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. Drilled September, 1917. Log furnished by the owner]

Thickness 

(feet)

Depth 

(feet)

Clay . . .. _ _..__ _. . .

Sand; water....__________________________________.

Coarse sand and gravel; water not flowing._____,________~_.....

Bandy blue clay________________ _______.___... . 

Tough blue clay.._______________._____.____... ....

Coarse sand; water not flowing....___________________ _.....

Tough clay; streaks of gray shale, with imprints of "tule leaves" on lumps of

clay .. .

Coarse sand, gravel; water flowing______________ -___.__.....

Hard brown clay.._______________________....._... .... Gravel; water, good flow_____________________________. 

Hard brown clay._______________________________.....

Sandy clay ....____.____________________ ..... ....

Coarse sand, gravel; water, strong flow.._._........ .

Very hardclay...___.______________________ . ... . 

Gravel; water, strong flow and pressure_________... .. . 

Hard blue clay_______________________._________._. 

Sandy brown clay_._______________________._... ....

Dark-blue sand. _________________________________. 

White chalky clay, almost stone...___________... . . Gravel; water, large flow, low pressure___________________-__. 

Hard gray clay . ....__._._.... .

Sand, no water...____________________________... _. 

Tough clay . ....________________...... .

8

23

25

52

64

100

184

140

144

147

184

193

199

201

208

247

252

260

267

272

286

312

314

Well originally flowed about 40 gallons a minute and pumped about 160 gallons 

., a minute.
456 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Log of wett 97, southeast corner ef SW. H sec. 10, T. 9 JV., 8. 8 S. San

meridian

[Owned Jointly by Harry Burden, 7. W. Burden, and B. D. Llpplncotf]

Thickness 

fleet)

Depth

Clay and streaks of sand _. 

Coarse sand.._____...........

Clay and aa*d......................

Fine gravel __ _.........

Clay and sand . __ . 

"Fair" gravel .... ................

Clay with chunks of cemented sand.

M3 too

185

115

140

110

Depth to water, 30.4 feet.

This well yields about 50 inches, but in 1919 it -was practically the only well 

in the eastern part of the Lower Mohave Valley that yielded more than 20 or 25 

inches, except wells southeast of Newberry Springs, where conditions are moire 

favorable.

Log of well 118, NW. % sec. $4, T. 9 N., B. 8 E. San Berwrdino meridian

ffohn J. Cornwall, owner. Originally drilled to a depth of 125 feet, and log to that d«pth not kmawa. &og 

furnished by F, A. Ganfield, driller]

Thickness 

(feet)

. 

<feet>

Not known ..__.......

Clay....-.......... ....

Coarse sand...___.......

"Good" gravel------......

Clay-.. 

Coarse sand________ 

Clay-... .. . _ 

Sand.. ... ..........

Clay and sandstone, sheDy. 

"Good" sand.............. Clay...._...............

Ftae sand ... 

Clay.......................

Coarse sand.. _ ... 

Clay........-.. ........

Coarse sand...___......

Clay...__....__.......

Sand.. .................

Clay.. _ _.......

Sand.. __..............

Clay-............ ........

Gravel . .. 

Clay........................

Gravel __......

Clay........................

Coarse gravel. __......

Clay- ....__......

125

12

7

9

3

3

8

5

2

2

2

2

1

1

2

126 

1ST 

144 

153 

156 

Ifi9 

167 

172 

174 

176 

178

180

181

182

184

186

162

105

201

203

217

223

225

228

249

154

380

Yield by pumping not more than 225 gallons a minute.
Loy of well 128, SW.

* MOHAVE RIVER BASIN T

NW. U, sec. 18, T. 9 N., B. 4 E. San Berwrdino 

[H. Q. Tienkes, owner]

457

Pit dog to water ________________________________

day.... ...... ................................................................

Coarse sand _ . _ .... ___ ... _____________________

Clay and sand _____________________ ; ___________

Coarse sand ____________________________ , __ . _

Clay........................................................................ _ ..

Clay. __ ...... _ . _ ........ __ .... __ ....... _____ ... __ . .........

Quicksand ___ ... ________________________________

P and and clay.. __ ___ . _______________________

Clay. ............................................................ __ ........

Blue clay.. ........ ____ __________________ . ..............

Blue clay and sand. _ .... __________________________

Clay............. --. . ........ .........-................. .... ..

Thickness

(feet)

MM

10M

2

30

ll

2

6

15

2

38

.4

39

4

1

Depth (feet)

34MHr

ss&

mn

108

ll

148

162

191

198

196

Depth to water, 24.6 feet. Measured by D. G. Thompson Nov. 20,1919.

The difference in the nature of the alluvium in the different parts of 

the valley is clearly due to the conditions under which it was deposited. Some of the conditions are not fully known, but there k 

sufficient evidence to outline the most significant in so far aa those 

affecting the occurrence of ground water are concerned.

It is certain that at one time the floor of the Lower Mohave Valley 

was much lower than at present just how much lower we do not 

know, for no wells have reached the bedrock. It may be fully 1,000 

feet or more deep in the middle of the valley, for the absence of rock 

in wells near the mountains shows that the bedrock of these mountains 

does not spread out much below the surface.

As a result of some change in the drainage, as yet unknown, a lake 

was formed. Probably the change in drainage was due to the fonaation of a barrier by folding or faulting near the northeastern part of 

the basin, but the appearance of the lake may have been due to other 

changes somewhere else in the basin. Before this problem can bei 

solved more must be known of the geography of the region during fcfae 

later part of the Tertiary and the early part of the Quaternary period.

Into the closed basin alluvium was washed from the surrounding 

mountains, and the coarseness of the material in different parts of the 

basin was determined by the distance from the mountains. In general the coarse gravel and boulders, if any, were deposited near the 

mountains, and the finer sand and clay was carried out into the lake. 

As a result of occasional heavy run-off from time to time, some coarse 

material was carried farther out from the mountains than usual, so 

that there is an mterfingering of the fine and coarse material. In this 

manner the valley was gradually filled with sediments.

As the valley was filled up, Mohave River presumably followed 

ixi general its present course from the San Bernardino Mountains to 

Daggett. At Daggett it emerged from & narrow valley Into ft much
45& THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

broader valley, at the east end of which was Manix Lake. As the 

river poured into this broad valley, from which there was no outlet, 

instead of cutting a deep channel it spread out over the plain and 

deposited the load* of sand, gravel, and clay which it carried. The 

conditions were very similar to those that now exist farther downstream, where the river emerges from Cave Canyon onto a great 

alluvial slope that reaches Soda Lake. (See pp. 514,518.) This slope 

has been built up by the deposition of material from the river during 

floods. From time to time the river has spread out over first one 

part of the slope and then another.

In this manner a very large part of the valley fill was 'carried in 

by Mohave River. Conditions were doubtless much as at present 

in that at times coarse material was brought in by great floods and at 

other times only fine clay or sand was deposited. Most of the coarse 

material was deposited in the western part of the valley, and' the 

gravel beds thinned out toward the east. Because the river moved 

from place to place none of the gravel beds are of any great lateral 

extent. The finest materials were deposited in Manix Lake, and 

material of intermediate fineness would naturally predominate in a 

zone between the lake beds and the coarser material deposited at the 

west end of the valley.

Apparently in its later days Manix Lake did not cover as great an 

area as in its earlier days, for well logs show that as deposition went oa 

the buff sands at successively higher levels reached farther and farther 

east over the blue clay that was deposited in the lake. It is not 

known whether this condition was due to a decrease in the average 

annual precipitation, which caused less water to reach the lake so that 

it decreased in size, or to the fact that so much material was washed 

in that the western border of the lake was moved eastward. Doubtless the level of the lake changed considerably from time to time 

because of the great evaporation, just as such lakes as Owens Lake 

and Great Salt Lake change to-day. Doubtless also there was a 

considerable border zone around the lake where conditions were 

much the same as on some playas. The buff deposits exposed in the 

cliffs north of Camp Cady are in many respects similar to the surface 

deposits of some playas.

Eventually a channel was cut through the barrier at the northeast 

end of Manix Lake, and the lake was drained. Mohave River 

then flowed across the nearly level surface of the lake plain but did 

not cut its present channel for some time. It meandered and changed 

its course, as the gradient of the plain is too small to cause it to follow

a very direct course.

sons

The soil in most of the Lower Mohave Valley is good for agriculture, although like the soil in other parts of the desert it is lacking in 

certain valuable constituents. (See p. 60.) It is mostly arkosic
MOHAVE raVEK BASIN 45$

sand with some clay and has been derived from the weathered rocks 

of the iadjacent mountains or washed in by Mohave River. There is 

some fine gravel in spots. The soil is compact, and its sandy nature 

is not unfavorable to the development of the region except in the 

belt of sand dunes that stretches northwestward from a place near 

Newberry station to Mohave River and also along the extreme eastern 

border of the valley, where sand has accumulated at the base of the 

Cady Mountains.

In a number of localities the soil contains so much alkali that crops 

will not thrive. These areas generally occur where the water table is 

so close to the surface that there is discharge from the water table, 

and continual evaporation has left considerable alkali in the soSL 

The principal areas include the belt of sand dunes northwest of 

Newberry station, the shallow ground-water area around Newberry 

station and Newberry Spring, and an area of indefinite extent around 

Troy Dry Lake.

In most places the alkaline character of the soil is shown by a 

crust of alkali. A sample of soil taken at a depth of 3*/£ feet from & 

small clay flat in the sand-dune area in the NW. % sec. 14, T. 9 N., 

R. 2 E., contained 0.62 per cent of water-soluble salts, mostly sodium 

carbonate. At this place there was a slight crust of alkali. A sample 

taken at a depth of 1 foot on the Hunter ranch, in the SW. % sec. 12, 

T. 9 N., R. 2 E., contained 0.51 per cent of water-soluble salts, and 

a sample from a depth of IJ^ to 2 feet contained 1.24 per cent of 

water-soluble salts. In the sample from a depth of 1 foot sodium 

carbonate predominated, but in the other sample sodium sulphate 

was more abundant. At this place, which is a few hundred feet east 

of the dune belt, the surface was baked hard but there was no indication of alkali. Four samples of soil were taken from a clay flat among 

the sand dunes at the Edwards ranch, in the NW. % sec. 19, T. 9 N., 

R. 3 E., on which an attempt had been made to grow rice. A sample 

from the upper 6 inches contained 0.51 per cent of water-soluble salts, 

and a sample from a depth of 4^ to 53^ feet contained 0.47 per cent. 

There was no crust of alkali at the spot where these two samples were 

taken, but such a crust was present around the border of the flat. A 

sample of this crust contained 6.96 per cent of water-soluble .salts. 

A sample at this same place from a depth of 1 to 1K fwt contained 

0.93 per cent of water-soluble salts. The soil at this place contains 

so much alkali that crops probably will not do well.

Alkali is present over an area of several hundred acres around 

Newberry station and Newberry Spring. Between the railroad and 

the spring the crust is especially thick. The alkali, however, appears 

to occur mostly only at the surface. A sample of the crust, as nearly 

pure as could be obtained, contained 58.33 per cent of salts, in which 

sodium chloride predominated and sodium sulphate was high. .£.
460 THE MOHAVE DESBET REGION, CALIFORNIA

sample from a depth of 1 foot, however, contained only 0.44 per 

cent, and a sample from a depth of 23*£ feet contained only 0.235 per 

cent. Although the content of alkali a foot or two below the surface 

is less than one-half of 1 per cent it is doubtful whether the soil in 

this locality is suitable for crops. If the land were irrigated the 

alkali at the surface would doubtless be carried down in the drier 

seasons and the soil would become more heavily impregnated.

In some places the soil a few inches below the surface is partly 

cemented into caliche, but in no place was there any indication that 

the caliche was troublesome in tilling the land. It is not as widespread nor as thick and hard as in some of the other desert valleys. 

The cement is probably calcium carbonate or calcium sulphate, which 

are not readily soluble in water. A sample of caliche that was struck 

at a depth of 2 feet in a well on the Tienken ranch, in sec. 18, T. 9 N., 

R. 4 E., contained only 0.19 per cent of waterrsoluble salts.

VEGETATION |

The characteristic plant of the greater part of the plain of the 

Lower Mohave Valley is creosote bush. In some places, notably in 

the vicinity of Manix station, it is almost the only perennial that is 

to be seen. (See pi. 4, A.) Elsewhere associated with the creosote 

are Franseria dumosa, Mormon tea (EpJiedra californica), and the 

cigarette plant (Eriogonum inftaturn).

}*f'At localities along Mohave River where water is close to the surface, as in sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., and for several miles west of the 

northwest end of the Cady Mountains, characteristic water-loving 

plants are present. These plants include salt grass (Distwhlis spicata), 

both the screw-bean mesquite (Prosopis pubeseens or odorata) and the 

straight-bean mesquite (Prosopis juliftora), and species of willow 

and poplar. A species of mistletoe (Phoradendron californicum) is 

common on the mesquite and other trees in some places. In the 

western part of sec. 2, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., on the south side of the river, 

near a large perennial pool of water, Baccharis emoryi grows to a 

height of 7 feet. This plant apparently is an indicator of water. 

Rabbit brush (Chrysofhamnus mohavensis) also grows along the river 

where the water is close to the surface.

Along the stretches of the river where the water table is some feet 

below the surface the water-indicating types of vegetation are absent 

and the plants are generally those that exist in the most sandy soil. 

On the flood-plain directly south of Yermo creosote bush was common. 

Just west of Daggett bridge, where the depth to water is about 65 

feet and the channel is especially sandy, Dicona, canescens, a small 

plant with berries like gooseberries, was abundant. It was not 

observed elsewhere in the region.

In the belt of sand dunes that stretches northwestward across the 

valley from an area near Water station several kinds of plants art
MOHAVB BItBjft BASfif 461

fotMfi, but creosote bush is generally absent. 'Crawling mesquite 

btisheW,1 mostly the screw bean, grow on the dunes. Salt grass grows 

in some of the depressions between the dunes, but in most of the 

belt the depth of water is a little too great for the grass to grow. 

Several types of salt bush grow in the dune area, generally on or'at 

the edge of the small clay flats between the dunes, where the soil 

is somewhat alkaline. These plants include probably Atriplex 

and A. polycarpa. Other plants found in the dune area are 

rotes annua, Isocoma acradenia, and Suaeda sujfrutescens (inkweed).

In the vicinity of Newberry station and Newberry Spring, whete 

the depth to water is only 2 to 5 feet, salt grass covers a large area 

and a number of mesquite trees are growing, particularly near the 

spring. Other species include the saltweeds (Frarikenia grandifoKa 

and Atriplex torreyi), yerba mansa (Anemopsis californica), wire 

grass (Juncus bcHticus}, and the tule or Indian sugar cane (Pkra*}- 

mites communis).

At the west edge of Troy Dry Lake inkweed (Suaeda sujfruteseens) 

is abundant. This plant grows where the soil is very alkaline. 

Other alkali-resistant plants grow around the playa. In contrast 

to most playas, which are generally entirely devoid of vegetation, 

the northern arm of this playa supports some plants. Some mesquite 

grows on sand dunes that are near the playa.

The desert holly (Atriplex hymenelytra), which is used for household decoration, is especially abundant on the rocky slopes of Newberry Mountain near Newberry Spring.

Spinose forms are not common in the valley. Species of cholla 

and other small cactuses grow on the rocky slopes of the mountains 

but are generally absent on the plain. Yuccas grow at the very 

west end of the large valley that extends west of the Calico Mountains but are absent in the other part® of the valley.

PRECIPITATION

The only records of precipitation in the Lower Mohave Valley cover 

one year, from August, 1883, to July, 1884, at Daggett and parts of 

three years, from March, 1867, to January, 1871, at Camp Cady. 

The record at Camp Cady is complete for only one year, 1869-^70, 

when the precipitation was 1.28 inches. In 1868-69 the precipitation 

was 4.74 inches, but the record is lacking for October, 1868, and 

May and June, 1869 months when the precipitation is generally 

slight. The long-time records at other stations in California do not 

extend back far enough to permit any comparison to be made with 

the records at Camp Cady. ' '

The precipitation for the single year at Daggett was 4.08 inches. 

The average annual precipitation at Barstow is abcmt 4i25 3nehetr. 

Probably the average precipitation in the valley is between 3 MM! 4
462 THE MOHAVE DESEET EEGION, CALIFORNIA

inches. The precipitation on the mountains that border the valley 

on the south may be slightly greater, as they cover a large area and 

rise to an altitude of 4,000 to 5,000 feet. Although the Calico 

Mountains rise about as high they do not cover so large an area 

and doubtless do not affect the precipitation to any great extent.

SURFACE RUN-OFF

Except for Mohave River there are no streams in the area. The 

flood run-off from the mountains on the south side of the valley is 

apparently considerable. The drainage areas of several washes in 

these mountains are large, and the topographic and geologic conditions 

are conducive to concentration of the run-off. For example, one wash 

extends nearly from the summit of Ord Mountain north and north-^ 

west to Daggett, a distance of 10 miles or more. Kecent township 

plats of the General Land Office show another wash, known as Kane 

Spring Wash, which leaves the mountains approximately in sec. 22, 

T. 8 N., R. 3 E. One main branch of this wash extends southwestward to sec. 9, T. 7 N., R. 2 E., a distance of about 10 miles from the 

mouth, and another branch extends southward about an equal distance to the southeast corner of sec. 26, T. 7 N., R. 3 E. This wash 

drains nearly 50 square miles of mountainous land. Other washes 

extend several miles back into the mountains.

Occasionally great floods come down these washes. In September, 

1919, after a heavy thunderstorm, a flood came down the Kane Spring 

Wash and spread over sees. 7 and 18, T. 8 N., R. 4 E. The water is 

said to have been up to the running boards on automobiles stalled 

on the road near the Loman ranch. Damage estimated at $3,000 was 

done at the Loman ranch in washing out alfalfa lands, irrigation 

ditches, and in the loss of chickens and other stock. At one place a 

large channel 5 feet deep and 15 feet wide was cut through a large 

sand dune.

The run-off from the other mountains that border the valley is 

probably not nearly as great as that from the mountains on the south 

side of the valley, largely because there are no large areas tributary to 

any one wash, the mountains being drained by many small canyons 

and washes which do not reach far back. The Calico Mountains are 

comparable in height and roughness to the mountains south of the 

valley, but the alluvial slopes in front of them, even in front of Wall 

Street Canyon, are much smaller, largely because the drainage area is 

not so great.

The plain of the valley is so nearly level that there is practically no 

run-off anywhere on it. During the heaviest storms water may run 

a few hundred yards to low places. East of Daggett there appears 

to be no definite drainage channel extending from the mountains on 

the south to Mohave River, but the flood run-off dissipates itself on
; MOHAVE BIVEB BASIN 463

the plain before it reaches the river. North of the river a small 

channel leads eastward from the playa northwest of Yermo, crosses 

the railroad about a mile east of the town, and thence leads southeastward to the river in sec. 5, T. 9 N., R. 2 E.

GROUND WATER 

SOURCE OF DATA

During the present investigation information was obtained in regard 

to about 150 wells. The location of the wells is shown on Plate 24, and 

the most significant data are given in the table on pages 464-471. 

Most of the wells were measured by the writer, and the reference point 

from which the measurements were made is given in the table for 

comparison with future measurements. Data in regard to wells 

along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and the Los Angeles 

& Salt Lake Railroad were furnished by officials of these companies. 

Logs of a number of wells and other data were furnished by Tom 

Williams, of Yermo, and D. M. Harlow, J. W. Burden, and F. A. 

Canfield, of Newberry station, who have drilled most of the wells in 

the valley.
Becords o/ wefts in Lower Mohave Vattey, 

No. 

on 

pi. 24

1

2

3

4 

5

6

7

8 

9

10 

11 

12

13

14 

15

16 

17

IS 

19

Location

Quarter

SW...

NE...

SW ...

SW...

SW... 

SW...

SW... 

8E? 

NE?..

SW?..

NW?.. 

NE?..

NE?.. 

NW 

NE... 

SB....

Sec.

34? 

28

28

35 

35

32? 

32

32 

32

26 

26 

21?

15?

15 

15

22? 

23

14 

11

T.

N. 

11

N. 

10

10

10 

10

10 

10

10 

10

10 

10 

10

10

10 

10

10 

10

10 

10

R.

w.

1

E. 

1

1

1 

1

2 

2

2

2

2 

2 

3

3

3 

3

3 

3

3 

3

Name of owner

Abandoned oil well. 

James F. MeKinley

Robert M. Campbell. 

J. A. Fults..... 

 do 

Mrs. Williams __

Y e r m o Mutual 

Water Co.

:.. dO .... . .... -

do _

G. F. Getty... .

Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake R. R.

F. B. Lewis... .

O. L. Wright. 

William Spencer 

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drffled.. 

Dug 

...do.....

DrffledDug __

Drilled..

 do 

... do 

 do 

 . do -

... do 

...do __

Dug.. ...

Drilled.. 

 do.....

...do ....

... do -

Dug , 

 doDepth 

of 

well 

(feet)

2,000+ 

70

69.6

407 

57.6

428

426 

413

156 

57 

125

145 

318

91.5 

134

58 

116.5

Diameter 

of 

well 

(inches)

..........

48

12 

16

16

12 

12

10 

10

48 by 48 

72 by 72

Depth 0

water 

(feet)

280+ 

65.4

65.6

60+ 

* 56.5

44.5

Dry. 

83.0

80.8

68 ? 

75

74.0 

60

56.1 

1145

Date of 

measurement

Nov. 4,1919 

 do.......

Nov. 4,1919 

Nov. 11,1919

Nov. 4,1919 

Nov. 12, 1919

 -do ...

Nov. 14, 1919

Nov. 14, 1919

Nov. 14, 1919 

Nov. 12*1919

R

3 

3 

T

T

T

T

3 

t

T

T

T
20

21

22

23

1

26

27

£8 

2»

30 

31

32

S

35 

36

37 

38

m 

f?

NWf..

SW 

SE_ 

NET..

NW... 

8W...

NE.._

SE? 

NW?.. 

NW?..

SW?..

SE ....

NW?..

NE?_. 

SW?..

NW...

NW.?.

NW.?.

 mil

12

22

27

33?

it

35

25

SO 

6

6

6?

S?

8? 

4?

F

i

12?

11? 

10?

10

10

10

10

10 

10

10

10

10

10

10 

10

10

10 

9

1

9 

9

9 

f

8

3

3

n

3 

3

4

4

4

4

4

f

J

1

1

1

1

O. L. Wrlght ... .

C. F. SlietonJ. T. CamalL ...

W. F. Schfldt 

Los Angeles & Salt

Lake R. R. 

do -

W. 6. Wflhelm. 

Drilled 

do. .

drilled. 

Drilled--

g

ug 

rffled-.

_ do __

drilled.

Drilled..

...do ...

do .

Drilled..

_ do _ .

 do.-.

...do. 

...da.-.

do

... da 

Boi...-

230

127.5

37

97

21

(?)

200 

108

21

237

195

66.4

88

81

275

101?

306

275

180

150? a

12

12

12

14

12

12

10

14

48 by 48

12

12

10

13H

13 14

10

11LO

87.0

0 4

5.4

12.0

(?)

33.0 

37.1

19.5

102.0

98.0

Dry.

60.4

77

76.4

73.3

60

60

30.8

&Dyy.

NOT. 13,1919

NOT. 14, 1919

 do..... 

Nov. 25, 1919

.....do 

NOT. 25, 1919 

NOT. 21, 1919

 do.. 

NOT. 13, 1919

 do. ......

..... do__ .

 do........

NOT. 16, 1919

.....do. __ 

.

* Where no date of measurement or reference point for measurement is given, the well was not measured 

other jperson.

* Jn this table by "turbine" ^ meant a deep-well centrifugal turbine pump; "deep well" is used for singl

* Yield is that reported by the owner or other person unless otherwise stated. Most of the yields have b

gaBons a minute by multiplying by 9.

'See p. 490 for one or more additional measurements o| depth to w«^t.
Records of wells in Lower Mohave Valley, Calif

No. 

on 

pi. 24

41 

42

43

44 

45

46

47 

48 

49

50 

51 

52 

53

54

Location

Quarter

SW...

sw...

SW...

sw...

NW...

NW... 

BE.... 

SW 

NW...

aw...

NW... 

SW...

SE. ?__

Sec.

10?

18

18

18 

16

21

22 

13 

6

4 

4 

3 

3

3

T.

9 

9

9

9 

9

9

9 

9 

9

9 

9 

9 

9

9

R.

1 

1

1

1 

1

1

1 

1 

2

2 

2 

2 

2

2

Name of owner

R. H. Greer ........

. do.--.. .. 

.....do-.... ...... .

W. W. Clark.......

Yermo Mutual 

Water Co.

 Badger ........

Charles E. Johnson. 

Jack Fisher.. ......

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drilled.. 

Dug--..

...do.__.

...do.._.

...do--.

Drilled.. 

...do.... 

...do....

...do....

Dug..... 

Drilled..

Drilled..

Depth 

of 

well 

(feet)

53 

70

22

23 

100

125

154 

(?) 

157

438 

17 

420

53

Diameter 

of 

well 

(inches)

12

84 by 84 

36 by 60

.12

8

16

30

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

* 24.8 

15.2

22? 

* 86.0

* 79.0

75.0 

 * 51.0 

23.9

16.5 

 *8.3 

49.4 

M.O

5

Date of 

measurement

Oct. 23,1919 

Dec. 31.1917

Oct. 24,1919 

Oct. 25,1919

 do.. 

Oct. 24,1919 

Nov. 6,1919

Nov. 11, 1919 

Nov. 5,1919 

Nov. 11,1919 

Nov. 5,1919

R

T

T

3 

3 

T

T

3 

T

3 

T

3 
56

66a

56

57

68

59

60

61

62

63

64

64 a

65

66

67

68

69

70

71

72

73

74

75

76

SE?..

SE. ?..

NW...

sw...

NW...

NW.?.

SW...

sw 

NE-...

SW...

SB....

SE....

SE....

SW...

NW...

SW...

NW..

SW?..

SW 

SW...

SW 

SE?...

NW?.

NW?.

3

3

2

7

18

19

20

20

20

8

8'8

10

15

22

22

27

28

27?

14

14

14

26

26

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

i 9

1

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

.....do.-- - 

Los Angeles Soap 

Co.

 do-- ..

S. W. OdeU. .......

do ... __ . _ .

L. N. Skobel 

 do. 

Tabitha Taylor 

estate.

..... do... .....

...do-..

Dug _ -

... do 

...do....

Drilled.. 

...do..-.

...do-..

 do--.

 do-..

...do....

 do..-.

...do-..

 do....

... do--_.

Dug.____

Drilled-

... do -

Dug and

drilled. 

Dug. _ 

Drilled..

... do.....

Dug and

drilled. 

Drffled..

... do. 

ISO

17 Q

12

54

<W1

190

CAA

220

171

an

110

174 

100

46

95.5

OQ K.

300

KG

36

12

24,8

12

19

19

12 

54,12

36

19

12

12

«*n

O 

HO

Dry.

* 51. 4 

«*53. 5

(?)

45

jo n

4O

90

33

20.7

OR

35.0

24.2

01 Q

 '29.9

14

26.5

11 0

20.6 

18.8

Nov. 11,1919

Oct. 24,1919 

 do. 

f)t*t 9.4 1Q1Q

Oct. 28,1919

Oct. 28,1919

... -do........

Oct. 25,1919 

 do....... .

Sept. 1,1917

Oct. 29,1919 

. __ do........

Oct. 30, 1919 

.... ,do.... ....

T

T

H

3 

* See p. 490 for one or more additional measurements of depth of water.
Records of wetts in Lower Mohave Valley, Calif

No. 

on 

pi. 24

77

7 

8

78

79a 

80

81 

82

83

84 

86

SB 

«7

88 

89

Location

Quarter

SB?.. 

NE?.. 

SW?._

8W?..

8W ...

NW?_

NW._

NW_.

NE?_

SW ...

8W?-_ 

SE....

SB .... 

NW--

Sec.

23? 

11? 

12

12 

1

18 

19

19

19? 

19

20 

30

32 

33

T.

9 

9 

9

9 

9

9 

9

9

9 

9

9 

9

9 

9

R.

2 

2 

2

2 

3

3 

3

3

3 

3

3 

3

3 

3

Name of owner

 Hunter. __ ..

..... do.............. 

3. B. Hampton 

~M~attte~J."E~dwards. 

. __ do ..........

" "Fry" ::::::::

L. P. Cutler

L. W. Page __ 

A. T. & 8. F. Ry...

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drilled.. 

...do .

_ do .

Dug. 

Dug and 

drffled. 

Dug ....

Drilled..

Dug __..

Drffled..

Dog ....

Drilled..

Dug ....

Drilled..

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

123 

(?) 

196

26.6 

195 

45

200

25.7 

15L5

27.4 

134

14 

314

Diameter 

of 

well 

(inches)

12 

36,12 

12

(?)

60 by 72; 

12

12

36 

12

60 

12

30

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

13.5 

Flows. 

6.3

13.2 

44.6

Dry. 

8.6

Mowing.

Dry. 

Flowing.

Dry.

Flowing.

1.75 

Flows.

Date of 

measurement

Dec. 10,1919 

Oct. 30,1919 

Oct. 29,1919 

.....do ...

.....do 

Nov. 26, 1919 

Oct. 29,1919

Oct. 31,1919

Nov. 26, 1919 

Dec. 10,1919

Nov. 25, 1919 

Dec. 10,1919

Sept. 2,1917

R

T

T

3 

3 

S

S

T

S
90

91 

92 

9»

93a

94

95

96

97

98

99

100

101

102

103

104 

105

106 

107

108

109

110

111

NW_.

SW...

SE....

sw...

sw...

NW_.

NW..

SW...

sw...

SE .

SE?...

SW...

NW...

NE?..

SW...

sw...

NW.._

NW... 

NW_.

SE....

SW...

sw...

NW...

3

3 

3 

2

2

10

11

10

10

10

11

12?

15

14

15

15? 

22

27 

26

28

27

26

34

9

9 

9 

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9

9 

9

9 

9

9

9

9

9

3

3 

3 

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3

3 

3

3 

3

3

3

3

3

G'. L.'Willits°~.""

.....do.. ...........

E. L. Harlow ......

Burden and Lippincott.

W. N. Bozarth ..

N. E. Harlow.. ....

~C. W. Beverstock..

 Wagner ...

L. W. Page -. .

George W. Archer..

 Klinkerbeard..

do

Dug.,.. 

_ do ....

Drilled..

...do?-,.

...do....

...do....

...do....

...doDug and 

drilled. 

Dug .....

...do 

DriUed..

Dug 

Drilled..

...do ..

Dug, .... 

DriUed..

...doDug _ ..

Drilled..

Dug and 

drilled.

73

34 

48 

237

114

35.0

88.4

150

170

50

35

37 

34.6

200

40

75 

162

27 

271

56? 

(?)

135

36.2

12

36 

60 

14

14

18 by 18

12

12

12

12

48

60

48

12 

12

72 

12

8

49 n

32.6

(?)

35.0

38.2

09 n

OA Q

32

on A

(?)

28.4 

33.1

30.2

31.7 

35.5

36.6

d J.1 Q

Dry.

32.0

37.7

on n

(?)

29.1

Nov. 25, 1919

Nov. 19, 1919

WATT Of, 1Q1Q

.....do.......

KTnv 10 1Q1Q

Nov. 25, 1919

Nov. 22, 1919

Nov. 22, 1919 

.....do ...

.....do ..

.... .do.. 

Sept. 4,1917

._ _ do . ....

.....do.........

Nov. 22, 1919

Sept. 4,1917

Mn\r 94 1O1O

Nov. 18, 1919

T

1 Measured by D. Q. Thompson with Cipoletti weir.
Records of wells in Lower Mohave Valley, Calif

No. 

on 

pi. 24

112 

113

114

115 

116 

117

118 

119 

120 

121 

122

123

124

125

126

127 

128

128 

ISO

Location

Quarter

NE... 

NW__

SE?.__

sw...

SE_...

SW...

NW.. 

SW?..

SB....

NW__ 

NW._

NE...

BE.... 

SW...

SW...

BE....

NW._

NW__ 

NW-.

Sec.

35 

35

35

34 

34 

1

24 

6 

6 

7 

8

8

8 

8

7

7 

18

20 

12

T.

9

9

9

1ft 

9

8

9 

9 

9 

9 

9

9

9 

9

9

9

9

9

8

R.

3

3

3

3 

3 

3

3 

4 

4 

4 

4

4

4 

4

4

4 

4

4 

3

Name of owner

W. E. Thral ___ .

H. L. Mygatt ...

Miss Irwin .........

A. C. Tappe .......

John J. Cornwall ... 

R. L. Riley. .......

W. A. Hopper ..... 

E. C. Rochette. ....

J. B. Neumann _ . 

A. E. Erickson. ..

R. W. Holton ...... 

H. L. Mellon......

E. F. Dodson ___

 Mager? ........

H. G. Tienken ..

L. S. Brehaut ...... 

I, TJ, Hnnnan . .

Type of 

well or 

spring

Drffled.-

 do.....

...do.....

...do.....

 do..... 

Dug.....

Drilled., 

-.do....

Dug..... 

_ do .....

Dug and 

drffled. 

 do.....

Dug .....

Dug and 

drffled.

Drilled..

Dug? .... 

Drffled..

...do.....

Dug and 

drilled.

Depth 

of 

well 

(feet)

145 

112

94

140 

70 

9?

260 

158 

25 

25 

35

21

16 

50

226

28? 

196

150 

133

Diameter 

of 

well 

(inches)

12 

12

72 by 72 

10

48 by 48; 

9

48 by 60; 

10

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

22.5 

25

22.5 

56

01. 6

8.4

(?)

27 

24? 

22 

22

17

15 

22

22.6

25.3 

24.6

27.4

Date of 

measurement

Nov. 26,1919 

 ..do. ....

..... do........

Nov. 20, 1919 

.....do .....

.. do .....

.....do. ....

Nov. 26, 1919

R

T

S

T
131

132

133

134

135 

136

137

138

139

140 

141

142

143

144

145

146

147

14S

149

JSft

151

NE...

NW.

SE._. .

<?> -

NW..

NE 

SW...

8E..._

NW..

NE... 

EH...

SW 

SE....

NE?_.

NE?_.

SW...

NE...

8E .

SW?..

13

6

6

5

7 

7

7

7

18

18 

8

34

32

11

i 

11

32

32

4

8

8

10?

8

8

8

8

8 

8

8

8

8

8 

8

9

10

N. 

9

9

9

9

ft

9

9

»

3

4

4

4

4 

4

4

4

4

4

5

2

3

W.

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

__ .do..............

R. W. Porter .......

B.'O. Marquiss ....

George C. Shafer 

.....do- .... ....

C. S. Van Doren ...

Josephine Van

Doren. 

C. L. Loman .......

George W. Layman

Yermo Mutual

Water Oo. (?) 

Peter Zeechini ..

B. E. Funk.. ___

__ .do. 

L B. Howard ......

C. A. Leak.........

Miles Cook ........

.. do ..

Drilled,.

...do....

Dug. 

Drilled..

Drilled..

Dug _ .

Dug and

drilled. - 

...do. .

Drilled..

 do 

...do .

...do 

Drffled.-

... do .

...do .

42

150

110

13

106 

18

135

46

184

204 

107

437

97

100

9

(?)

14

(?)

125

154

56?

48 by 60;

10

12

12

36,12

72 by 72; 

12

12

8 to 10

14

11.6

6.2

7

25.1 

11

35

19

4L6

45.0 

Dry.

45

9

8

22

13

98

146.6

Dry.

Nov. 26, 1919

.... .do..- .

Dec. 11,1919

Dec. 11,1919

. .do. ......

Oct. 27,1919

Oct. 22,1919

 do- -.

.....do .

T

T

... 

Su
472 THE MOHAVE DESEKT MKJIO®?, CALIFORNIA

DEPTH TO WATER AND SHAPE OP WATER TABLE

General fectfures. The slope of the water table throughout most 

of the valley is remarkably uniform. Because of this uniformity 

and the uniform slope of the surface, the depth to water in almost 

any part of the valley plain can be predicted within a few feet. A 

distinctive feature, which is of considerable significance in considering the future development of the region, is a sudden drop of 

20 to 40 feet about the middle of the valley, along a line that extends 

from a point near Newberry station northwestward to a point near 

Kouns siding. A marked drop also occurs about 2 miles west of 

Daggett. The shape of the water table with relation to certain 

geologic features is shown by a generalized cross section, Figure 14, 

and by three more detailed profiles, Figure 15, A, B, and C.

In Figure 15, A, the altitude of the water table between Barstow 

and Daggett was determined by instrumental leveling to the water 

level in the river at the Barstow railroad and wagon bridges and to 

wells as shown on the profile. From Daggett eastward the surface 

profiles (fig. 15, A and B) on the north and south sides of the valley 

are based on profiles of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad and the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, respectively, except that in 

the northern profile the altitudes of wells 9, 50, 142, and 15 are from 

data furnished by H. Hawgood, and at these wells the surface profile 

departs slightly from that of the railroad. The profile of the water 

table in each diagram is based on wells within half a mile of the 

railroad. The surface altitude at these wells was determined only 

approximately by hand leveling, but the relief is so slight that the 

profile is correct within a few feet.

Figure 14 is more generalized than the other two diagrams. Except near Daggett the surface profile is shown as a uniform slope 

from Daggett to the base of the Cady Mountains, and the altitude of 

these end points is determined approximately from the profile of the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. The altitude of the surface 

at different points may accordingly be a little more in error than it is 

in the other profiles. In the construction of the section data have 

been used for wells within a mile of the assumed line of the section, 

in order to show conditions which seem to be general in certain 

localities but which are not shown by the available data for the wells 

along the line of the section. On account of the small scale of the 

diagram the distribution of the sand, gravel, and clay beds in the 

section is very much generalized, but the essential features are 

indicated as shown by several logs.

In the following discussion, unless otherwise indicated, statements in 

regard to the depth to water refer to the depth as shown by measurements made in the fall of 1919. In most of the wells there is doubtless a fluctuation of a few feet from season to season or from year 

to year. (See p. 489.)
MOHA.VE BIVEK BASIN 473

Water taUe between Barstow wn& Daggett. The ^ 

proffile of the water table 

between Barstow and the 

intake of the Van Dyke & 

Funk ditch, in sec. 11, T. 

9 N., R. 1 W., is only indefinitely known. (See 

fig. 15, A.) In October, 

1919, water was at the surface in the river channel 

at the railroad bridge at 

Barstow. In an old dug 

weU (No. 145) on the 

south edge of the river 

bottom near the center of 

sec. 11,T. 9 N.,R. 1 W., 

the water was about 8 

feet below the surface. 

In the collecting tunnel 

for the Van Dyke & Funk 

ditch, about 500 feet farther upstream, the water 

was about 5 feet lower. 

Apparently, as shown in 

Figure 15, A, in this 

stretch the water table is 

not more than 10 or 15 feet 

below the river bottom, 

and it has a more or less 

uniform slope of about 15 

feet to the mile. It is 

possible that at the lava 

buttes east of Barstow 

bedrock may be close 

enough to the surface to 

cause the water to stand 

close to the surface and 

that east of the buttes 

the water table drops off 

slightly. The drop can 

not be great, however, for 

in well 148, on the river 

flood plain in sec. 4, T. > 

9 N., R. 1 E., the depth 

to water is only 13 feet.
474 THE MOHAVB DBSEBT BESKJN, CALIFORNIA

The nearly uniform slope of the water table continues as far as 

the Greer ranch, in sec. 18, T. 9 N.f R. 1 E. At this place the water 

level in well 42 is about 23 feet below the surface of a terrace that is 

about 10 feet above the river bottom. Between the Greer ranch and 

Daggett the water table drops greatly. In well 45, at the old borax 

plant on the west edge of Daggett, on October 24, 1919, the depth to 

water was 86 feet. By instrumental leveling the water level in this 

well was 66 feet below the river bottom at the Daggett bridge. The 

water level in well 46, about one-third of a mile farther east, was 6 

feet below the level in well 45. The slope of the water table between 

the Greer well and the well at the borax mill is about 45 feet to the 

mile, or three times as great as above the Greer well.

The sudden drop in the water level east of the Greer ranch is 

indicative of a barrier across the river west of which the water is 

held close to the surface. As previously stated, a few hundred feet 

northeast of well 42 a small hill composed of rock rises out of the 

river flood plain. Although west of this hill there are many trees, 

they do not extend more than 300 yards below it, and except for 

small plants the river channel is bare for several miles downstream. 

The drop in the water table evidently begins at this place, and the 

rock hill is undoubtedly a part of a barrier which extends across the 

river. The exact shape of the water table between the Greer ranch 

and Daggett is not known, but, according to conditions at other 

localities where barriers exist, the slope is probably great near the 

barrier and becomes less and less farther away.

Although between Barstow and the Greer ranch the depth to water 

near the river is less than 25 feet, the rise of the surface away from 

the river is so great that the depth to water is probably 100 feet or 

more at places not more than a mile or a mile and a half from the river. 

In well 149, in the NE. ^ sec. 8, T. 9 N., R. 1 W., the depth to water 

is 98 feet, and in well 150, less than half a mile farther south, it is 147 

feet. Well 151, which is probably in the SW. y± sec. 10, T. 9 N., 

R. 1 W., was dry at 56 feet. This well appeared to be deeper, but the 

tape would go down no farther.

South side oj valley. The profile of the surface and the water table 

along the south side of the valley is shown in Figure 15, A. Directly 

east of Daggett the surface of the land slopes gently eastward with a 

nearly uniform grade of about 15 feet to the mile except that between 

Daggett and Minneola there is a slight rise over an alluvial cone built 

out by wash from the mountains. For a mile or two on each side of 

Newberry station the grade increases slightly, but farther east it is 

about the same as along most of the valley. The surface of Troy 

Dry Lake is nearly horizontal, but the railroad profile shows that it 

rises 3 or 4 feet from the west border to the east border.
HAYHOW HHAIH NISV8 
476 THE MOHAYE DESERT RMH0S, CALIFORNIA

From Daggett the water table slopes gently eastward to about the 

east line ofT. 9N.,K. 2E., with an average grade of about 5 feet to 

the mile. Apparently the grade is a little greater near Daggett than 

farther east. The difference may be due to inaccuracies in the estimate of the altitude of the surface at the wells, but it would not be 

unnatural for the water table to have a steeper grade in the upper part 

of the valley than in the lower part.

As the slope of the surface is greater than the slope of the water 

table, the depth to water becomes less and less toward the east. About 

in sees. 30 and 31, T. 9 N., K. 3 E., the water table approaches within 

5 or 10 feet of the surface, as is shown by the growth of salt grass over 

a considerable area. In some places, particularly near Newberry 

Spring, a thick crust of alkali shows the water table to be especially 

close. The area in which the salt grass grows extends from a point 

about 13^ or 2 miles west of Newberry station to a point about a mile 

east of that place, and from a point very near the base of the mountains to a point about half a mile north of the railroad opposite Newberry station. In this area, where the water table is close to the 

surface, there are two wells No. 87, in sec. 30, T. 9 N., K. 3 E., and 

No. 89, at Newberry station.

The depth to water 1% and 2 miles east of Newberry station, as 

shown by wells 113 and 116, is between 20 and 25 feet. The grade of 

the water table between Newberry station and well 116 is at least 15 

feet to the mile, and the salt-grass area extends for some distance east 

of the station, showing that water is close to the surface and that the 

grade must be even greater. Farther east, at the edge of Troy Dry 

Lake, the depth to water is only 6 or 7 feet. As shown by the profile 

in Figure 15, A, the grade of the water table between well 116 and the 

playa is between 5 and 10 feet to the mile. It is quite obvious that 

between Newberry station and well 116 a rather abrupt change in the 

slope of the water table occurs.

As a matter of fact, the abrupt change in gradient east of Newberry 

station is even more marked when it is considered that well 89 flows. 

The head on the deeper-lying strata in which the water is under 

artesian pressure is obviously even higher than is shown in Figure 

15, A. The water table as shown there apparently reveals only the 

level of the so-called surface water. If the water table had been drawn 

to show the profile of the piezometric surface K it would have been 

above the surface of the ground at well 89, and the abruptness of the 

change in slope between that well and No. 116 would have been even 

greater than is shown.

The reason for this change in the slope of the water table is aot

clear. It may be due to the fact that for part of the distance between

 

« A piezometric surface of an aquifer is an imaginary surface that everywhere coincides with the static 

level of the water in the aquifer.
fcASEC 477

Newberry Elation and Troy Dry Lake the surfaefc step® flattens out 

and its grMe may be less than the grade of the wmter table b*etwfc«& 

these points. The question arises, however, why the water tftbb 

4Sdmes so elose to th« surface west of Newbe*ry stfttioft ifiBteafl ©f 

having a totifonn slope from Daggett to Troy Dry Lake. II the 

water table did have such a uniform slope it wotiid be from 15 to 0U 

feet below the surface at Newberry station, instead of nearly at the 

surface. The conditions suggest strongly that some underground 

barrier exists which holds the water up on the west side of it. 

Possibly a buried spur of Newberry Mountain extends far enoiftgil 

out into the valley to hold the water back, but there is absolutely 

no indication of any such barrier. Some light is thrown on the 

problem by a study of the water table in the central part of the 

valley.

Central part of vaTley. Conditions in the central part of the v*U«y 

are illustrated in Figure 14. From Daggett the water table slopefe 

gently eastward, as along the south side of the valley, but as the 

surface slope is greater the depth to water is gradually less and 

toward the east. Along the east side of T. 9 N., R. 2 E., the 

table is within 5 or 6 feet of the surface, and in several wells, notably 

Nos. 78, 83, 85, and 87, the water rises above the ground level.

In about the center of the valley there is an abrupt increase in the 

depth to water, just as there is along the south side of the vallfey east 

of Newberry station. In contrast to conditions near Newberry 

station, however, the drop in the water table is greater, and it evidently occurs within a short distance. This fact is shown in a number 

Of wells. In well 78, which is probably in the NE. H sec. 11, T. 9 N.» 

R. 2 E., the water overflows from the casing on the side of a dufii 

several feet above the general surface level, and in well 79, abdut 

0.7 mile to the southeast, the water stands only about 6 feet beloW 

the surface. In well 80, 195 feet deep, about a mile farther east, the" 

depth to water is 45 feet. Well 81, about a mile south of well 80, 

when measured, was dry at a depth of 45 feet. In well 82, ne"ar the 

northwest corner of the NW. % sec. 19, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., thfe water 

was 8.6 feet below the surface, and salt grass growing nea* the well 

showed that the depth to water was not great. Well 88, itt tnfc 

southwest corner of the same quarter section, flows at the Burffcee> 

yet no water was reached at a depth of 27 feet in a hole dug not mote 

than a quarter of a mile east of this well. Well 85, in the SW. ^t 

sec. 19, flows. Two other wells a little farther east and northefest, 

Nos. 84 and 86, were dry at depths of 26 and 27 feet, resp«ctiv&!y. 

No other wells were found nearer than the center line of T. 9 N., 

R.! 3 E., where the depth to water is from 30 to 40 feet.

The difference in the depth to water in wells 78, 79, 82, afcfd 83 

the wells farther east can not be accounted for by a difference In
THE MOHAVE DESEBT KEOION, CALIFORNIA

altitude of the surface, for, although no careful instrumental leveling' 

was done, observations with a hand level show that the surface 

continues to slope eastward rather uniformly.

The exact line along which the drop in the water table occurs ia 

not evident, but it can be determined within a few hundred feet. 

Where the table approaches within about 10 feet of the surface in, 

the eastern part of T. 9 N., R. 2 E., a belt of sand dunes is present, 

(See p. 445 and pi. 26, B.) It is noticeable that the dunes occur only 

where the depth to water is not more than 10 or 15 feet, and their 

presence is evidently intimately related to the nearness of the water 

table to the surface. The western border of the dune belt is irregular, 

but the eastern border is rather sharp. It apparently marks within 

a few hundred feet the line along which the abrupt drop in the water 

level occurs. Well 83, which flows, is in the midst of the dunes, and 

the hole a quarter of a mile east in which no water was struck is about 

25 feet east of the base of the easternmost dune.

The approximate eastern border of the dune belt is shown by dots 

on Plate 24. The belt extends from Mohave River at about the east 

line of sec. 3,T.9N.,R.2E.,ina southeasterly direction toward 

Newberry station. At the river the dunes cover the upland plain 

along the stretch in which water comes to the surface in the river 

channel in sec. 3, but they do not extend onto the river bottom.

Near the south side of sec. 19, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., the belt bends more 

in an easterly direction. The belt passes about half a mile north of 

Newberry station, where it is only a few hundred feet wide. The 

dunes disappear almost completely in the NE. % sec. 33, T. 9 N., 

R. 3 E., although low mounds at the railroad crossing about a mile, 

east of Newberry station may be a continuation of the belt. This 

is about where a change in the water table apparently occurs between 

Newberry station and well 116, as shown in Figure 15, A. Apparently 

the nearness of the water table to the surface around Newberry station 

and its sudden drop farther east are due to the same conditions that 

cause the more abrupt and greater drop farther northwest.

Other dunes occur in sec. 30, T. 9 N., R. 4 E., and for several miles 

to the northeast and also along the south side of Troy Dry Lake. 

The extent of these dunes was not traced out, and it is not certain 

that they are related to the belt just described. The significance of 

the dune belt and the cause of the abrupt drop of the water table along 

its eastern edge are discussed further on pages 481-482.

Beyond the abrupt drop on the east side of the dune belt the water 

table continues to slope eastward gently with about the same grade 

as west of the dunes. Along the north-south center line of T. 9 N., 

R. 3 E., the depth to water is between 30 and 40 feet. In the easternmost wells for which data are available, in the northwestern part of 

T. 9 N., R. 4 E., the depth to water is between 15 and 20 feet, and in
MOHAVE BIYEB: BASIN r:

well 129, in sec. 20, of that township, water was struck at 11 feet and 

several months later had risen to 6. feet below the surface. The 

presence of alkali on the surface of the arm of Troy Dry Lake that 

extends northward along the base of the Cady Mountains indicates 

that the water table is probably less than 10 feet below the playa. 

North of this arm of the playa, however, the land surface is slightly 

higher, so that the depth to water is probably a little greater.

North side of valley. The profile of the water table north of MohftTfr 

River is shown in Figure 15, B. From Daggett northeastward to » 

place about 2 miles east of Yermo the water table has a uniform slope, 

as south of the river, but the grade is perhaps a little greater. Between wells 50 and 142 there is an abrupt change in the slope of the 

water table, just as on the south side of the river, but the drop is not, 

quite so great and the water table is not so near the surface. Except 

on the river bottom there is no salt-grass area nor well-developed 

dune belt, such as is found south of the river, apparently because the 

water table is below the depth to which the salt grass or mesquite 

roots penetrate. As in the area south of the river, the zone in which 

the water table is closest to the surface is adjacent to the stretch of 

the river where there is a surface stream.

The depth to water is 75 or 80 feet at Harvard and 60 feet near 

Manix. The altitude of the water table in several wells, as plotted 

on Figure 15, B, shows a rather uniform slope between Harvard and 

Manix, but the slope between Harvard and well 142 is somewhat 

greater.

North of the river the water level is much lower than south of the 

river. Thus, at Harvard it is nearly 100 feet lower than at Newberry station, although the surface altitude at Harvard is a few feet 

lower. In well 19, 2 miles northeast of Harvard, the depth to water 

on November 12,1919, was 114.5 feet. The well is dug and reaches 

a total depth of only 2 feet below the water level. The depth to 

water in well 20, a mile farther northeast, is 111 feet. This well is 

drilled to a depth of 230 feet and may have penetrated bedrock. 

The depth to water in well 32, near Manix siding, on November 13, 

1919, was 60 feet. The well is dug to a depth of 88 feet. In well 33, 

about half a mile farther east, the depth was 77 feet. The surface 

appears to be not more than 5 or 10 feet lower than at well 32. This 

well, which is drilled, extends only 4' feet below the water level.

Difference in water level on north and south sides of river. In the 

western part of the valley the water table has about the same slope 

on the north as on the .south side, but in the eastern part, beginning 

about 3 miles east of Yermo, it has a greater slope on the north side. 

The depth to the water level is about 70 feet greater in well i2, neai 

Manix, than in wells on the west edge of Troy Dry Lake, although the 

surface is only 10 or 15 feet lower.
480 THE MOHAVB BBSBmr XmiQSt, CALIFOBNIA

On the north side between Harvard and Manix the water table ia 

afeofut at the level of the river or slopes aUghtly toward the river. 

On the south side, however, the water tabib is 10 or 15 feet above the 

river, form see. 30, T. 10 N., R. 4 E., a series of springs issues from the 

side of the low cliff that rise* to th© seccwad terrace above the river 

bottom, and the first terrace below the springs is marshy. The springs 

continue upstr earn for a mile or two, b«t those farther up art not so 

well developed. Over a considerable area salt grass grows oa the 

second terrace, which is 15 feet or more above the river bottom. 

There is no such marked spring or salt-grass area along the cliffs on 

the north side of the river, although mesqmte grows on the flood 

plain, and the water table is doubtless within 10 or 15 feet of the 

surface.

The water table is apparently about 50 feet lower on the south side 

of the river at Camp Cady than at a point due south on the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. It is not certain whether the water 

table descends gradually between the two places or is nearly level to a 

aone within a short distance of the river and then drops abruptly, 

but the depth to water in wells 119, 121, 126, and 128, along the west 

side of T. 9 N., R. 4 E., is between 20 and 27 feet, so that, if allowance 

is made for slight surface irregularities, the slope of the water table hi 

that locality is not great. In well 27 the depth to water is 37 feet, 

which represents about the difference in altitude between the surface 

and th« spring outlets along the river terrace. The probable con<ditions are shown in Figure 15, C.

Borders of ike valley. On the valley plain the maximum depth to 

water is about 80 feet at the west end of the valley and in the northeastern part around Manix. Beneath most of the plain it is considerably less. Wells 137, 138, 139, and 140, in sees. 7 and 18, T. 8 N., 

R. 4 W., in the southeastern part of the area, are near the lower part 

of the alluvial slope. These wells indicate that the water table rises 

but little if any above Troy Dry Lake, and the depth to water is 

probably 100 feet within a mile or two south of the dry lake. A hole 

(No. 141) drilled in the E. % sec. 8, T. 8 N., R. 5 E., penetrated only 

clay and did not reach water at a depth of 107 feet. The surface 

along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway in this section is not 

more than about 70 feet above Troy Dry Lake.

So far as is known, no wells have been drilled on the alluvial slopes 

south of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway between Daggett 

and Newberry station, nor in the large valley several miles northwest 

of Daggett. It is very doubtful that water, can be obtained at a 

moderate depth in either of these localities, except in the lowest part 

of the taDey northwest of Daggett. The depth to water in wells 2 

and 3, near the lower end of this valley, is only 65 feet. The land for 

some distance west of these wells rises rather gradually, and although
MOHAYE RIVER BASIN 481

«

the. water ta&te is doubtless nearly flat, it possibly lies within 100 feet 

of 4be surface at least as far west as the San Rera&rdmo meridian.

In tfe8i northern p-art of T. 10 N., R. 1 W., and the southern part ©f 

T. 11 N., B. 1 W., there is a considerable area of gently sloping IHXM! 

ifoat might seem to be available for agriculture. Water was struck 

in a deep weii drilled for oil m sec. 34 or &5, T. 11 N., E. 1 W., but it is 

too deep to be available for irrigation. The water was no* reached 

with a 280-foot cord.

Possible underground barrier across vaUey. The cause of the abrupt 

drop in the water table along a northwestward-trending line in about 

the middle of the valley is not clear. The conditions are similar to 

those that might be expected if a submerged natural dam extended 

entirely across the valley. It is not strange that the general explanation has been that a "dike" crosses the valley. This view is further 

supported by the belt of sand dunes, which forms a distinctive topographic feature and gives the impression of a definite geologic structural feature, such as a fault or a fold.

The dune belt is not in itself evidence of a fault or a fold but is due 

merely to the nearness of the water to the surface. Because the 

water table is so near the surface, mesquite has got a foothold and has. 

accumulated wind-blown sand. Dunes have resulted from a similar 

condition farther east in the valley, near the Cady Mountains, where 

the water table is near the surface. There are no large dunes north 

of the river, apparently because the water table is below the depth 

to which the mesquite can reach.

The writer has not been able to find any definite evidence of a fault 

anywhere along the dune belt that marks the line of the drop in the 

water table. In sec. 20, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., 200 or 300 feet north of the 

dune belt, a hill several hundred feet in diameter rises out of the 

alluvium. This hill is composed of lava, and there is no indication 

that it has been faulted up. In wells in the dune belt a mile or two 

south of the river the water table seems to be several feet above the 

river bottom, which indicates that the controlling barrier must rise 

higher than the river channel, but no indication of any fault or fold 

was found along the river. It hardly seems possible that a fault or 

fold could extend entirely across the valley without there being 

some easily visible surface indication of it, at least where it would 

be cut by the river channel.

The writer has elsewhere suggested that the drop in the water table 

might be due to a difference in the permeability of the alluvium in the 

eastern and western parts of the valley.64 It was suggested that waterbearing gravel extended eastward to about the line wjiere the water

& Thompson, D. O., speetel report on ground-water conditions along Monav« River, San Beraardino 

County, Calif.; manuscript copies filed in offices of TJ. S. Geological Survey, Los Angeles, the California 

Di\usion «f 'Water Bights, .S*n Franeisca, and the Cftuuty Engineer of San Bermfdioo 

Bernard ino.
482 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

*

table drops, and that there it pinched out. This hypothesis was 

based on the exposure of a gravel bed along Mohave River south of 

Yermo, which extended eastward for some distance but gradually 

pinched out. As a result of the further study of well logs, however, 

it seems doubtful whether the valley is underlain by definite gravel 

beds which extend as far east as the dune belt. It is possible, nevertheless, that the drop in the water table may be due to some condition 

as yet undetermined that arose during the deposition of the alluvium.

YIELD OF WELLS

West of the eastern border of the dune belt that crosses the valley 

the yield of most wells is 300 gallons a minute or more. East of the 

belt, with some exceptions, it is much less, and few wells yield as much 

as 250 gallons a minute.

Wells in western part oj valley. The largest yield reported in the 

valley is from well 60, on the ranch of E. D. Barry, in the SW. J^ 

sec. 20, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., which is 16 niches in diameter and 500 feet 

deep, the deepest well in the valley. The well is pumped by compressed air. The air pipe is 2J^ inches in diameter. The discharge 

pipe is 8 inches in diameter and extends to a depth of 150 feet. The 

yield of this well, as measured with a current meter by O. E. Meinzer 

and the writer on September 1, 1917, was 2.33 second-feet, or fully 

1,000 gallons a minute (about 117 miner's inches). In 1919 Mr. 

Barry stated that the yield had been increased to about 1,170 gallons 

a minute (130 miner's inches) through the installation of a "spreader" 

at the bottom of the air pipe, which causes a more efficient mixing of 

the air and water. The depth to water in this well is about 45 feet, 

and the drawdown when pumping is only about 10 feet. The well is 

said to have penetrated sand and gravel from a depth of 45 to 200 

feet, and a formation described as "cement" from 200 to 500 feet. 

Considerable water appears to come from crevices in the cement. 

Many boulders of lava, some of them 12 inches in diameter, were 

struck in the cement.

Three wells (Nos. 7, 8, and 9, pi. 24) of the Yermo Mutual Water 

Co., in the SW. % sec. 32, T. 10 N., R. 2 E., a little more than 400 feet 

deep, are reported to have yielded in tests about 1,125 gallons a 

minute each, with drawdowns of about 20 feet. When visited in 1919 

two of the pumping plants had been completely dismantled and the 

third was partly dismantled. The depth to water in the easternmost 

of the three wells is 23 feet. The logs show that the wells penetrated 

an alternating series of sand, gravel, and clay. The total thickness of 

water-bearing gravel ranged from 152 to 179 feet, equivalent to 35 to 

43 per cent of the total depth of the holes. It is said that the yield 

of the wells of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad at Yermo 

decreased slightly when the wells of the Yermo Mutual Water Co. 

were being pumped.
5 MOHAVB BIVEB BASIN ; 488

No oth[er wells in the Talley are known to yield as much as 1,000 

gallons a 1 minute, but several wells in the western half of the valey 

yield between 500 and 1,000 gallons a minute. These wells include 

Nos1 . 4, 3^, 53, 58, 59, 62, 64, 66, 69, 72, and 75. As a matter of fact, 

all wells put down for use in irrigation west of the belt of sand dunes 

seem to have obtained adequate supplies, if properly drilled and 

equipped.

The well (No. 45) at the old borax works, which at present ia 

used for the town supply of Daggett, yields only about 60 gallons ft 

minute, but there is practically no drawdown. It is said that wfa«n 

used by the borax company the well yielded 35,000 gallons an hour 

(about 585 gallons a minute), with a drawdown of only about 2 feet 

after pumping 24 hours. In the well of B. LaMontain (No. 96), 

less than half a mile farther east, the ground-water supply is scanty. 

This well is dug 3 by 5 feet in diameter to a depth of 125 feet. At a 

depth of 113 feet a tunnel was driven 144 feet northward toward 

Mohave River. The formation from a depth of 17 feet to the bottdMa 

was composed of cemented clay and boulders, much of it so eompaet 

that it had to be shot. In the tunnel seepages were struck, but no 

strong supply. In October the depth to water was 79 feet. When 

pumped at the rate of 15 gallons a minute the well becomes empty 

in about half a day, for it takes about that long for the tunnel to be 

drained of the water stored in it. The well of B. A. Funk (No. 47), 

about a mile farther east, yields only about 15 gallons a minute. It is 

12 inches in diameter, 154 feet deep, and has a depth to water of 75 

feet. The well is equipped with a small cylinder pump with which 

the water level can be lowered to the bottom. The material penetrated by the well was gravel cemented by caliche. The material in 

other wells elsewhere on the valley plain does not seem to be cemented, 

and perhaps this cement is the cause of the low yield of the two wells. 

The low yield is also perhaps in some way related to the situation of 

the wells on the extreme border of the plain.

Although several flowing wells have been obtained in the shallowwater area in or west of the dune belt near the middle of the valley, 

from none of them has the flow been very large. Well 83 is reported 

to have flowed about 25 gallons a minute originally and to have 

yielded about 450 gallons a minute by pumping. In October, 1919, 

however, it flowed less than 10 gallons a minute, and a weir measurement by the writer showed the yield by pumping to be only about 200 

gallons a minute. The well is 12 inches in diameter and 200 feet deep. 

In October, 1919, it was sanded up within 152 feet from the top. In 

the spring of 1919, after the well had been cleaned out, the drawdown 

was only 12 feet, but as it sanded up again the drawdown increased to 

18 feet. As shown by the log on page 455, gravel was struck in thfc 

well at only two horizons, from 112 to 134 feet and from 139- to 149
484 THE MOHAVE 0ESBIW? RWCW, CALIFORNIA

feet, and the rest of the material was either sand or day. The casing 

is perforated in each layer of sand below 49 feet, so that there is ample 

opportunity for sand to enter.

The only other flowing well for which definite information is available is a well of the Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Eailway at Newbeny 

station (formerly called Water Station). The well is 16 inches in 

diameter and 314 feet deep. Although gravel was struck at six 

different horizons, as shown by the log on page 455, none of the layers 

were thick. The total thickness of the gravel beds is only 29 feet, or 

leas than 10 per cent of the total depth of the hole. In a pumping . 

test tbis well yielded about 160 gallons a minute. In October, 1919, 

it was not being pumped but flowed at the rate of 45 gallons a minute 

into a reservoir at a point about 3 feet below the surface.

Wells in eastern part of vaUey. East of the sand-dune belt the yield 

of wells is generally much less than west of it. Only one well (No. 97) 

is known to yield as much as 450 gallons a minute. A measurement 

by titie writer on November 24, 1919, using a Cipoletti weir, showed 

the yield to be about 485 gallons a minute (54 miner's inches). This 

well is 170 feet deep, but there is a 10-foot sand bucket in the bottom 

which was lost during drilling. As shown by the log on page 456 only 

two 5-foot beds of gravel were penetrated, and none of the material 

was very coarse. The casing is perforated in thesfe beds and also in 

a bed of coarse sand between 75 and 103 feet. During the pumping 

test the drawdown could not be measured except by a vacuum gage, 

which read 21.4. The graduations on the gage were presumably 

equivalent to inches of mercury, which would make the drawdown 

24.3 feet, or more than the practicable suction lift (between 21 and 22 

feet) for pumps at the altitude of the region. If the graduations are 

equivalent to feet, the drawdown is just about at the practicable suction Eft. It is said that formerly, when the well sanded up 25 feet, 

the drawdown was materially affected, and for that, reason it is believed that a large part of the water comes from the lower part of the 

well,

Well 80, in T. 9 N., R. 3 E., is reported to have yielded 360 gallons 

a minute on a test, but when visited by the writer there was no pump 

on the well, and the yield of this well is not certain.

The well of E. L. Harlow (No.' 96), less than half a mile from weU 

9f , is, 150 feet deep and yields only about 175 gallons a minute. A 

total of 36 feet of gravel was struck at three different horizons. In an 

attempt to obtain a large yield the well was sunk with' an 18-inch shoe 

followed by 12-inch casing, and the space outside of the casing was filled 

with gravel. The casing was then perforated for the entire distance. 

This procedure does not seem to have been entirely successful, for 

the well had pajtly sanded up. However, as this well was recently 

constructed, possibly if it were cleaned out and pumped heavily less
MOHAYB Bivsae. misut 485

sand would e$ter it. During a pumping test of w«ll 97 the water 

levsl i» well 96 was 8%k% towered, After well 97 ha4 b«*n pumped 

for tw?e l&©uy& the water level m well 96 had dropped 2J£ hushes, and 

after about 18 hows of continuous pumping it had dropped 8% 

inches.

The well of H. 0, Tiemken (No. 128) yields only about 200 gaiksis 

a minute with a drawdown of 21 feet. This well is 12 inches in 

diameter. It was originally drilled to a total depth of 196 feet, but 

when measured by the writer it had sanded up to 74 feet from the top. 

The depth to water is 24.6 feet. According to the log (p. 457), no 

gravel was struck in this well, but coarse sand, which was struck at 

35 to 37 feet and 67 to 82 feet, is said to hanre contained small pebbles 

that would not go through a 3^-inch mesh sieve. Blue clay, which 

probably represents the Manix lake beds, was struck at 152 feet. 

Every other joint of the casing baiow the water level is perforated 

with six slits three-eighths of an inch wide and 6 inches long.

The well of J. T. Carnall (No. 26) yields only about 90 gallons ft 

minute. The well ia 12 inches in diameter and was originally drilled 

to a depth of 200 feet, but in November, 1919, it had sanded up 20 

feet. The depth to water is 33 feet, and the drawdown when pumped 

is about 25 feet. Gravel was struck at 87 to 99 feet and 110 to 115 

feet, and the casing is perforated only at these beds. None of the 

p-ftvel was larger than a quarter of aa inch in diameter.

The well of H. L. Mellon (No. 125) yields 180 gallons a muaiite 

with a drawdown of 14 feet. The well of H. L. Mygatt (No. 113) 

yields only about 120 gallons a minute.

Wells southwest of Troy Dry Lake yield rnxwee water than most of 

the wells east of the belt of s*nd dunes. One well on the ranch of 

I. L. Hannon (No. 131) yields about 400 gallons a minute, although 

another well ia the northwest corner of the same section (No. 136) 

yields only 180 gallons a minute. In the Hannon well a single bed 

of gravel wa& struck between 22 and 29 feet. In well 130 the only 

bed of gravel was penetrated between 52 and 64 feet. The well of 

George C. Shafer' (No. 135) yields 360 gallons a minute. The well of 

C. L. Loman (No. 140) is reported to yield about 585 gallons a minute 

with a drawdown of 1$ feet. This is the largest yield in this viciaily. 

In this well a total of 75 or 80 feet of gravel was struck below the 

watec level, and betVeen 116 and 146 feet thie gravel contained 

cobbles 4 or 5 inches in diameter. The abundance and coaraenesa of 

the gravel are evidently due. to the location of the well on the alluvial 

slope that rises, southward to the mountains.

On the north side of the river, east of the lim® of Che abrupt descent 

in the water table, the field of wells is apparently even smaller than 

south of the river. The only well for which vecy definite information 

5631 29 32
486 THE MOHAVE DES&RT v&BG-ION, CALIFORNIA

is available is that of the Los Angeles 4 Salt Lake Railroad at Harvard. It is pumped at a rate of only 1,700 gallons an hour (about 28 

gallons a minute). The pump is operated generally only 20 hours a 

day, apparently because longer pumping causes too great a drawdown. The well is 11% inches in diameter and 318 feet deep, and 

when drilled in 1912 the depth to water was 75 feet, but no data are 

available in regard to the depth in recent years. Water-bearing 

gravel was struck only between 75 and 80 feet and between 275 and 

285 feet, and .the casing was perforated only at these beds. From a 

depth of 210 feet to the bottom the material penetrated was blue 

clay, except for the 10-foot gravel bed mentioned above. This blue 

clay is evidently part of the Manix lake beds, which are exposed along 

Mohave River about 5 miles east of Harvard and which are doubtless 

very impervious.

A well on the Badger ranch (No. 52) is said to have yielded only 

about 135 gallons a minute. This well is very close to the supposed 

line of abrupt descent in the water table.

The well of Bruce McCormack (No. 55) is said to have been 

pumped empty in a very short time. No information is available, 

however, as to the size of pump, length of suction pipe, and other 

details, so that it is not certain whether the well was pumped dry 

because of improper installation or lack of water. This well is on the 

flood plain or terrace along the north side of Mohave River, at the east 

end of the stretch in which water flows at the surface in sec. 3, T. 9 N., 

R. 2 E. The well is 186 feet deep, and the water stands 3 feet below 

the surface. It penetrated a total of 53 feet of gravel, but the thickest 

bed was only 8 feet thick, and most of the beds were only 3 feet thick. 

The small yield of this well is in marked contrast to that of well 54, 

on the ranch of Jack Fisher^ about a quarter of a mile farther west. 

In well 54 the water level is said to have been lowered only 2 feet 

after four or five hours of pumping with a No. 3 centrifugal pump, 

the yield of which was probably about 200 gallons a minute. This 

well is only 53 feet deep, but the formation from 13 to 41 feet consisted 

wholly of gravel.

Only two wells (Nos. 10 and 14) in this part of the valley are 

reported to yield more than a few gallons a minute. Well 10, on the 

J. D. Prosser place, is said to have yielded 540 gallons a minute. 

When visited by, the writer in 1918 this plant had been dismantled. 

The well is 12 inches in diameter and 156 feet deep. On February 

26, 1918, the depth to water was 65 feet, but when measured on November 12,1919, it was 61.4 feet. The well is near low hills that extend 

eastward from the Calico Mountains. The good yield of the well 

may be due to this situation, where the alluvium may be coarser than 

it is farther away from the hills.
MOHAVE BIYER BASIN

Well 14, north of Harvard station, is said to have yielded 360 gallons a minute. No information is available in regard to this well 

except t&at it is said to be 145 feet deep, with 68 feet t© water*

Cause of low yield of wefts in eastern part of vaUey* It has be®fc 

assumed generally that the small yields in the eastern part and on the 

north side of the valley are due to a fault or fold that extends across 

the valley. If a barrier did exist across the valley, it would seem th*t 

its only effect would be to bring the water close to the surface on the 

upstream side. If a continual supply of water was added to the 

ground-water reservoir and the permeability of the alluvium was 

equal in all parts of the valley, the water would percolate over the 

barrier and would supply wells below the barrier as freely as above it.

A study of the well logs leads to the belief that the low yields are 

largely due to a difference in the permeability of the alluvium in the 

western and eastern parts of the valley. This difference is shown by a 

comparison of the total thickness of gravel, sand, and clay, penetrated 

below the water level in several wells in the valley, as given in the 

accompanying table. In this table the wells are arranged approx* 

imately in order from west to east. Nos. 64, 9, 66, 54, and 83 are 

west of the line of the abrupt drop in the water table and the others 

are east of it, except No. 55, whose position is uncertain. The logs 

of several of these wells are given on pages 453-457.

Total thickness and percentage of total depth below water level of gravel, sand, and 

clay in wells in Lower Mohave Valley, Calif.

Well 

No.

64

9

66

64

55

83

15

96

97

118

128

129

Owner or entryman

A. Elsholz _ ....

Yermo Mutual Water Co __

E. woodridge.. ____ . ... ..

Jack Fisher _________

B. McOormiek ._._.,.. .. . _ .. M. J. Edwards. ___ . ......

Los Angeles & Salt Lake B. E.

E. L. Harlow.. ___ , ......

J. J. Cornwall ................

J. Q. Tienken.. ..............

Reported

yield 

(gallons

per

minute)

810

1,125?

900

200?

Small.

200

28

175

485

200

Total

depth

below 

water

level

(feet)

131

398

259

48

183

182

243

118

140

"135

161

138

Total thickness

of gravel below

water level

Feet

79

198

67

28

44

32

15

36

10

23

0

0

Per 

cent of

total

depth 

below

water

level

60

50

26

58

24

18

6

30.5

7

17

0

0

Total thickness

of sand below

water level

Feet

0

60

32

7

49

65

85

10

28

27

25

54

Per 

cent of

total

depth 

below

water

level

0

15

12

15

27

36

35

8.5

20

as

16

39

Total thickness

of clay below

water level

Feet

52

140

160

13

90

85

143

72

102

135

186

84

Per 

cent of

total

depth 

below

water

level

40

35

62

27

49

46

59

61

73

84

61

 Total depth below 125 feet. Log from surface to 125 feet not known.

Of thje wells given in this table all those in the western half pf the 

valley, except Nos. 55 and 83, penetrated gravel equivalent ta 25 

per cenn or more of the total depth of the well below the water levet 

and in iihree of the wells the amount was 50 per cent or greater, On
488 THE MOHAYB BE3EKT KBOIOW, CALIFORNIA

the other hand, in the eastern part of the valey only one we! (No. 

96), contained mere than 20 per cant of gravel, in two *ae growl 

was less than 10 per cent, and m. two wells no gravel at all was straok. 

In these wells the percentage «f clay was 59 or more. All those in 

which a large percentage of tbe total depth was graved yield large 

supplies, except wei 96. Well 54 seems to be an esoeptiea to this 

statement, but the fact that the drawdown is coaly 2 feet probably 

shows that considerably more water could be obtained with, a larger 

pump. With the exception of well 97 none of the wells that contain 

little gravel and much day yield very much water. The owners of 

well 97 state that the present yield was reached only after repeated 

sand pumping of the well, winch formerly sanded up frequently.

Although the logs of the wells in the eastern part of the valley 

that are given above show few or n© gravel beds other logs of wels 

in the same locality furnished by well drillers show a number of 

gravel beds. Statements of the drillers, however, indicate that the 

so-called gravel has few pebbles as large as a quarter of an mc$L in 

diameter. If the valley has had the history outlined oaa page 457 it 

would be natural for the alluvium, to be finer ia the eastern jmrt of 

the valley as a whole than in the western part, where coarser material 

would be washed in by Mohave River.

The fact that after considerable work a fairly large yield wm 

obtained from well 97 suggests that other wells in the vicinity may 

be made to produce fab* supplies if careful attention is given to their 

construction. A study of a number of logs of wells in the eastern part 

of the valley shows that even where "gravel" beds are reported 

many of them are only 1, 2, or 3 feet thick. In such wells, unless 

great care is taken in measuring the depth to the gravel and in perforating the casing, an error of a foot or two may result in placing 

the perforations in a bed of clay or loos© sand.

The failure of the perforator to work properly may result in fewer 

holes than the driller believes he made, and as the gravel beds form 

so small a proportion of the alluvium the percolating area of the well 

may be very small. The writer saw several feet of casing that had 

been removed from a well in the southern part of the valley in which 

the perforator had made no holes at a number of places. The perforator by chance had been set on the vertical riveted overlap of the 

stovepipe and had failed to penetrate the double thickness of metal.

There seems to be more difficulty from sanding up of wells in the 

eastern part of the valley than in the western part. In the western 

part of the valley the casing is usually perforated only at the gravel 

beds, as they are thick amd yield much water. In the eastern part of 

the valley, because the gravel beds are thin or absent and the yield 

generally small, in many wells the casing is perforated in -all sandy 

layers or even for the entire depth of the well below the wa4er
MOHATB RIVBM BASIN

The perforations in several welfe for which data wer* obtained are 

reatty sHts from 1J^ to 6 inches long. In one well the slits were threeeighths Of an inch wide, but in two others the width, is only threesixteenths of an inch. In two wells the slits are three-sixteeaths of an 

inch wide and 1J^ and 3 inches long. In a third well they were said 

to be three-eighths of an inch wide and 6 inches long. It would seem 

that with such large perforations a well would sand up rapidly.

It is suggested that the difficulty from sanding up might be avoided 

to some extent by the use of casing that is perforated before being 

put in the well, as in Antelope Valley. (See p. 344.) If this type of 

casing were used more perforations could be made, but they could 

also be made smaller. In this way some of the coarsest sand might 

be excluded from the well and left to form a filter which would prevent 

the finer material from entering the casing. Before sufficient coarse 

material has gathered around the casing it may be necessary to sand 

pump the well several times. If casing is used that is perforated 

before installation hi the well it will probably be necessary to use the 

rotary hydraulic method of drilling in order to prevent the caving of 

the hole before the casing is put in the well.

In the eastern part of the valley blue clay that is quite impervious 

has been encountered in several wells. So far as is known, except in 

well 89, at Newberry station, no well that struck the blue clay passed 

completely through it, and in the eastern part of Tps. 9 and 10 N., 

R. 3 E., and the western part of Tps. 9 and 10 N., R. 4 E., there is 

no information as to the maximum depth to which it reaches. For 

this reason it is believed inadvisable to drill very far into the blue 

clay in the parts of the townships just mentioned. Apparently the 

blue clay pinches out toward the west, so that in the western part of 

Tps. 9 and 10 N., R. 3 E., it is probably relatively thin.

FLUCTUATIONS OP THB WATER TABLE

Two measurements were made of the depth to water in several 

wells in the valley, and additional measurements were made of three 

other wells. These measurements are given in the table below. All 

the wells except one (No. 88) are in the western part of the valley. 

AH the wells were measured in the fall of 1919, and wells 9, 42, 45, 46, 

48, 49, 51, 53, 57, and 58 were measured again late in January, 1920. 

Wells 5, 10, 42&, 43, 45, 71, and 88 had been measured in the fall of 

1917 or the winter of 1918. The measurements in each well wer« 

made from a definite reference, point.
490 THE MOHAVE DESEBT BESION, CALIFORNIA

Fluctuations of water level in wetts in Lower

No. 

on

a

.

5 

?

10 

42a

42 

43

45

46

48

49

51

53

87

£8

71

88

105

Date

Sept. 17, 1917 

Nov. 4,1919

.....do ,.

Jan. 22,1920

Feb. 26,1918 

Nov. 12, 1919

Dec. 31,1917

Dec. 10,1919

Oct. 23,1919 

Dec. 10,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Dec. 31,1917

Oct. 23,1919

Sept. 13, 1917 

Feb. 16,1918 

Oct. 28,1919 

Dec. 10,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Oct. 24,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Oct. 24,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Nov. 6,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Nov. 5,1919 

Jan. 22,1920

Nov. 5,1919 

Jan. 23,1920

Oct. 24,1919

Jan. 22,1920

Oct. 24,1919 

Jan. 21,1920

Sept. 1,1917 

Oct. 25,1919

Sept. 2,1917 

Feb. 16,1918 

Nov. 18, 1919 

Dec. 10,1919

Sept. 4,1917 

Nov. 19, 1919

Depth 

to water 

below reference 

point 

(feet)

51.4 

56.5

23.0

23.0

65.0 

61.4

16.2

24.0

17.7 

17.3 

18.0

15.2

Dry.

 55.2 

76.2 

86.0 

86.5 

88.5

79.0 

86.5

51.0 

58.9

23.9 

24.6

8.3

8.1

4.0 

3.6

51.4

51.5

53.5 

53.5

29.9 

31.2

1.8 

1.1 

1.6 

1.5

41.9 

43.0

Reference point

Top of casing 6 inches above cover 

Top of cosing level with surface

Top of casing about level with floor 

of house.

Top of curb.. _ .. __ ... . .

Top of casing in pit 7.1 feet below 

surface.

Top of curb level with surface. ......

3 notches on top of east curb, 3.5 feet 

above surface.

3 notches on curb 3 feet above surface.

Top of casing 0.5 foot above surface..

3 notches on southwest corner of pit 

curb.

3 notches on southeast corner of curb.

3 notches on southwest corner of 

curb, level with ground.

3 notches on top of cover ............

Hole in pump base 8 inches below 

surface.

Top of casing 1.3 feet above surface ...

3 notches on top of curb about level 

with surface.

Top of casing 8 inches above surface..

Remarks

A dug well a few feet from well 42

and at about the same altitude.

Water level 24.8 feet below surface. 

Altitude of reference point is 1,990 

feet above sea level.

About 10 feet lower than No. 42.

Well dry at 22.2 feet.

Altitude of reference point is 1,990 

feet above sea level. Water rose 

within 30 feet of surface after flood 

in January and February, 1916. 

Pump running.

Altitude of reference point is 1,996 

feet above sea level.

Depth to water4 when drilled about

48 feet.

* The accuracy of this measurement is questionable.

Of the seven wells that were measured in 1917 or 1918 and again in 

1919, five had the water level 1 foot to several feet lower in 1919; in 

one it was at nearly the same level, and in the seventh it was about 

3.5 feet higher. Three of the wells Nos. 42, 42a, and 43 are on 

the Greer ranch, in sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 1 E., just west of the place 

where the water table drops abruptly. Well 42a was nearly 8 feet 

lower on December 10, 1919, than on December 31, 1917. This well 

is dug only about 30 feet deep, and as it was abandoned in 1919 and 

a new well (No. 42) drilled near by, the measurement on December
MOHAVE BIVUB'^ASIN 491

10, 1919, was made only to connect the measurements in weH 42 witk 

the measurement made in 1917. The considerable lowering of th,4 

water table in this vicinity is confirmed by well 43, wlriela on Qdobefc 

23, 1019jj was dry at a depth of 7 feet lower than the water level 0a 

December 31, 1917. These wells are within .a few hundred feet of 

the channel of Mohave River and are doubtless greatly affected by 

any surface flow or underflow in the river. In years when floods pass 

down the river the water rises in well 43 nearly to the surface. If 

there is a rock dam across the valley just below these wells, as therft 

seems to be (see p. 474), in 1917 these wells gave some idea of the 

depth of the ground water moving over the dam.

The water level in the well at the old borax works at Daggett 

(No. 45) was about 10 feet lower in the fall of 1919 than on February 

16, 1918. According to a measurement on September 13, 1917, the 

water level was then 21 feet higher than on February 16, 1918. This 

difference is so great that there is some question as to the accuracy 

of the first measurement. The well is within a few hundred yards 

of Mohave River, and the water level is affected considerably by any 

surface flow in the river. It is said that the water level in this well 

rose to about 30 feet below the surface in the spring of 1916 after a 

flood in the river that resulted from heavy rains in the mountains in; 

January and February. So far as is known, however, in 1917 there 

had been no unusual run-off earlier in the year which might hare 

caused the high level in September. t

Of the other wells that were measured in 1917 or 1918 and ftgain in 

1919, No. 5 was 5.1 feet lower in 1917 than, in September, 1919 J 

No. 10 was 3.6 feet higher in November, 1919, than in February, 

1918 ; and No. 88 was at nearly the same level. Well 5 is in the western part of the valley, and the water level in it doubtless fluctuates 

in general as in the well at Daggett. Well 10 is east of the line where 

the water table drops abruptly, and it is very close to the low hills 

that form the east end of the Calico Mountains. The reason for the 

rise in the water table in this well when in other wells it fell is not 

known. Well 88, is in Jhe area of shallow water near Newberry 

station. Apparently the level of the water table in this well is controlled by some subterranean feature a little farther east, and it is 

not possible for much variation in the water table to occur in this 

vicinity. In September, 1917, the depth to water in a well on the 

place of Ethel Patton, in the SW. Y± sec. 6, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., was reported to be 18 feet. This well ^as not visited then, but it is probably 

the same well as No. 49, which was measured November 6, 1919, 

when the depth, to water was nearly 24 feet.

The measurements show that the water table in the western pa*t 

of the valley was definitely lowered by several feet between the fall 

o| 1917 and. the fall of 1919. The precipitation during the winters
492 THE MOHAVE DESlET &E&*O*r, CALIFORNIA

of 1917-18 and 1918-19 was below nottnul, and tl*e flow of Mokave 

River was low. 'Fbe lowering of the water kv$l ia t&e welte jttBt 

described is doubtless due to the fa#l thfet the reehUfcge fr^fitt surffecfe 

flow in the river was not as great as m the jH'etions yfcar *>* yi&arfc.

Of the wells that were measured in October or Noveflabw, 1919, 

and again in January, 1920, Nog. 45, 46, 48, and 49 were appreciablylower in January, 1920, than in the preceding fall. The others were 

at the same level or only an inch or two lower or higher. The greatest 

differences in level were in wells 46 and 48, in which the water level 

on January 22, 1920, was 7.5 and 7.9 feet, respectively, lower thftn 

on October 24, 1919. Well 45 was 2 feet lower, but as the pump was 

running when the measurement was made the natural level was doubtless a little higher. The normal drawdown of the well, however, is 

said to be only 3 or 4 inches. Well 49 was only 0.7 foot lower in January than in the preceding November. Wells 5 and 53 were 0.2 

and 0.4 foot higher, respectively.

In well 48 the water table dropped 7.9 feet between October 24, 

1919, and January 22, 1920, but in well 58, only a mile to the north, 

the water level was the same on the two dates. This well and wells 

45 and 46 are situated just below the narrow part of the river valley 

above Daggett and within a few miles of the rock dam in sec. 18, T. 

9 N., R. 1 E. They are in a favorable position to feel the greatest 

effect of any notable recharge of the water table by surface flow in the 

river or of discharge from the water table at a lower place in the basin. 

Determination of the altitude of the surface at wells 45 and 46 shows 

that in October the water level was about 6 feet higher in well 46 

than in well 45, but on January 22 the water level in the two welb 

was just about the same. Between the two measurements the water 

table was lowered toward the east. Perhaps, as in some other regions, 

the water moves as a wave, and it had not yet reached well 58, dr 

perhaps some other unknown condition held the water table at the 

same level in that well.

In general it is probable that at the extreme west end of the valley 

there is a fluctuation of several feet in the waiter table, both from yMF 

to year, due principally to the occurrence or nonoccurrenee of fleotls 

in Mohave River, and in different parts of the same year. Farther 

east, where the water table is much flatter, the fluctuation is probablymuch less. As most of the recharge of the water table in the valley 

is probably accomplished by absorption from the surface flow of th& 

river between sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. 1 E., and sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., 

observations on the fluctuation of the water level in wells in tMs 

area may make possible the approximate determination of the quantity of water available for irrigation.

There is no indication of much lowering of the water table due to 

pumping, such as has occurred in some of the ground-water basins ift
MOHAYE KITHK BASIN 493

southern California. Although the water 

aeverftl Jeet lower in 1919 than in 1917 thj. 

due only to tb« drynesg of the intervening 

will doubtless rise when there is sufficient 

Mohave River. (See p. 494.)

There is little evidence of interference < 

said that when the wells of the Yermo 

pumped to capacity the yield of the two 

Salt Lake Railroad at Yermo decreased sh 

Tom Williams states that two wells of th 

were pumped at the same time without 

yield of either.

During a test of the Burden & lippenc 

level in weH 96, about a quarter of a mi 

3 % inches in IS hours. It is said that whe 

comtittuously during the irrigating season 

96 was about 9 niches.

SOURCE OP WATE

table in several wells was

lowering is believed to be

years, and the water table

am to cause large floods 132

wells hi the valley. It ig 

Mutual Water Co. were 

veils of the Los Angeles & 

htly. On the other haad, 

Yermo Mutual Water Coany apparent decrease in the

mountains

than

As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the w 

There does not seem to be any marked si 

either the Calico Mountains or the 

as would be expected if there were any 

from these mountains. The drainage are 

is not great, and the geographic position 

that the rainfall is hardly much more 

area of the mountains south of the valley 

Calico Mountains, and the precipitation 

However, as elsewhere in the desert, mos 

quantities, and only occasionally is there 

from rainfall in these mountains.

Most of the ground-water supply pro 

Biver. As shown by measurements of 

well 45, the water table rises considerably 

the river, and then the water table falls 

supply is depleted by discharge in the fora 

flow at the northeast end of the valley and 

ration at several localities where the water 

The area in which there can be very rnucl 

largely to the stretch of the river between £ 

sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., for that appears t 

the water iable lies far enough below 

much percolation. In the eastern part 

river, as shown by springs near Camp Cac 

than the river, so that no recharge takes

tt well (No. 97) the watp 

to the west, was lowered 

well 97 was being pumped

he maximum .drop in well

ter table slopes eastward, 

pe of the water table from 

south of the valley, 

eat recharge from run-off 

. in the Calico Mountains 

of the mountains is such 

that at Barstow. The 

is greater than that of the 

may be a little greater, 

of the rain comes in small 

likely to be much absorption

wells

the

ably comes from Mohave 

at Daggett, especially 

hen large floods flow down 

owly as the ground-water 

of surface flow and undery transpiration and evapoable is close to the surface. ( 

recharge must be confined 

c. 18, T. 9 N., R. 1 E., and 

be the only area in which 

river channel to permit 

E the valley, south of the 

, the water table is higher 

ace there.
494 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

BBOHABQE Of THB GROUND-WATER BESBBVOIR

The run-off of Mohave River at the Forks is about 90,000 acre-feet 

annually. A part of this water is used for irrigation above the Lower 

Mohave Valley, a part is lost by evaporation and transpiration where 

the water table is close to the surface, and a part is carried beyond 

the valley in times of flood.

About 3,000 acres of land is irrigated from the river, of which about 

250 acres is near Daggett and the remainder is farther upstream.65 In 

addition about 4,000 acres is irrigated from wells in the river bottom 

and first bench of the east mesa in the Upper Mohave Valley and on 

lands in the Middle Mohave Valley, where recharge of the water 

table probably comes by underflow from Mohave River. The total 

area above Daggett that is irrigated with water from either the surface 

flow or the underflow of the river is therefore about 7,000 acres. 

Most of this area is planted to alfalfa, and water is used freely. If 

the average duty of water were 4 acre-feet a year, the total quantity 

used in this area would be about 28,000 acre-feet.

It is estimated that there is some discharge from the water table 

by evaporation or by transpiration from trees or salt grass or other 

plants for a total of at least 20 miles along the river. If the average 

width of the discharge area is a quarter of a mile, the total area is 

3,200 acres, and an annual discharge of only 1 acre-foot would equal 

3,200 acre-feet from the entire area. It is evident that several 

thousand acre-feet is lost in this way.

From a thousand to several thousand acre-feet probably percolates 

(see p. 429) annually from Mohave River into Harper Valley. Thus 

probably 25,000 to 35,000 acre-feet of the water which passes the 

Forks does not reach the Lower Mohave Valley.

Under present conditions a large part of the remainder is not 

available for recharge of the Lower Mohave Valley ground-water 

basin, for in wet years there is generally more or less stream flow 

from the headwaters to the end of the river. In some years, as in 

1916, great floods rush through the Lower Mohave Valley, and 

although the greatest recharge of the ground-water supply doubtless 

takes place at such times, most of the flood water is lost to this part 

of the valley.

Some idea of the quantity that passes through the valley in the 

floods may be obtained from the following data. In 1916 Silver 

Lake was covered to a maximum depth of about 10 feet. East 

Cronise Dry Lake was covered to about the same depth, and some 

water ran to West Cronise Dry Lake. Much water also stood m 

Soda Lake. The water came from floods in Mohave River. The 

area of Silver Lake is estimated to be about 8,000 acres, and that of

M McClure, W. F., and others, Report on the utilization cf Mpjave River for irrigation in Victor Valley, 

Calif.: California State Dept. Engineering Bull. 5, pp. 28,49,63,1918. !
MOHAVE EIVER BASIN

East Cronise Dry Lake about 1,000 acres. If the average depth 

was £ fest the volume covering these two playas was 45,000 acrefeet Ini addition several thousand acre-feet was spread over Soda 

Lake and West Cronise Dry Lake and absorbed by the alluvium in 

Oucero ¥aEey. Both East Cronise Dry Lake and Silver Lake have 

been flooded since 1916.

The depth to the underground dam in sec. 18, T. 9 N., R. I E., 

is not known, but measurements in wells 42, 42a, and 43 at the end 

of two dry seasons indicate that it is probably not more than 30 feel 

below the surface. The area in which there is much underflow 

probably does not extend a mile across the valley, for rock hills rite 

a few hundred yards north of the river. Conditions in wells 46 and 

47 suggest that the alluvium of the slopes south of the river is 

cemented and hence does not offer free movement to the ground water. 

Slichter M estimated that at the Upper Narrows the ground water 

moves 50 feet a day and the valley fill has a porosity of 33 % per 

cent. If the velocity and porosity were the same at this underground dam, and if the depth of ground water moving over the 

spillway were 15 feet, about 11,000 acre-feet of ground water would 

annually move beneath the valley west of Daggett. If the water 

table were to be lowered hi a series of dry seasons, for example 8 

feet, as happened in well 42a between December, 1917, and Decem-» 

ber, 1919, the underflow would be reduced to about 5,000 acre-feet.

As shown on page 490, the water level in several wells in the west 

end of the valley dropped from 1 to 10 feet in the two years from 

September, 1917, to October, 1919. During this period the rainfall 

in the headwater region was considerably below normal, and it w 

said that no flood waters ran down the river as far as Daggett. The 

underflow into the basin of the lower valley was not sufficient to 

replace the water that was removed by underflow out of the basin,

by evaporation and

area in which there was any marked drop of the water level apparently

was not more than

ume of water lost in

transpiration, and by use in irrigation. The

15,000 acres. If the average drop was 5 feet

and the average por>sity of the alluvium was 33 ^ per cent the volthe two years was about 25,000 acre-feet.

DISCHARGE FROM THE GROUND-WATER RESERVOIR

Loss from the ground-water reservoir may occur through pumping of water for irrigation or other purposes, through evaporation 

and transpiration where the water table is close to the surface, and 

through discharge from the basin either as surface flow or underflow. 

On the basis of the reported yields of wells which were used for irriga* 

tibn in the Lower Mohave Valley in 1919, and the assumption of a 

pumping period of 12 hours a day for six months, it is estimated

<* Slichter, G. 8., Field measurements of the rate of movement of underground waters: IT. 8. Qeol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 140, p. 63,1805.
496 THE MOHAVE DESEBT BEGIQN, CALIFORNIA

that the quantity of water pumped in that year was about 5,000 

acre-feet. Some of this water percolates bads: to the w.ater table, 

so that the net loss is considerably less.

Losses from the ground-water reservoir by evaporation anil trams-*- 

piration occur over 1,500 acres in two areas in sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 

2 E., and for 4 or 5 miles west of the northwest end of the Cady 

Mountains. If the annual rate of evaporation in these areas is 1 

foot the total discharge is about 1,500 acre-feet. The rate of tevaporation may, however, be greater. In the sand-dune belt that reaches 

northwest from the vicinity of Newberry station there are many 

small patches of salt grass and mesquite from which there is groundwater discharge. Near Newberry station salt grass covers an a»ea 

that is estimated to be about 650 acres. In part of this airea the water 

table is not more than 2 feet below the surface, but in other parts 

it may be as much as 5 feet below. In wet winters water stands at the 

surface in several places. The rate of evaporation from this aanea is 

probably at least 2 feet a year and the total evaporation 1,300 

acre-feet a year. The depth to water at the border of Troy I>ry 

Lake is less than 8 feet, and the surface features indicate that there 

is some discharge from the playa. In addition, clumps of mesquite 

along its borders, especially west and northwest of the playa, show 

that there is also some discharge in that area. From these statements 

it is evident that several thousand acre-feet of ground water is lost 

annually by evaporation and transpiration.

On November 21, 1919, the flow near Camp Cady was about 2£^ 

second-feet. This flow represents drainage from the ground-water 

reservoir, for the river was dry farther upstream. If this rate were 

maintained the discharge of ground water by seepage would be about 

1,800 acre-feet a year. As 1919 was a dry year, the discharge is 

doubtless larger in some years.

According to the above estimates the average loss from the groundwater reservoir may be between 10,000 and 20,000 aere-feet a year. 

A considerable part of this water can be recovered through wells for 

irrigation, for if the water table is lowered by pumping the losses by 

evaporation, transpiration, and seepage will be reduced.

The data are so inadequate that no prediction can be made as to 

how much land can be irrigated with ground water in the Lower 

Mohave Valley, but certainly there is not nearly enough water for all 

the arable land.

Because wells in the western part of the valley yield larger supplies 

than those in the eastern part, the development of the western 

part will be more feasible. It is doubtful whether the eastern part 

can be irrigated advantageously except by carrying water to it from 

the western part, which would require canals and these would add 

to the expense of the project. The area west of the sand-dune T>elt,
which marks the approximate eastern limit of the territory in which 

large yields are found, is abcwst 30,060 acres. It is therefore probable 

that if tfee wester part of the valley is chiefly developed most if not 

all of the available supply can be used west of the dune belt

EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENT IN OTHEB PABTS OF THE VALLEY

The statements made above in regard to available quantity are 

based on present conditions in the Mohave Rive* basin. Futoare 

development farther upstream may cause a considerable change in 

conditions in the lower valley. If part of the headwater flow of 

Mohave River were diverted to the south side of the San Bernardino 

and San Gabriel Mountains for municipal use, the portion of the flow 

of Mohave River avail able for recharge of the ground-waW baain 

would be proportionately decreased, and indeed only in eieeeptiomafly wet years, when the reservoirs were filled to overflowing,. wo*dd 

there be any discharge down the valley.

If the headwater flow is ever stored in the San Bernardino Moua*- 

tains and used in the Upper Mohave Valley, conditions would »fe» 

probably be unfavorable for the lower valley. In the report of the 

Mohave River Commission it is stated that about two-thirds of the 

average annual flow of the river is available for storage in the mountains and that one-third should be allowed for riparian lands along 

. the river. Practically all the riparian lands for which water is allowed 

lie above Daggett, so that the entire flow of the river would be used 

above that point.

In many regions where irrigation i& practiced there is considerable 

return flow to streams from the water used in irrigation. If the 

water were used sparingly in the upper valley, however, it is ques* 

tionable whether very much water would reach the lower valley, 

either as surface flow or as underflow. If the return flow were considerable, it is possible, on the other hand, that use of water in th« 

upper part of the basin might have a beneficial effect on the groundwater supply in the lower valley; for a large quantity of water that 

now passes out of the basin in floods would be stored, and the flow 

Would be more regular. The geologic conditions hi the basin are so 

complicated, however, that the results of irrigation on a large scale 

in the upper part of the valley can not be foretold.

SPRINGS

Springs in the mountains. An unnamed spring is shown on township plats of the General Land Office hi the NW. Y± sec. 10, T. 8 N., 

R. 2 E. It is reached by a road from Minneola. Another spring, 

fanown as Kane Spring, emerges in the SE. ^ sec. 31, T. 8 N., R. 3 E, 

This spring may be reached by a road that branches southward frost 

the National Old Trails road about 2J^ miles southeast of Newberry
498 THE MOHAVB DESBBT RBQJON, CALIFOBNIA

Spring. It is said that automobiles can not reach it by this mad 

because of the heavy grade, but a passable road leads to it from the 

north end of Ord Mountain. No definite information is available in 

regard to either of these springs. , Springs along Mohave River. Springs rise at several places on the 

flood plain of Mohave Kiver in sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 2 E., and also in a 

stretch that extends for several miles west of the northwest end of 

the Cady Mountains. In many places the underflow of the river is 

brought to the surface by underlying impervious beds or by bedrock 

barriers beneath the channel. However, in sec. 30, T. 10 N., R. 4 E., 

at Old Camp Cady there are many water seeps from the cliff below 

the second terrace, at a height about 10 feet above the river channel. 

The water apparently comes from beds that lie'beneath the plain to 

the south and not directly from the river underflow. As shown by 

the analysis (p. 501), the water from these springs is of good quality 

and contains only 274 parts per million of total solids. The wat£r 

is of the same general character as most of the other samples that 

were collected in the valley, and only two other samples contained 

less total solids. The springs are not used.

Newberry Spring. The most valuable spring in .the region is Newberry Spring, in the NW. ^ sec. 32, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., a few hundred 

yards south of Newberry station. The spring is owned by the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. It emerges within a few 

feet of the eastern base of a low hill of Tertiary volcanic rock that 

forms the extreme northeast point of Newberry Mountain. The 

spring, however, appears to issue from the alluvium at the edge of an 

area at the base of Newberry Mountain extending northward for 

about a mile and east and west for about 2 miles, in which the water 

table is close to the surface. Salt grass is abundant around ,tfce 

spring, and several large mesquite grow near it. This area apparently is a continuation of a belt extending northwestward across the 

valley in which the water is near the surface. The reason for the 

occurrence of water so close to the surface has not yet been determined.

The spring is inclosed by a substantial covered masonry reservoir 

32 feet in diameter and 9 feet deep. From the reservoir a pipe line 

leads to the railroad pumping station. It is estimated that between 

300,000 and 500,000 gallons a day (between 280 and 350 gallons a 

minute) is pumped from the spring. The average daily pumpage at 

the station during 1919 was about 490,000 gallons, but some of this 

water was pumped from a well.

As shown by the analysis on page 501, the mineral content of the 

water is 290 parts per million of total solids. It is good for both 

domestic use and irrigation, but only fair for boilers because it contains a considerable quantity of scale-forming and foaming constituents. The water is a sodium carbonate water, very similar ia
499

character to most of the other samples analyzed from the Lower 

Mohave Valley. A partial analysis, of a sample by the Atehison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. some years ago gives 324 parts per 

million of total solids.67

The water from the spring is warm, and the temperature is ap- 

' parently constant, for three determinations at intervals of a year or 

more differ by only half a degree. On November 28, 1917, the writtsr 

determined the temperature as 77° F. and again on November 18, 

1919, as 77^4°. Waring records the temperature as 77°. This 

temperature is several degrees above that of water from a number 

of wells in the valley but is about the same as that in a well (No, 

88) half a mile west of the spring. (See p. 130.) This higher temperature may be due to the presence of the Tertiary volcanic rocks, 

which may not have completely cooled, or the heat may have been 

derived from Quaternary basalts that lie several miles southeast of 

the spring. The fact that the temperature is slightly above the 

normal for wells in the valley suggests that the water may come, in 

part at least, from a different source than the general ground-wate* 

body, perhaps from the Tertiary rocks of Newberry Mountain.

The railroad has been unable to obtain any satisfactory supply 

between Newberry station and Siam, 84 miles farther east. Water 

for all railroad use on this stretch, including domestic and locomotive 

use, is hauled from Newberry station, and a large part of it is obtained 

from Newberry Spring. From 30 to 40 tank cars, each holding 10,500 

gallons, are shipped daily to supply the needs of the railroad. Jn 

1919 a total of more than 128,000,000 gallons was hauled from this 

station.

Sweetwater Spring. The Sweetwater Spring is on the north side of 

Ord Mountain, about 14 miles south of Daggett, probably in sec. 13, 

T. '7 N., R. IE. It is reached by a road that ascends a large wash 

south of Daggett. About 9 miles south of Daggett the road forks, 

and the road to the spring is the right-hand branch. At a crossroad 

about 3 miles beyond it continues due south up a canyon, which 

contains buildings of a mine camp 0.7 mile from the crossroad. The 

spring is in a side canyon about 1,000 'feet southeast of the camp and 

about 100 feet above it. It can be found by following a pipe line that 

leads to it from a water tank near the camp buildings. The spring is 

really a well dug in rock, about 4 feet square, with a depth of 7 feet 

to the water. The hole was tightly screened when visited, and the 

depth could not be measured. The water is apparently siphoned 

out of the hole by the pipe mentioned above. Water could not be 

obtained at the spring, but there was water in the pipe at a valve 

near the tank. A sample of water taken from the pipe proved to be

. « Waring, O. A., Springs of California: U. 8. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 338, p. 817,1916.
500 THE MOHAVE fctSSB&tf BBdtOHT, CALIFORNIA

pf good quality for domestics tuse. (See analysis, p-. 501.) Ifc w said 

that the spring can furnish about 5,000 gallons; a- week. 

H Aztec Spring and WifHs Wett. At the crossroad about 0.7 uafle 

north of the mine camp near Sweetwater Spring, described above, a 

road leads eastward. Aatec Spring is reported to be south of this 

road at a point about a mile east of the crossroad, near ft mill. It is 

said to derive its name from hieroglyphics on the rocks near by. 

About 6 miles southeast of the crossroad there is a well known as 

Willis Well. No information is available in regard to either of Uhia&e 

watering places. It is reported tliat a road leading to them also leads 

to Old Woman Spring and Lucerne Valley. On some dtd maps a 

spring known as Le Conte Spring is shown near this road on the 

southeast side of Ord Mountain. Prospectors who are lamiliar with 

the region say that they know of no such spring.

QUALITY OF WATEB

Samples of water were collected by the writer from 13 wells and 

2 springs in the Lower Mohave Valley and analyzed by the United 

States Geological Survey, and one sample was collected by G. A. 

Waring and analyzed by S. C. Dinsmore for the Geological Survey. 

In addition the analyses of water from wells of the Los Angeles & 

Salt Lake Railroad Co. were furnished by that company, and analyses 

of water from two wells of the Tabitha Taylor estate were furnished 

by the owners. These analyses were given in the form of hypothetical 

combinations and have been recomputed to parts per million. The 

results of all these analyses are given in the accompanying table.

The total dissolved mineral matter in the samples analyzed ranges 

from 238 to 2,791 parts per million. However, the mineral content 

of most of the samples is very moderate, for out of a total of 20 samples 

15 contain less than 500 parts per million, and 6 of the 15 contain less 

than 300 parts per million.

Of the 15 samples that contain less than 500 parts per million of total 

dissolved solids all but two are sodium carbonate waters. These two 

samples, from wells 64 and 144, are calcium carbonate waters. However, these two samples are essentially similar to the others, for a small 

decrease in the sodium would be sufficient to put them into the calcium carbonate class. The 15 samples are all classed as good for 

domestic use, and several of them are very good. For irrigation 

five of the samples, from wells 36 and 37, 64,83, and 144 and Newberry 

Spring, may be classed as good, and the others are fair. Most of the 

samples are only fair for boilers, and two of them, from wells 45 and 

140, are rated as bad. The relatively poorer quality as regards 

use in boilers is due to the high content of scale-forming constituents 

and especially of foaming constituents. The tendency for the waters 

to corrode boilers is slight.
Analyses of ground waters in Lower Mohav

[Parts per million]

§» No. on 

f pi. 24 

1 and in 

Jg table on 

T pages 

4*4-471

09 4

"15

»36,37

45

63

60

H

«9

'75

'76

83

88

, 98

104

125

140

144

149

(«)

< )

(*>

Owner or name of well or spring

J. A. Fults .. ... ...........

Town of Daggett _________________

F. H. Webber ... . ...............................

Tnltii'lifk. Tavlnr AQf ata

Mattie J. Edwards _________________

L. W. Page ___ .. _______ . ...........

J. W. Burden...... . __ ............. ____ ..

H. L, Mellon. . ... _____ . ________

B. E. Funk _______________________

C. A. Leak........................................

Sweetwater Spring ________________ .

Date of 

collection

Sept. 17, 1917

Nov. 27, 1915

Oct. 22,1915

Sept. 13, 1917

Nov. 5,1919

Sept. 1,1917

Oct. 28,1919

Aug. 20,1916

July 15,1919

Oct. 30,1919

Sept. 2,1917

Nov. 22, 1919

Sept. 4,1917

Nov. 20, 1919

Nov. 28, 1917

Oct. 26,1919

Oct. 23,1919

Sept. 4,1917

Nov. 28, 1917

Feb. 23,1918

Total 

dissolved 

solids 

at 

180° C.

358

b QOO

b 9O9

450

353

379

238

1,598

'320

»961

240

359

1,928

340

2,791

391

283

1,004

274

290

360

Silica 

(SiOj)

57

« IS

79

32

94

26

47

4Q

32

101

26

50

33

66

29

31

60

54

33

Iron 

(Fe)

0.08

.04

.72

.05

.17

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

.67

.04

2.9

.54

.21

.03

.08

.96

.09

.05

.04

Calcium 

(Ca)

31

16

40

28

43

14

30

167

26

112

28

22

398

17

428

26

37

28

19

25

41

M

» Analyses furnished by Los Angeles & Salt Lake R. R. Co.; recalculated from hypothetical combinations 

" Calculated.

< Includes silica (SiOj), iron oxide (FejOs), and aluminum oxide (AlaOa).

* Determined. . ,

« Collected by O. A. Waring.

/ Analysis furnished by owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per United States gal

' See description, p. 498.

* See description, p. 499. 

Analysts: 4, C. H. Kldwell; 15.36,37, Los Angeles & Salt Lake R. R.; 45,88,104, Camp Cady Spring, Addl

berry Spring. A. A. Chambers; 69, S. C. Dinsmore; 76, 76, E. H. Milter; 140, Addle T. Geiger ana C. H. Kidw
502 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Of the five samples in which the mineral content is; high all but one 

came from wells less than 60 feet deep. These wells are located in 

parts of the, valley where there are other wells that hava furnished 

samples whose analyses indicate that water of better quality can 

probably be obtained from deeper beds. For example, the sample 

from a well on the Taylor ranch (No. 76), which is only 55 feet deep, 

contains 961 parts per million of total solids and is a sodium 

chloride water, whereas a sample from a 300-foot well (No. 75), a 

few hundred feet away, contains only 320 parts pe(r million and is 

a sodium carbonate water.

The sample from the Webber well containes 1,598 parts per million 

of total solids and is a sodium chloride water. "Vtnen the sample 

was taken the well was only 42 feet deep, but it was subsequently 

deepened to 174 feet. It is not known whether better water was 

struck, but it is reasonable to suppose that good waiter could be obtained at a greater depth, as water containing less than 400 parts per 

million has been obtained from dug wells at the Tailor ranch, only 

a mile to the east, and at the Barry ranch, about 2 njiiles to the west.

The sample from the Burden well (No. 98), which,* is 50 feet deep, 

contains 1,928 parts per million of total solids and is a calcium 

chloride water. The sample from the 75-foot well at! the schoolhouse 

(No. 104), about a mile to the southwest, contain? only 340 parts 

per million of total solids and is a sodium carbonate water. The 

water from a 170-foot well on the Burden ranch is said to be of much 

better quality than that from the 50-foot well. ;

The sample from the Mellon well (No. 125) is jbhe most highly 

mineralized water analyzed from the valley. It contains 2,791 parts 

of total solids and is a calcium chloride water. The cause for this high 

mineralization is not known, and it is not certain that water of better 

quality could be obtained from a deeper well at this place. This well 

is about 2 miles from the alkali-covered north arm of Troy Dry Lake, 

and the poor quality may result from conditions relajted to the accumulation of the playa deposits. There seems to be( no reason why 

there should not be some movement of ground water from the playa 

toward Mohave River, at Camp Cady. However, t|he fact that the 

sample from the springs at Camp Cady contains only 274 parts per 

million of total solids is believed to show that if there is such movement the water is generally of better quality than that in the Mellon 

well.

It is said that in several shallow wells in the eastern part of the valley, 

notably in wells 98 and 125, the quality of the water has become poorer 

with use. The reason for this condition is not known. It is possible 

that salts deposited by the evaporation of water at the surface are

washed into the wells. This condition might occur, especially where

large quantities of water are applied in irrigation. Sufficient analyses
MOHAVE RIVEK BASIN 503

are not available from shallow wells in different parts of the valley 

to show whether the highly mineralized waters are of local extent or 

whether they occur at shallow depths throughout the valley. 

""-A sample from the well of C. A. Leak (No. 149) contains 1,004 

parts per million of total solids. This water is different from any of 

the other samples analyzed from th6 Lower Mohave Valley in that it 

is a sodium sulphate water. It is mar© nearly like the water from the 

wells of the Atchison, Topeka & Santo, Fe Railway Co. at Barstow. 

The railroad well and the Leak well are near the foot of hills of alluvium that rise southward. As there are known to be Tertiary or 

Pleistocene lake or playa beds in these hills, it is possible that the 

poor quality of the water is due to water moving from the hills and 

not from the underflow of the river. If such is the case it is not likely 

that water of better quality could be obtained by drilling deeper.

In summarizing, it may be said that in general water of good quality 

for domestic use and of fair enough quality for irrigation or for use in 

boilers can be obtained nearly everywhere in the valley where conditions are suitable for irrigation. Although water of poor quality is 

obtained in several wells the indications are that water of better quality can be obtained from deeper beds.

The similarity in character of most of the waters analyzed suggests 

that they have a common origin. The principal source of the ground 

water is probably the surface flow and underflow of Mohave River. 

However, the fact that there is no regular change in the character of 

the water from one part of the valley to another raises a question as 

to the cause of>..su<&-cUi]Eeremc@s as are manifest. Thus, the total 

solids in the sample from the wells at the head of Daggett ditch (No. 

144), several miles west of Daggett, is 283 parts per million. This 

sample came from the underflow of Mohave River, and if the water in 

the main part of the valley came from the river the samples from other 

parts of the valley would probably be as highly mineralized. Also, 

in general, it would be expected that the farther the water moved 

from its ultimate source the more mineralized it would become, so 

that samples from wells in the eastern part of the valley might be more 

highly mineralized. This increase in mineral content, however, does 

not occur, for three samples, from wells 64 and 82 and Camp Cady 

Spring, have lower mineral content than the sample from the Daggetfc 

ditch. The springs at Camp Cady are farther from the area of 

ground-water recharge than most of the other places where samples 

were taken, and it would be expected that the water would be considerably more mineralized. The springs are so high above the river 

that the water can not have traveled the short distance from the 

river, nor has it probably come from the near-by Cady Mountains. 

The most reasonable explanation is that, as has been shown by 

analyses of the surface flow of the river, the quality of water that enters
504 THE MOHAV1 D1S1ET BEGI0N, CALIFORNIA

the gravel changes from time to time and that the waier from a given 

Well may also be expected to change as the grounjd Water moves 

eastward. '

TEMPERATURE OF WATER

The temperature of the water from a number of wells and from Newberry Spring was determined by the writer, and the results are given 

in the table (p. 130). The observed temperature of tne water in most 

of the wells ranged between 69%° and 72%° F. The 1 temperature of 

the water from two wells and Newberry Spring, however, ranged 

between 77° and 80°, and in one well it was 74°.

The mean annual temperature at Barstow is about 63.7°, and the 

mean annual temperature in the Lower Mohave Valley is probably 

not more than a degree or two higher. The temperature of the water 

from all the wells observed is thus several degrees higher than the 

mean annual temperature of the region. The temperature of the 

water from Newberry Spring and from two wells of L. W. Page, about

 half a mile west of the spring, is so much higher that apparently they 

are affected by some local condition.

IRRIGATION

General features. According to data collected by the writer about 

750 acres was irrigated during the summer of 1919. At several 

ranches in the late fall of that year additional acreage was being prepared, and in 1920 the area irrigated was probably at least 1,000 acres. 

Of the irrigated land alL except about 100 or 15Q acres lay in the western part of the valley. About 65 acres of the irrigated area in the

 eastern part was in sec. 12, T. 8 N., B. 3 E., and sees. 7 and 18, T. 

S N., R. 4 E., where it is not definitely known whether the buried 

barrier affects the ground-water, level. Only about 50 acres was in the 

area that is definitely known to be affected by the barrier, where the 

yield of wells is generally much smaller than west of it. All the irrigated crop was alfalfa, except about 50 acres in fruit and a few acres 

in vegetables or grain. Several ranchers were planning to experiment 

with cotton, but none had been grown in 1919. D. W. Edwards has

 experimented in growing rice on some of the small clay flats between 

the sand dunes in sec. 19, T. 9 N., R. 3 E., but it is doubtful whether 

conditions are suitable for this crop.

Ranchers report yields of alfalfa ranging between 5 and 9 tons to 

the acre. F. S. Van Dyke, whose ranch is a mile east of Daggett, 

reports that in hot years he gets from 7 to 9 tons to the acre and in

 cool years from 5 to 7 tons to the acre. The crop is cut from four to 

seven times a season, according to whether it is to be used for feeding 

horses or for dairy feed.

At all except two or three ranches the water for irrigation is obtained froni wells. A very small acreage is irrigated at the MeCor-
MOHAVE EHTEB BASIN 505

mick ranch, in sec. 3, T. 9 N., E. 2 E., by the flow from several ponds 

or sloughs on the flood plain north of the river, where the water 

comes to the surface. In sees. 14, 22, and 23, on the ranches ol 

T. S. Van Dyke and Buel Funk, about 200 acres is irrigated with 

water brought by canal from a submerged dam across Mohave River 

in sec. 11, T. 9 N., R. 1 W. Originally the water was obtained 

entirely from the seepage collected by a tunnel above the submerged 

dam, but in the fall of 1919 the supply was augmented by drilling: 

several wells, from which the water flowed into the tunnel. (See 

p. 506.)

Daggett ditch. Two projects for the irrigation of large areas have* 

been undertaken in the Lower Mohave Valley, but neither of them, 

has met with the expected success. The older project originated, 

during the period when so many other ill-founded land-colonization 

schemes were started.

About 1890 it was proposed to carry water from the underflow of 

Mohave River to the mines and mills of the Calico mining district,, 

but this scheme was not carried very far because of financial difficulties. In 1892 or 1893 the Southern California Improvement Co. 

was organized to develop water for generating electric power for the 

Calico mines and mills, and the water was afterward to be used for; 

irrigation.68 A submerged dam was planned to be constructed acrossMohave River about 4 miles west of Daggett, which would allow th& 

recovery of the underflow. Thence the water was to be conducted 

by canal to a point near the corner of sees. 28, 29, 32, and 33, T. 9 N.,. 

R. 2 E., about half a mile southwest of Minneola. At this place 

power was to be generated by a fall that is said to be 70 to 100 feet. 

The water was then to be used for irrigation north and east of Minneola. Extravagant claims were made as to the quantity of water 

that would be developed. At least 2,000 miner's inches (40 secondfeet) was expected to be obtained. An advertising prospectus is said 

to have predicted a flow of 15,000 inches (300 second-feet), and other; 

, estimates were as high as 20,000 to 30,000 inches (400 to 600 secondfeet). It is also said that on the strength of these absurd statements 

land was sold for a distance of 10 miles north of the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway, even north of Mohave River.

Work on the submerged dam, collecting tunnel, and ditch was carried on for several years. The dam and tunnel were completed only 

about halfway across the river, but the ditch was completed as far asMinneola, and water ran that far for several years. It is said that* 

the maximum flow from the tunnel was not more than 10 second-feefc 

(500 miner's inches). About 1898 the company went bankrupt,

» See Lippinoott, J. E., Water supply of San Bernardino Valle;: U. 8. Geol. Surrey Nineteenth Ann. 

B«pt, pt. 4, pp. 629-682,1898. The facts given here are based also on statements by T. S. Van Dyke and 

Buel Funk, the present owners of the water rights and canals.of the company, and notes In California 

Dept, Eng. Bulk 5.
506 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

probably owing largely to the failure to obtain as much water as was 

expected. T. S. Van Dyke states that the company spent $200,000 

on the project.

In 1901 four persons bought the water rights of the old company 

and undertook the further development of the water. The canal 

east of sec. 23 was abandoned, and the water is now used for irrigation in sees. 22, 23, and 14. Most of the water is used on the Daggett 

ranch, and the ditch is known as the Daggett ditch. At present the 

rights are held by the owners of two ranches.

After the bankruptcy of the Southern California Improvement Co. 

the tunnels fell into disrepair, and the yield gradually decreased. 

The flow in 1913 is said to have been only about 1J^ second-feet. 

In 1914-15 the tunnels were relined, and in 1915-16 a concrete conduit 3J^ miles long was substituted for the open ditch. The flood of 

1916 caused the^ tunnel to be silted up so that the yield decreased 

very greatly. In 1919-20 further improvements were made, as described below. The successors of the Southern California Improvement Co. have spent fully $75,000 on the system. The water has 

been sufficient to irrigate not more than about 250 acres.

In 1919 the system consisted of 3J^ miles-of concrete conduit, 

extending from a point about 400 feet south of the quarter corner 

between sees. 11 and 12, T. 9 N., R. 1 W., to the Daggett ranch; 

1,720 feet of tunnel lined with redwood, extending from the head of 

the cement conduit to the head tunnel; and 587 feet of head tunnel 

lined with redwood. The 1,720-foot tunnel is 4 by 6 feet in cross 

section, and the top and sides are lined with heavy redwood planks, 

but the bottom is open. The head tunnel is 3 feet by 5 feet 3 inches 

in diameter. It is lined on all sides, but the bottom lining is loose.

The head tunnel extends from a point in the west-central part of 

the NE. y± sec. 11, T. 9 N., R. 1 W., about the middle of the river 

channel, in a direction approximately S. 35° W., to a point within 

about 100 feet of the slight cliff that marks the lower end of the 

alluvial slope. The submerged dam is about 3 feet downstream 

from the tunnel. It is built of heavy planks fastened together 

to form a thickness of about 1 foot. The dam reaches from 25 to 

36 feet below the top of the tunnel but does not extend above it. 

The piling of the dam, as originally constructed, did not reach 

bedrock but was driven only a foot or two into a clay bed, which was 

assumed to be a residual soil that had resulted from the weathering 

of the bedrock, and the rock was believed to be only a few feet 

below.59 As far as could be learned, this is the condition of the dam 

at present. The dam, which has a total length of 700 feet, originally 

reached the 10-foot cliff on the south side of the river channel, but 

in a subsequent flood the channel was widened about 75 feet beyond

 Lippincott, J. B., op. cit., p. 629. 
* MOSAVB BIVER BASIN 507

the end of the dam. The dam thus extends only about halfway 

across the channel and is open at both ends. ,

In the fall of 1919 six wells were drilled in the head tunnel at 

intervals of 50 feet for the purpose of increasing the flow, and it was 

planned to drill two more. The wells range in depth from 66 to 100 

feet. During drilling the water stood in the wells about 7 feet from 

the surface, but the casings were cut off about 14 feet below the 

surface so that the water flows into the tunnel. All the wells but one 

were perforated for their entire length. One was perforated only 

from. 60 feet to the bottom at a depth of 100 feet. It is said that the 

water was under most pressure near the south side of the tunnel, 

which may be due to a movement of water from the alluvial slope 

toward the river.

A current-meter measurement of the flow in the tunnel, made by 

the writer on October 23, 1919, gave 4.06 second-feet (about 600 

gallons a minute or 68 miner's inches). As this year was drier than 

normal and the water table in a number of wells was several feet 

lower than usual, it is probable that in normal years the flow would 

be greater.

As the submerged dam extends only part way across the river 

channel it hardly has more than a slight effect hi bringing the underflow closer to the surface. The condition is analogous to that of a 

board placed partly across a stream or ditch with the water flowing 

freely around each end. The main advantage of the system is that 

the tunnel affords a means of collecting the water.

Instrumental leveling on October 26, 1919, showed that the 

water stood 5 feet lower in the tunnel than the water table in an old 

dug well about 500 feet downstream. As this well was on the river' 

bottom but within a few feet of the edge of the channel, the dam 

probably does not hinder the movement of the water downstream. 

The level of the water table in the tunnel was doubtless lower because 

the tunnel offers freer passage to the water, and a zone parallel to the 

tunnel was easily drained.

If the submerged dam were completed entirely across the river 

channel it would probably raise the water table on the upstream side 

more than at present and increase the discharge of the tunnel. However, the porous alluvium extends several thousand feet south of the 

river, and a complete damming of the underflow is hardly practicable. 

It is very doubtful whether sufficient water could be obtained to 

irrigate any large area.

Yermo Mutual Water Co.-- The second project contemplated the 

use of the surface flow and underflow of the river where it comes to 

the surface in sec. 3, T. 9 N., R. 2 E.> supplemented by wells on the 

plain north of the river. The land to be irrigated lies east of sec. 32, 

T. 1ft Ni, H. 2 E., extending as far as Harvard.
508 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CAlUFOBNIA

The project was begun in 1910 with the incorporation of the Mojave 

Kiver Land & Water Co., with a capitalization of $500,000. This 

company proposed to irrigate from 20,000 to 40,000 acres in Tps. 9, 

10) and 11 N., Rs. 2, 3, and 4 E. The company drilled several wells 

and constructed several miles of concrete canals. The company 

became involved in financial difficulties. It was reorganized and 

incorporated in January, 1917, as the Yermo Mutual Water Co., 

with a capitalization of $160,000. A large number of the stockholders of the new company were creditors of the old company. 

The new company has reduced greatly the area included within the 

project and plans to irrigate only about 8,000 acres.

Since its reorganization the company has made slight progress. 

Apparently very little construction work has been done. At one 

time or another about 200 acres have been irrigated, but when the 

writer was in the valley in the fall of 1919 there was no indication 

that any crops had been irrigated the preceding summer, and aU 

but one of the company's pumping plants had been dismantled.

The failure of the new company to make greater progress was due 

in part to its inability to meet certain requirements of the United 

States General Land Office before expenditure for stock in the company can be accepted as annual expenditures required in proof by 

desert-land entrymen. Because of this difficulty homesteaders have 

had no incentive to settle on the land with the expectation of obtain? 

ing water from the company. It is understood, however, that this 

difficulty has been overcome by amendment of the articles of incorporation.

In 1917 the works consisted of five drilled wells and several miles 

of cement canals. The completed distribution system consisted of 

3 miles of canal that had an estimated capacity of 26 second-feet 

(1,300 inches), 3 miles that had a capacity of 66 second-feet (3,300 

inches), and 6 miles that had a capacity of 4 second-feet (200 inches). 

The total cost of the constructed works has been probably at least 

$50,000 to $75,000. One of the wells is 12 inches in diameter and the 

others are 16 inches, and they are between 400 and 450 feet deep. (See 

wells 7, 8, 9, 50, and 142 in table on pp. 464-471.) In wells 7, 8, 9, 

and 50 the depth to water in the fall of 1919 was between 16 feet, 

in the easternmost well, and 30 feet. These wells are apparently 

above the line along which the water table drops abruptly. In well 142 

the depth to water is about 45 feet, and this well is probably below 

the line where the water table drops. Two of the wells in tests 

have yielded about 2J^ second-feet each. The depth to water when 

this quantity is being pumped is between 50 and 75 feet. So far as 

the writer knows, the others have not been tested. It is likely that 

all the wells above the line of drop in the water table may yield atleast 2 second-feet if not more, but in view of the results in other
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 509

wells there is some question whether the yield of well 142 wiH be large. 

It is said that two of the wells have been pumped together without 

appreciable effect on each other. So far as is known, there hare been 

no tests of long duration to show the effect of pumping all the welis 

at the same time. As three of the wells, in sec. 32, T. 10 N.,-R. 2 E., 

are spaced at intervals of less than 600 feet, it seems desirable to 

make such tests.

The company owns land along Mohave River in sec. 3, T. 9 N.t 

R. 2 E., where water is at or close to the surface throughout the year, 

and it plans to obtain an additional supply either by diverting the 

surface flow in the river when feasible or by pumping from wells 

near or in the river bed. As late as 1919 no work had been done 

on this part of the project.

The project of the Yermo Mutual Water Co. is commendable in 

that it contemplates carrying water to land situated where, because 

of unfavorable geologic conditions, sufficient water can not be obtained 

for irrigation from wells. However, it is very unlikely that there is 

enough water to irrigate all the land in the valley, and it seems much 

more economical to use the water on lands in the western part of the 

valley, where long distribution canals are not necessary.

CAVE CANYON 

GENERAL FEATURES

The Mohave River Valley between Manix Wash and Baxter, in 

sec. 13, T. 11 N., R. 6 E., has been observed by the writer only from 

trains of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. A wagon road 

formerly led down the river channel, but since automobiles have come 

into common use it is little traveled. It is now generally necessary 

for each traveler to make his own tracks. Automobiles have made 

the trip, but the route is generally used only occasionally by persons 

who are taking horses and wagons into Crucero Valley or Cronise 

Valley. East of Baxter travel in automobiles is difficult if not 

impossible, because of heavy sand. Water is obtainable at the railroad well at Afton and generally from the section crew at Field and 

also at Baxter if the limestone quarry at that place is in operation.

The Mohave Valley between Manix and Baxter is uninhabited, 

except for railroad workers at Field and Afton stations. Iron-ore 

deposits are reported, but these have not been worked on a commercial scale.60 In December, 1919, preparations were being'made t»9 

mine paint ore from deposits on the south side of Mohave River 

near Afton.

« Leith, C. EL, Iron orea of the western United States and British Columbia; U. 8. Qftol. Surrey Bn^L 

286, p. 198 ,1905.
510 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

On the north side of the river east of Manix Wash a long slope rises 

northeastward somewhat gradually for several miles to a ridge that 

reaches southward from mountains on the north. South of the river 

a similar slope rises to the base of the Cady Mountains, but its continuity is broken by tongues of the mountains that reach down toward 

the river. Mohave River has cut from 50 to 100 feet below the lowest 

parts of these slopes. For 2 or 3 miles below the entrance of Manix 

.Wash well-developed terraces are seen on the south side of the river, 

but none were observed on the north side of the river. (See pi. 27, J5.) 

Where the ridge that extends from the mountains on the north, 

mentioned above, approaches the river, the immediate valley narrows. From a distance the narrowing seems to be due to the presence 

of bedrock, which apparently underlies the ridge, although away from 

the river the ridge appears to be an alluvial fan. The terraces west 

of the ridge are probably due to the effect.of bedrock in establishing 

a local base there, perhaps in conjunction with some variation in 

the flow of the river due to climatic changes. As the river valley 

immediately below the ridge was not seen, the exact cause of the terraces could not be determined.

Between Camp Cady and the narrows south of Field the greenish 

Manix lake beds are visible in the cliffs along the river. They do not 

appear at the surface except in short ravines that are being cut back 

from the river. However, the lake beds are covered by only a relatively thin layer of later alluvium. A mile or two east of Field the 

Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad descends into the canyon of Mohave 

River, which is known as Cave Canyon. For several miles the canyon 

cuts only alluvium. The greenish lake beds continue for some distance but gradually thin out and are overlain by a buff conglomerate 

or fanglomerate. About a mile east of Diirm and a mile or more south 

of the railroad about 100 feet of the buff beds overlie the greenish 

lake beds, which are horizontal and not very thick. South of Afton 

station greenish beds about 10 or 15-feet thick lie on top of the buff 

beds. East of Afton the greenish beds are almost entirely lacking, 

and those present are badly faulted. In place of the greenish beds 

are red and buff coarse conglomerates. In one place as much as 300 

feet of these beds are estimated to be exposed. In some places these 

beds are exposed in almost vertical cliffs or in high-pinnacled erosion 

columns. These features with the varicolored aspect of the beds 

present a striking stretch of scenery.

Near Baxter the lower end of the canyon cuts through badly 

.contorted jnetamorphic rocks. From. the, railroad the contortions 

may be clearly seen in a marble quarry a few hundred yards north of 

Baxter station. At Baxter the canyon ends and the river passes 

into a large plain which constitutes Crucero Valley and which is 

described on pages 512-536.
MOHAVE RIVEK'BASIN - 511

The lake beds and coarser alluvium through which Cave Canyon 

is cut for most of its length are all probably of Pleistocene age or 

younger. The present canyon appears to follow an older valley 

between the Cady Mountains on the south and the Cave or Afton 

Mountains on the north. It is not known whether this valley 

extended to Crucero Valley, so that the ancient Mohave River 

reached Soda Lake prior to the deposition of the Manix lake beds. 

If it did, the drainage was dammed in some way and a lake formed in 

which the Manix lake beds were deposited. The damming may have 

been the result of folding or faulting either of the older bedrock or 

of the unconsolidated alluvium, but the great thickness of conglomerate near the east end of the canyon suggests that it may have 

been accomplished by the building of one or more great alluvial fans 

across the valley.

Before the cutting of the present canyon and the accompanying 

great dissection of the Pleistocene alluvium this part of the drainage 

basins appears to have been a broad valley with gentle slopes, much 

like the Lower Mohave Valley or the Upper Mohave Valley.

As shown by the following log a well of the Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake Railroad at Afton penetrated alluvium to a depth of 423 feet:

Log of well of Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Co. at Afton 

[Drilled June to August, 1904] "

Sand and boulders ________________________________ -

Gravel

Band _

Bock.... ..... . .. ...... ...... ....... .. . . ....... . . 

Thickness 

(feet)

63

305

17

14

24

6

Depth 

(feet)

63

368

385

39»

42$

42»

According to altitudes determined by the railroad the bottom of 

the alluvium in this well is nearly 200 feet below the present level of 

the river, where it emerges from the canyon at Baxter. It is hardly 

possible that the great thickness of alluvium in the well represents 

filling since the drainage of Manix Lake, but it leads further to the 

belief that a valley of pre-Manix age extended through the region to 

Crucero Valley. More detailed studies of the canyon undoubtedly 

will throw much light on the Pleistocene history of the Mohave

River Valley. WATER RESOURCES

On each of three trips along the railroad in September, 1917, and 

October and December, 1919, the writer has seen small streams of 

water flowing at several places in Cave Canyon. At no place did 

the flow appear to be as much as 1 second-foot. Probably there is a 

small flow at some of these places throughout the year. It is said
512 THE MOHAVB DESEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

that in rainy seasons, when floods come down the river, the flow may 

be from a few hundred to a few thousand second-feet. Small patches 

of alkali are visible at a number of places.

The only well that is known to exist in Gave Canyon is that of the 

Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Co. at Afton, the log of which is 

given on page 511. It is 429 feet deep. The depth to water at the 

time of completion in August, 1904, was 17 feet. The well is 13}^ 

inches in diameter to a depth of 100 feet, ll^j inches from 100 to 

316 feet, and 9^ inches from 316 feet to the bottom. It is perforated 

only from 383 to 423 feet. The yield of the well is about 50 gallons a 

minute. The drawdown is not known.

An analysis of water from this well, furnished by the Los Angeles 

<fe Salt Lake Railroad Co. (see p. 532), shows that the water is highly 

mineralized and contains 880 parts per million of total solids. It is 

a sodium chloride water, but the carbonate is nearly as great as the 

 chloride. It is fair for domestic use, poor for irrigation, and very 

bad for use in boilers, because of the large quantity of foaming 

constituents.

Although no other well data are available, the water table is probably close to the surface of the river channel in most parts of Cave 

Canyon, for alkali is visible at many places. The land is too rough 

for agriculture, but if water is required for any mining enterprise 

it doubtless can be obtained from wells close to the river.

CRUCERO VALLEY 

GEWERAL FEATURES

Crucero and Cronise Valleys are in the central part of San Bernardino County, at the lower end of the Mohave River drainage basin. 

The two valleys are in two distinct closed basins, but as Mohave 

River emerges from Cave Canyon it divides, and in times of flood 

the water goes into one or the other and sometimes into both valleys. 

Cronise Valley is described on pages 536-547.

Crucero Valley is really a part of the Soda Lake drainage basin, 

but for convenience it is described as a separate unit. As here 

considered it includes all the area that is tributary to the southwestern part of Soda Lake, from Soda station, hi sec. 11, T. 12 N., 

R. 8 E., to the extreme southern part of the play a and westward to 

the lower end of Cave Canyon, near Baxter. The remainder of Soda 

Lake basin is described on pages 554-572. The principal physical 

and geographic features of the parts of Crucero and Cronise Valleys 

that are susceptible of agricultural development are shown in Plate 28. 

The relation of the basins to adjoining basins may be best understood 

by referring to the relief map (pi. 11) and the map showing the divides 

of drainage basins (pi. 7).
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN §13

Crucero Valley is crossed from west to east by the Los Angeles & 

Salt Lake Railroad and from south to north by the Tonopah <fc 

Tidewater Railroad. The valley takes its name from the junctioa 

station of the two railroads, Crucero, which means "crossing."

Crucero Valley is nearly inaccessible by automobile because of 

heavy sand, except when the sand has been temporarily packed by 

rains. A road leads northward from Ludlow. In November, 1917, 

the writer found this road in good shape as far as a point a mile or 

two north of Broadwell station, on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, but beyond that place it was in bad condition because of washing. With a little repair work this road would doubtless be passable 

for automobiles as far as Mesquite Spring, in sec. 25, T. 11 N., R. 

7 E., but from the spring to Crucero heavy sand is encountered. The 

road continues northward from Crucero to Rasor, Soda station, and' 

Silver Lake, but for several miles north of Crucero it can not be 

traveled by automobile. This road was formerly a much-traveled 

route to the Death Valley region, but since the building of the Tonopah.^ Tidewater Railroad and the advent of the automobile it is 

rarely used, and then only by outfits traveling with horses and wagons*

For many years a road from the west led down the channel of 

Mohave River in Cave Canyon and across the valley, following 

approximately the course of the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad. 

The road in Cave Canyon was frequentlyVashed out, and now travelers seldom attempt to follow it east of Field station. Most of the 

south, end of Soda Lake Valley is covered with sand, and from the 

east often automobiles can not approach nearer than Kelso. This 

route along Mohave River and across the south end of Soda Lake 

Valley was one of the first traveled in the desert. It followed approximately the route along which the Mohave Indians guided Garces on 

his trip to the San Gabriel Mission in 1776, the first trip made across 

the Mohave Desert by a white man. (See p. 10.) It was also followed by the Whipple expedition and by other early exploring parties. 

It is said that Mormon parties crossed the valley, although the main 

Salt Lake road was 20 or 25 miles northwest of Crucero. A low pass 

south of the Crucero Hills, in sec. 20, T. 11 N., R. 8 E., is locally 

known as Mormon Pass.

A wagon road leads from Crucero northwestward to Cronise Valley 

and thence to Bitter Springs, where it joins a little-used road from 

Daggett to Silver Lake. A road also leads from Baxter station 

northward to this road in Cronise Valley. Automobiles have traveled, from Barstow to Baxter by this road, but with difficulty because 

of the heavy sand in places.

All the roads mentioned are at times obliterated along certain 

stretches, either by washouts or by wind-blown sand. Although 

they may be traveled in automobiles under very favorable conditions,
514 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

it is unwise for anyone not acquainted with the region to attempt to 

reach it with an automobile. The most satisfactory means of travel, 

although slow, is with horses and a broad-tired wagon.

Because of its inaccessibility and the unfavorable conditions the 

region has not been settled to any great extent. Desert or homestead entries have been filed for about 4,000 acres in Cronise Valley 

and for two to three times that area hi Crucero Valley, but the total 

acreage of patented land is very small. In 1919 a considerable 

acreage in each valley had been cleared, more than 30 wells had been 

drilled or dug, and considerable construction work had been done on 

a project to irrigate part of Cronise Valley with flood water from 

Mohave River. However, when the writer visited the region hi 

December, 1919, besides the telegraph operators at Crucero, a section 

crew at King, and quarrymen at Baxter, only one family was living 

on its homestead near Crucero. There were then no stores in the 

region nor any accommodations for travelers.61

For a number of years a considerable quantity of limestone has 

been shipped from a quarry in sec. 12, T. 11 N., R. 6 E., about half 

a mile north of Baxter. Because of its purity the rock is used in 

refining sugar. Another limestone deposit suitable for sugar refining 

is said to exist several miles southeast of Crucero. No other valuable 

mineral deposits are known to exist in the region.

The writer spent six days in December, 1919, with team and wagon 

in the Crucero-Cronise region, and during that time visited most of 

the wells in the region. The field work was aided materially by a map 

of the region furnished by Mr. H. D. Bradley, of Riverside, Calif. 

This map, which was based largely on surveys by Mr. Bradley, shows 

the principal features of the region, some of which have not been 

shown on previous maps. The writer wishes to express his obligation 

to Mr. Elmo Proctor, who guided him to the principal localities and 

gave much information.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

From Field station eastward for about 15 miles Mohave River 

flows in a deep canyon known as Cave Canyon. At Baxter the canyon ends and the river emerges onto a plain that slopes eastward and 

northeastward. This plain is an alluvial fan built by the river, 

which lost its carrying power when it passed from the confines of the 

canyon. From time to time the river has wandered from one side 

to another of the fan, gradually building up different parts of it. In 

the last few years at least the flood waters have mostly flowed northeastward across the slope, probably because the southern part of the 

fan, along the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, is now a little 

higher than the northern part. It is not certain whether the present

u The 1927 Postal Guide shows that a post office has been established at Orucero.
MOHAVE KIVER BASIN 515 i

course is due to the natural slope of the land or to a dike built on the 

south side of the river northeast of Baxter. Available altitudes, however, show that the slope to the east along the Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake Railroad is about the same as that to the northeast, and if 

dikes had not been built to protect the railroad the river might readily 

change its course more to the south.

The alluvial plain east and northeast of Baxter constitutes the main 

part of Crucero Valley. It has an average width of about 4 miles 

and extends almost due east for 10 to 12 miles to Soda Lake. Certain 

features of the plain and of the hills and mountains that border it 

deserve brief description. These features may be best understood by 

reference to Plates 28 and 29. The photograph in Plate 29, J., waa 

taken from hills south of Mesquite Spring, in the SW. % sec- 25, 

T. 11 N., R. 7 E., looking west, north, and northeast. The photograph in Plate 29, B, was taken from a ridge on the north side of 

the valley approximately in the N. % SE. % sec. 28, T. 12 N., E. 

7 E., looking east, south, and west.

SOUTHERN BOEDER OF THE VALLEY

From Baxter the southern border of the plain trends slightly south 

of east. It is marked by a line of hills that is almost continuous from 

Baxter to the area near the west line of sec. 22, T. 11 N., R. 7 E. 

(See pi. 29, B.) These hills were seen only from a distance. A prominent hill in sec. 20 or 21 appears to be composed of dark intrusive 

rocks. The other hills present a partly developed badland type of 

topography and appear to be composed of Tertiary and Quaternary 

alluvium. The eastern part of these hills slopes to the north, with an 

escarpment on the southeast and south. From the base of this escarpment an alluvial slope rises southward for several miles to the Cady 

Mountains. The hills have the appearance of being a part of the 

alluvial slope that has been slightly uplifted.

For a distance of a mile or two west of Mesquite Spring there is a 

break in the hills. The alluvial slope from the Cady Mountains 

extends with nearly uniform grade to the floor of the valley, but there 

is a slight northward-facing scarp that is nearly continuous with the 

higher southward-facing scarp farther west. This scarp extends to 

low hills that lie a short distance southwest of Mesquite Spring, 

which appears to have an origin similar to those farther west. (See 

left foreground of pi. 29, A.) Unfortunately on his trip to Mesquite 

Spring the writer was so pressed for time that he did not have an 

opportunity to determine the nature of the hills. They are said to 

consist of unconsolidated alluvium.

From Mesquite Spring a line of hiMs, known as the Mesquite Hills, 

extends eastward for about 4 miles. These hills, in contrast to those 

just described, are composed of granite. A peculiar feature is a more
516 THE MOHAVB DflSBRT BBCHON, CALIFORNIA i

or less continuous bench a few yards north of the base of the Mesquite 

Hills that has a northward-facing escarpment, in places 25 feet high. 

The surface of the bench is strewn with semiangular boulders, the 

largest as much as 6 inches in diameter. Besides the granite of the 

near-by hills the boulders include vesicular basalt and rhyolite, which 

must have come from distant hills. In some respects the bench 

looked like a wave-cut platform. However, the aHnement of the 

scarp in approximate continuation with the scarps farther west 

suggests that the scarp may be a fault line. Certainly the almost 

continuous line of hills from Baxter to the east end of the Mesquite 

Hills is very suggestive of a fault. Unfortunately there was no 

opportunity to look for criteria that would disprove or confirm the 

existence of such a fault.

About half a mile southeast of Crucero rise high hills, known as the 

Crueero Hills, which are composed of the same granite as the Mesquite 

Hills. The Crucero Hills are connected with the east end of the 

Mesquite Hills by a low alluvial ridge. This ridge has a gradual slope 

to the west, but on the east the slope is steeper and the lowland beyond 

it is considerably lower.

South of the hills described above, which extend from Baxter to the 

east end of the Mesquite Hills, typical long alluvial slopes rise for 

several miles to the Cady Mountains and the mountains that lie 

east of them. The drainage of these slopes flows in a general northerly 

direction to the south side of the hills described, whence it is deflected 

along the back of the hills until it reaches a break through which it 

can enter the lower part of the valley. Thus a large part of it passes 

through the break west of Mesquite Spring or at the east end of the 

Mesquite Hills. About a mile east of Mesquite Spring a canyon cuts 

entirely through the Mesquite Hills. A peculiar feature is the course 

followed by the drainage that passes through the break in the hills 

west of Mesquite Spring. Instead of going northeast toward 

Crucero it goes almost directly east, parallel to the Mesquite Hills, to 

a clay flat in the N. y% sec. 30, T. 11 N., R. 8 E., whence it turns north 

on the west side of the Crucero Hills. The divide that prevents it 

from going directly to Crucero is imperceptible. The fact that the 

wash is parallel to the Mesquite Hills suggests that its course may 

have been determined by faulting if there has been faulting along the 

hills, but it is more likely that deposition by Mohave River on the 

south side of its fan has blocked the drainage and gradually pushed 

it toward the Mesquite Hills.

The Cady Mountains and the mountains east of them rise to altitudes of 4,000 to 5,000 feet and form an almost continuous mountain 

border on the south side of the drainage basin. However, there is a 

complete break in them due south of Mesquite Spring, where the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad goes through a narrow pass to the Broad-
U. S. GEOLOGICAL BUBVXT 

R.S E.

WATER-SUPPLY PAPER £78 PLAT! 98

Flowing well

(A/umber refers to table in

Nonflowing well

(/lumber refers to table in text)

Principal drainage divides

Playa or dry lake

SODA LAKE]

I / I .A\\\VI'»"/i

v-=a;>... Valley '"^

v^Mesquite Hills v

Wash

(Watercourse thai is 

usually dry)

Compiled from field data by David G.Thornpson, 

a map of Crucero and Cronise Valleys by H.O.Bradley, 

township plats of the General Land Office.railroad 

surveys, and other sources 10 Miles

MAP OF PARTS OF CRONISE, CRUCERO, SODA LAKE, AND SILVER LAKE VALLEYS SHOWING PHYSICAL

FEATURES AND LOCATION OF SPRINGS AND WELLS

TJ. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 678 PLATE 29

A. PANORAMIC VIEW OF CRUCERO VALLEY FROM HILLS AT MESQUITE SPRING, IN SEC. 25, T. 11 N., R. 7 E.

Looking west and northwest and northeast and east

O

S

13

Oe:

I 

u

I

O

L. PANORAMIC VIEW OF CRUCERO VALLEY FROM HILLS IN SEC. 28, T. 12 N., R. 7 E. 

Looking east, southeast, south, southwest, and west

XJ. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 30

A. WAVE-CUT CLIFF AND STRAND LINES IN THE SW. M SEC. 20, T. 12 N. 

R. 7 E. SAN BERNARDINO MERIDIAN, EAST CRONISE VALLEY

.B. THE MYSTIC MAZE, AN ANCIENT INDIAN CEREMONIAL GROUND 14 MILES 

SOUTHEAST OF NEEDLES

MOHAVE BIYUa BASIN 517

well Basin. (See pi. 29, B.) Although the pass is not more than 

half a mile wide it seems to be filled with alluvium to a depth of 

more than 100 feet, which forms a low divide between the two 

basins. (See p. .657.)

The Cady Mountains, where they were observed at the pass southward to Broadwell Valley and also near Baxter, are composed of 

intrusive or metamorphic rocks. The writer is informed by Elmo 

Proctor that between 5 and 10 miles southwest of Crucero there is ft 

belt of faulted and folded sedimentary rocks. Still farther southwest 

he reports a volcanic crater and thick lava flow underlain by old 

sedimentary rocks. He also reports that limestone occurs several 

miles southeast of Crucero, but the exact location is not known.

WESTERN AND NORTHERN BORDERS OF THE VALLEY

The west side of Crucero Valley, north and northwest of Baxter, 

is bordered by the Cave or Afton Mountains, which rise steeply from 

the valley floor and culminate in Cave Mountain. (See pi. 29, A, B,) 

Because of its steepness this mountain appears to be a fault mountain. 

It has almost no alluvial slope on its east side. At the south end of 

the range near Baxter occur greatly contorted metamorphic rocks, 

including the marble quarried at Baxter At the extreme northeast 

end, in a quarry at a dam in sec. 30, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., the rocks are 

granite. The mountain appears to be composed wholly of mtrusive 

or metamorphic rocks.

On the north the western part of Crucero Valley is bordered by a 

long rocky ridge. Farther east, in the southeastern part of T. 12 N., 

R. 7 E., and the southwestern part of T. 12 N., R. 8 E., stands a low 

but prominent mountain, known as Red Mountain. (See pi. 29, A.) 

From Red Mountain the valley border bends northeastward and is 

formed by low hills that reach the Soda Lake Mountains in the northeast part of T. 12 N., R. 8 E.

The ridge west of Red Mountain reaches almost to the northeast 

end of Cave Mountain, but it is broken at its west end by two passes 

in the SW. % and SE. ^ sec. 30, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., separated by a 

low knob. The alluvial plain that slopes gradually northward from 

Baxter continues through the passes into Cronise Valley on the north. 

The ridge is almost broken at a third place, in the SW. M s®c- 28> 

T. 12 N., R. 7 E., but there is nevertheless a distinct divide. The 

west end of the ridge, in sec. 29, is composed of granitic rocks. Farther east, in sec. 28, it is composed of a series of stratified rocks, 

probably of Tertiary age, which are mostly of volcanic origin, though 

some beds may be sedimentary. The beds in the main ridge dip 

toward the north at low angles, but in low hills south of it they ar* 

nearly vertical. The ridge is steep on the south side but more gentle 

S6S1 29 34
518 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

on the north. Its topographic aspect suggests a fault that trends 

nearly due east.

Red Mountain was not visited, but it appears to be composed of 

Tertiary volcanic rocks, as do the low hills east and northeast of it. 

The northeast end of the Soda Lake Mountains is composed largely 

of volcanic rocks, but south of Soda station, in sec. 11, the volcanic 

rocks are underlain by granite. A limestone hill several hundred feet 

in diameter lies between the main mass of the mountains and Soda 

Dry Lake at Soda station.

CBTTCEBO PLAIN

The Crucero Plain slopes eastward and northeastward from Baxter 

to Soda Lake. The grade of the plain from Baxter to Crucero is about 

30 feet to the mile, but east of Crucero to the lowest part, about midway between Epsom and Balch sidings, the average grade is only 

about half as much. From Baxter northeastward to the pass to 

Gronise Valley, in the SE. 3^ sec. 30, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., the grade is 

about 25 or 30 feet to the mile. West of Baxter, in Cave Canyon, 

the grade of the river is somewhat greater and probably averages 

between 40 and 50 feet to the mile. As a result of the change from the 

confined channel with a steeper slope to the open plain with a more 

gentle slope the flood water from the river deposits much of its load. 

In so doing the river fills its old channels and seeks new ones. Several 

distributaries lead northeastward from Baxter. These channels are 

likely to change with each flood, but on Plate 29, B, they are shown in 

a general way as they existed in 1919. Some of the channels lead 

almost directly northward from Baxter to the two passes into Cronise 

Valley, and in recent years some of the river floods have gone into that 

valley. So far as could be ascertained, only a part of the flood waters, 

however, have gone into Cronise Valley, a large part flowing more 

northeastward. There is also evidence that at some time in the past 

the discharge into the valley has been sufficient to produce a lake of 

considerable size,

Between 1912 and 1919 a dam was erected across the westernmost 

pass to store some of the flood water for irrigation in Cronise Valley. 

(See p. 541.) Smaller dams were erected to prevent the floods from 

reaching Cronise Valley through the eastern pass. At the time of 

the writer's visit in December, 1919, the distribution of the channels, 

as shown in Plate 29, B, indicated that a large part of the most recent 

floods had moved northward to the dams and had then been deflected 

eastward.

From about the SW. % sec. 34, T. 12 N., R. 7 W., as far east as 

sec. 5, T. 12 N., R. 8 W., the river floods seem to be concentrated in 

a relatively narrow area near the base of Red Mountain. East of 

this area, however, the waters spread out, and along the Tonopah &
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 519

Tidewater Railroad it has been necessary to 'construct culverts at 

several places to take care of the floods.

The alluvium of the Crucero Plain as a whole is fine. Even near 

Baxter, where Mohave River emerges from Cave Canyon, pebbles 

larger than 2 or 3 inches in diameter are not common. Farther east 

the deposits in channels of the river contained only small patches of 

gravel, and near Crucero there is much silt and sand.

The only reliable well log, for well 30, in the NE. M sec. 18, T. 11 

N., R. 8 E., shows that near Crucero at least the fine deposits continue 

to a depth of 150 feet or more. In this depth only 2 feet of gravel 

was struck, between 108 and 110 feet. The log is given below. It 

is notable that below a depth of 58 feet the deposits are mostly blue 

and that clay is abundant. Blue color in sand and clay generally 

indicates deposition in a perennial body of water such as a lake. 

Probably these beds were deposited in the ancient Lake Mohave, 

which covered the Soda Lake and Silver Lake playas in the Pleistocene epoch. (See pp. 563-568.)

Log of well SO, NE. % sec. 18, T. 11 N., R. 8 E. San Bernardino meridian 

[L. B. Joralmon, owner. Log furnished by Elmo Proctor]

Clay.... . . . _ 

Sand _________________________________________

Clay

Sand _______________________________________

Quicksand. ___________________________________

Blue clay.. _______________________________ . __

Sand _______________________________________ ....

Blue clay... _______________ . _________ . ____ . __ ..

Sand...... ................. _ ... _ .......... __ . ____________ ....

Sand _ . __ . ______ . ____ 1 ___ . ___________________

Coarse sand; casing perforated. __ __ ___ _______ 

Blue clay. .. _____________________________________

Sand __ _ .... ____ ............. _ . _ .

Clay............................................................................

Sand ___ -. ____________________________________

Clay _ ...... _________________________________ . ...

Sand.... .. _ . _ . ____ .... _ ........ ____ . ___ . __ . ___ . _ . ...

Clay........ _ . . 

Thickness 

(feet)

9

7

9

2

1

4

3

23

5

2

5

1

6

3

3

4

8

13

2

1

3

2

2

1

6

2

7

3

5

2

4

6

Depth 

(feet)

9

16

25

27

28

32

35

58

63

65

70

71

77

80

83

87

95

108

.110

111

114

116

118

119

125

127

134

137

142

144

148

154

Well eventually sanded up to 128 feet.

sons

The most striking feature of the soil of Crucero Valley is its sandiness. In the lower part of the valley, a little east of the line between 

Rs. 7 and 8 E., sand dunes are abundant. Farther west in the valley, 

although dunes are not common, wagon trails are quickly filled with
520 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

sand, and the surface* soil is rather sandy. As a whole, the soil of 

most of the valley seems more sandy and loose than that in any other 

valley in the Mohave Desert region in which there has been any 

earnest attempt to develop the land.

The sandiness of the soil seems to be due largely to the fact that a 

more or less continual supply of relatively fine material is poured out 

on the plain by occasional floods from Mohave River. For most of 

its length below the headwater region Mohave River flows across 

unconsolidated sediments. At only a very few short stretches are 

conditions favorable for boulders to be picked up by the stream. 

Even Cave Canyon, just above Baxter, is cut largely through lake 

beds and other alluvium in which there is much sand. Whatever 

coarse material the stream has carried is deposited shortly after it 

emerges from Cave Canyon onto the Crucero Plain, where the force 

of the flood is diminished because of diminished gradient and because 

the stream can spread out. The finer material is deposited farther 

out on the plain. In dry seasons this fine material is subject to 

further movement by the winds.

In the northwestern part of the valley, in sees. 32 and 33, T. 12 

N., R. 7 E., and the parts of sees. 28 and 29 that lie in Crucero Valley, 

a special type of soil was observed which was quite distinct from the 

usual type of desert soil. It was composed largely of very fine sand 

and silt. A mechanical analysis of a sample from the J. M. Baber 

ranch, in the SW. M sec. 28, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., showed that a little 

more than 30 per cent of it was less than 0.05 millimeter in diameter, 

and 64 per cent of it was between 0.125 and 0.05 millimeter in diameter. The soil contained a large quantity of .small flakes of mica and 

also many small bits of organic matter, which is generally absent in 

desert soils. This soil seems to have been deposited hi a relatively 

recent flood of Mohave River. The concentration of the greater 

percentage of the material between definite limits, as just mentioned, 

is .a characteristic feature of soils deposited by streams. This soil 

was very powdery and created much dust when stirred up, perhaps 

owing to the abundant particles of mica, which float in the air. 

This soil undoubtedly would require much water in irrigation. It 

had a very thin crust on top, but this was easily broken and the soil 

would probably not bake sufficiently to cause difficulty in tilling 

crops.

A soil somewhat similar to that at the Baber ranch was found at 

the Proctor ranch, in the NW. M sec. 7, T. 11 N., R. 8 E. At that 

place, however, the fine silty soil was overlain by about 2 feet of a 

coarser sandy soil. It is uncertain whether the fine soil at the Proctor 

ranch was deposited by the same flood that deposited the fine soil 

at the Baber ranch or whether it came from an earlier flood.

Chemical analyses were made of the water-soluble materials in the 

sample of soil at the Baber ranch and of two samples from the Praetor
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 521

ranch. The water-soluble constituents in the sample from the Baber 

ranch made up 0.28^ per cent of the total sample. A sample of the 

surface soil at the Proctor ranch contained 0.17 per cent of'watersoluble constituents, but another sample, obtained by scraping down ' 

the side of a 2-foot hole, contained only 0.04 per cent of water-soluble 

constituents. The percentages of water-soluble constituents in the 

soil from the Baber ranch and the surface soil from the Proctor ranch 

are higher than in samples from similar topographic situations in other 

parts of the desert. The reason for this difference is not clear, for the 

soil seems too well drained and the water table is so far below the 

surface that the soluble material should not be left by evaporation. 

The quantity of soluble matter in the soil at the Baber ranch may be 

sufficient to cause trouble with crops, but it is likely that no trouble 

will be experienced at the Proctor ranch.

VEGETATION

' * V

Creosote bush is the characteristic plant of a large part of Crucero 

Valley. It was observed in the valley in more varied surroundings 

than in other parts of the desert, where it occupies principally the 

gravely alluvial slopes in which the water table is so far below the 

surface that mesquite will not grow. It is most common on the 

plain between Baxter and Crucero but grows east of Crucero, among 

patches of mesquite, where the depth to water is only 10 or 12 feet. 

Large and thrifty individual plants were observed on low sand dunes 

at the northeast end of the Crucero Hills. Large individual plants 

were also seen in one of the recent flood channels of Mohave River 

in sec. 3 or 4, T. 11 N., R. 7 E.

 Mesquite is common in the lower part of the valley, where the 

depth to water is not more than 15 or possibly 20 feet. In general it 

is not common west of the line between Rs. 7 and 8 E., but on the 

north side of the valley, near the channel of Mohave River, a few 

scattered patches were seen as far west as sec. 33, T. 12 N., R. 7 E. 

The mesquite generally is of the crawling type and grows on dunes, 

which in some places are 15 or 20 feet high. Its distribution is well 

shown in the right of Plate 29, A, on which the large black patches 

are mesquite and the much smaller and lighter spots are mostly 

creosote bush.

The desert willow, ChUopsis saligna, grows abundantly in some 

stretches of the channel of Mohave River between Baxter and Soda 

Lake. It was more common there than in any other locality that 

the writer visited in the Mohave Desert region. The desert willow 

is not a true willow, although closely resembling one. In Crucero 

Valley it grows where the depth to ground water is not more than 25 

or 30 feet, but as it seemed to be confined to river channels the species 

probably does not depend on the ground water but draws most of
522 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

its supply from the occasional floods, which are sufficient to moisten 

the soil to a considerable depth.

Salt grass, DisticMis spicata, was observed only in small patches 

around Mesquite Spring and at two or three places around the border 

of Soda Lake. Soda Lake was seen close at hand only at Soda station, 

where the salt grass area is not very wide.

Hilaria rigida, a grass locally known as galleta grass, grows in 

the lower part of the valley around Crucero. Two other species, 

not noticed elsewhere in the Mohave Desert region, Petcdonyx thurberi, 

locally called honeybush, and Groton californicum, locally called dove 

cover, are common between Crucero and Cronise Valleys.

CLIMATE

No climatic records are available for Crucero Valley. The valley 

lies from about 925 to 1,225 feet above sea level and is thus lower 

than most of the Mohave Desert region. The mountains that border 

it on the west probably do not rise more than 2,000 to 3,000 feet 

above sea level. There is hardly any barrier between the Lower 

Mohave Valley and Crucero Valley, so that the rain-bearing winds 

from the west can descend to lower and lower levels as they pass 

over Crucero Valley with a resultant lessening tendency- toward 

precipitation. As a result it is probable that the rainfall is even less 

here than at Daggett or Barstow. The topographic situation is somewhat comparable to that of Bagdad, and very likely the precipitation is no greater than at that place, where it averages about 3 inches 

annually.

Because of its low altitude and somewhat sheltered position the 

temperature of the valley is probably a few degrees higher than that 

in the valleys that lie at higher altitudes. There is much wind-blown 

sand in most parts of the valley, but it is uncertain whether this is 

due to stronger winds than in most other parts of the Mohave Desert 

region or to more favorable features of soil supply.

SURFACE WATES

Mohave River is the only source of surface water in the area. 

The only large discharge comes when heavy floods descend the river 

from the headwater region. At such times the discharge is said to 

reach at least several thousand cubic feet a second and flood waters 

pour onto Soda Lake playa. (See p. 494.) Mr. Elmo Proctor informed 

the writer that the river flooded the lower part of Cronise Valley in 

the spring of 1920. There was another flood in September, 1921, 

which lasted several days, and the water reached both Soda Dry 

Lake and East Cronise Dry Lake. About December 23, 1921, a 

third large flood came, and the flow continued until about May 15, 

' 1922. This flood covered East Cronise, Soda, and Silver Dry Lakes.
MOHAVE EIVEB BASIN 523

No 'information is available as to whether there is any flow in the 

river in the drier years. On December 3, 1919, water was standing 

behind the dam of the Valley Cultivating Co. in the SE. }£ sec. 30, 

T. 12 N., R. 7 E., and a small stream was flowing into the partly completed reservoir. The year had been unusually dry, and there had 

been no flow from the upper part of the drainage basin. The stream 

apparently came from the underflow from the higher parts of the basin.

GROUND WATER 

DEPTH TO WATEB

Information was obtained in regard to about 30 wells in Crucero 

Valley. The location of these wells is shown on Plate 28, and the 

principal data in regard to them are given in the accompanying 

table (Nos. 10 to 33 and 41 to 45). At the time of the field investigation there was only one rancher in the valley, and it was impossible 

to get definite information other than the total depth and depth to 

water in some of the wells.

In. all the wells for which data were obtained the depth to water 

was less than 45 feet. The greatest depth to water was 41.9 feet, 

in the Skelton Well (No. 13), in the NW. % sec. 11, T. 11 N., R. 7 E. 

In wells 14 and 15, near King station, about three-quarters of a mile 

southeast of well 13, the depth was about 10 feet less. In wells 

41 to 45, in sees. 28, 29, 32, and 33, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., the depth to 

water was 31 to 37 feet. Farther east, around Crucero, the depth to 

water is considerably less. Within a radius of 1 % miles from Crucero 

the depth ranges from 3 feet in well 30 to 13.9 feet in well 27. It is 

less than 10 feet in five wells. At Rasor (well 12) the depth to water 

is about 12 feet. At Soda station two wells (Nos. 10 and 11) flow 

at the surface.

Altitudes are available for points along the Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake Railroad and the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad and at the dam 

of the Valley Cultivating Co. in sec. 30, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., and from 

these altitudes the approximate grade of the water table may be 

determined. Between Crucero and King stations the grade of the 

surface is about 30 feet to the mile, but the grade of the water table 

is only between 15 and 20 feet to the mile. Accordingly the depth 

to water increases about 10 or 15 feet to the mile from Crucero westward. No well data are available for the area west of King, but if 

the grade of the water table is the same farther west, the depth to 

water near Baxter is probably about 100 feet. East of Crucero. the 

grade of the water table is less than 10 feet to the mile, or less than 

it is farther west. From Crucero northward to Rasor it is about 

10 or 12 feet to the mile.
Records of wetts in Silver Lake, Soda Lake, Cruoero, and 

No. 

on 

pi. 28

1 

2

3 

4

5 

6

7 

8

9 

10

11 

12

13 

14 

' 15 

16

17

18 

19 

20

Location

Quarter

NE... 

NE?.-

NW.. 

NE...

(?)

WK~

SB?...

SW-..

NW._. 

SE.... 

NE 

NW...

NE 

NE... 

SW... 

NW...

Sec.

22 

22

13 

14

30 

36

1 

1

1 

11

11 

27

11 

11

14 

' 14

14

24 

6

7

T.

N.

15 

15

14 

14

14 

14

13 

14?

13 

12

12 

12

11 

11 

11 

11

11

11 

11 

11

R. 

E.

S 

8

8 

8

9? 

8

8 

9

8 

8

8 

8

7 

7 

7 

7

7

7 

8 

8

Owner or name

Q. Brauer. _ .

Tonopah & Tidewater R. R.

R.Y.Williams-,.

J. D. Heitshusen _ 

F. Rickerhouse .

O. Pochmeyer. .....

Tonopah & Tidewater R. R.

E. I. Cook ...... 

J. J. Berray- ....... 

 Massen . _

B. F. Caldwell 

W. T. Toner

Type of 

well

Dug

...do.....

 do 

Drilled..

Dug. .... 

...do 

Drffled-. 

 do 

, do

... do 

 do 

Dug. ....

Drilled.. 

 do 

...doDug and 

drilled 

Driven.. 

Drilled.. 

 do. _

Depth 

of well 

(feet)-

64

(?)

32.8 

289

44 

36.5

385 

450

400 

103

39 

14.8

* 143.2* 

'99 

(?)

12 

81

74

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

48 by 48 

(?)

48 by 48 

12

48 by 48

6

7

8 

10

S

88 by 88 

and 10

7

Depth 

to

water 

(feet)«

f 61 

1 69.6 

(?)

31.4 

32

40.6 

34.7

40

21 

Flows.

Flows. 

9.6

Ml. 9 

132.4 

»32.7

»28.6

11 

11

Date of 

measurement

Sept. 9,1917 

Jan. 21,1918

Oct. 23,1917

Oct. 23,1917 

Sept. 9,1917

Sept. 9,1917 

and Dec. 7, 

1919.

Sept. 9,1917 

Dec. 7, 1919 

Dec. 7, 1919

Dec. 27,1919 

Dec. 15,1919 

Dec. 15,1919

Dec. 27,1919

Dee. 7, 1919
21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

30-a

31

33

33

34

35

36

37

NW~_

NE ...

8E __

NWSB....

sw 

sw...

sw...

NE?..

NE 

NE?..

NE 

NW...

NE?._

SW...

NE...

8E 

7

7

7

9

8

8

9

10

17?

18

18

18?

19

29?

17

17

19

20

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

11

12

12

12

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

8

9

7

7

7

__ .do _ ..........

Mrs. Ora Weishaupt.

L. B. Joralmon....

Ida M. Gue. 

D. L. Young .......

P. B. Sterratt

 Craig. 

C. C. Klingerman.

Mohave United

Mining & Milling Co.

L. B. Joralmon .....

Mrs. L. B. Brooks.

A. J. IngaUs........

Laura B. Weichert.

Lousiana Well 

Mohave United'

mining & Milling Co.

Los Angeles & Salt

Lake B. B.

J. Waltan . ...

B. Hendry. 

H. D.Bradley .....

...do.....

...do 

...do. _

...doDug. ....

Drilled..

do 

 do. .

Dug ...

Drilled..

 do 

...do ..

Drilled..

Dug. .

Drilled-.

 do.....

 do 

... do 

23

81

150

74

13

87

104

276

154

80

91

86

12.6

212

150

23

82

C

8

fi

8

48 by 48

7

8

7

48 by 48

8

7

8

8

48 by 48

13^

12

12

m

 Wells for which a date of measurement and reference point are given were measured by the writer, except 

point is given, the data were reported by the driller or other person.

* Measured by Elmo Proctor.

8.9 

10.5

5.3 

12,4

11.0

fi ?,

13.9

A

10.fi

3.0

13

12,5

10,1

fiS

m

15,4

20.4

Dee. 7, 1919 

Dec. 7, 1919

Dec. 6, 1919 

Dec. 6, 1919

Dec. 6, 1919

Dec. 6,*1919

Dec. 6, 1919

Dec. 6, 1919

Dec. 7, 1919

Dec. 2, 1919

Dec. 6, 1919

T)fir> 4 1Q1Q

.....do. ..
Records of wells in Silver Lake, Soda Lake, Crucero, and Cronis

No. 

on 

pi. 28

38 

39

40 

41 

42

43

44 

45 

46

Location

Quarter

BE.... 

SW_._

NW... 

SW...

SB?.,.

NW 

NW 

SW... 

SE 

Sec.

20 

20

30 

29 

29

32 

33

28 

IS

T.

N.

12 

12

12 

12 

12

12 

12 

12 

11

R. 

E.

7 

7

7 

7 

7

7 

7 

7 

6

Owner or name

H. D. Bradley __ ~

George T. Roberts.

L. Holibaugh ...... 

H. Markt..........

-. do.............:

 ..do..............

C. B. Baber... ....

Afton well, Los 

Angeles & Salt 

R. R.

Type of 

well

Drilled..

... do.....

... do..... 

 do.....

DugDrilled.. 

...do..... 

... do.. 

 do -

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

85.5 

133.7

25 

44 

36

70 

134 

429

Diameter 

of well 

(inches)

12 

12

5

8 

6 

12

13J& n%

and 9%

Depth 

to 

water 

(feet)

21.3 

22.0

14 

35 

34.5

35.6 

37 

31.1 

17

Date of 

measurement

Dec. 5, 1919 

.....do........

Dec. 3, 1919

.....do........ 

..... do........

Dec. 5, 1919 

Aug. 1904 «

' Date of drilling of well.
MOHAVE RIVER BASIN 527

In several wells the water is under a slight head. When the 

Klingerman well, in the SW. Y± sec. 10, T. 11 N., R. 8 E., was first 

drilled the water is said to have flowed a little at the surface, but it 

later dropped to 6 feet below the surface. In drilling this well the 

first water was struck at 8 feet. This well is 276 feet deep, the deepest well in the valley. It is cased to a depth of only 146 feet, and 

the lower part of the well is said to be entirely in clay. The principal 

water-bearing bed was struck at 119 feet.

In drilling the Joralmon well, in the NE. % sec. 18, T. 11 N., R. 

8 E., the first water was struck at 6 feet, but in December, 1919, 

it was only 3 feet from the surface. In another well in the SE. 24 

sec. 7, the depth to water was only 5 feet, and in the Sterrett well, 

in the SW. 24 sec. 8, it was about the same. The water level in these 

wells is from 5 to 8 feet higher than in other wells, and the differences 

may be due to surface irregularities.

ARTESIAN CONDITIONS

The geologic conditions appear to be favorable for the occurrence 

of water under pressure in deep wells around Crucero and farther east. 

In the Ingalls well (No. 31), in sec. 18, T. 11 N., R. 8 E., blue clay 

was encountered from a depth of 46 feet to 79 feet, and in the Joralmon well (No. 30), in the same section, blue clay was struck between 

58 and 63 feet and at several other horizons below that. These 

beds doubtless are relatively impervious and act as covers beneath 

which the water is held under pressure. These clay beds were apparently deposited in a lake which hardly could have extended much 

west of Crucero. The most favorable area for water under pressure 

is east and north of that place. The water table west of Crucero 

rises so gradually, however, that the artesian pressure can not anywhere be very great.

YIELD OP WELLS

The yields of wells in Crucero Valley is not large. A well of L. B. 

Joralmon (No. 23) is reported to yield 225 gallons a minute (25 

miner's inches). No other wells are known to yield as much as 200 

gallons a minute, but several are reported to yield between 100 and 

200 gallons a minute. The small yield of the wells appears to be 

due to the general absence of gravel beds. The log of another L. B. 

Joralmon well (No. 30) shows only 2 feet of gravel in a total depth of 

154 feet. This well yielded 180 gallons a minute. In the Ingalls 

well (No. 31) a mixture of sand, gravel, and clay was penetrated 

from 26 to 45 feet and water-bearing gravel from 80 to 90 feet. 

Perhaps the small yields are due in part to the small diameter of the 

wells, for none in the vicinity of Crucero are more than 8 inches in 

diameter.
528 THE MOHAVB DBSBET BBGION, CALIFOENIA

FLUCTUATIONS OP THE WATBB TABLE

There is evidence that the water table fluctuates from year to year, 

owing to variations in the recharge of the ground-water reservoir and 

discharge from it. On December 7, 1919, the depth to water in the 

domestic well of Elmo Proctor (No. 21) was 8.9 feet. Mr. Proctor 

writes that in August, 1921, the depth to water was 10 feet. After 

heavy floods in the winter and spring of 1922 the water table rose 

until on December 19, 1922, it was only 6.8 feet below the surface. 

The rise occurred throughout the valley. In the lower part of the 

valley it was sufficient to result in the appearance of alkali salts 

at the surface. In a series of dry years these spots will doubtless 

disappear, but in wet years some land may be spoiled by them.

There has not been sufficient pumping in the valley to show whether* 

the water table will fluctuate greatly if there is much irrigation. As 

long as the river floods reach the valley the recharge will doubtless 

be sufficient to provide for irrigation of the greater part of the valley. 

If, however, the flood waters are stored in the headwater region and 

used in the Upper Mohave Valley or diverted from the basin, the 

supply for recharge will be greatly decreased and may become 

exhausted.

SPRINGS

Several springs occur on the borders of Crucero Valley. Of these 

the most notable are Mesquite Spring, Epsom Springs, and springs 

at Soda station, on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. In addition 

to these springs, a spring known as Seymour Spring is said to emerge 

several miles southwest of Mesquite Spring, probably in or near sec. 

32, T. 11 N., R. 7 E. Another spring is shown on the original township plat of the General Land Office in the NW. K sec. 35, T. 12 N., 

R. 8 E. Nothing is known in regard to either of these springs.

Mesguite Spring. Mesquite Spring is in the SW. % sec. 25, T. 11 

N., R. 7 E., about 3M miles southwest of Crucero. It emerges at 

the north base of the granitic hills a few yards west of the Tonopah & 

Tidewater Railroad. When visited by the writer in 1919 the spring 

consisted of a boarded pit dug about 6 feet to water, from which a 

trench led about 25 feet to lower ground. There was no flow from 

this trench. On one side granite projected about a foot above the 

water, and the water evidently comes from the rock. A mound of 

silt surrounds the spring. This mound probably has been formed in 

part by the deposition of salts from the water and in part by the 

retention of wind-blown sand and dust by the moisture around the' 

spring. The temperature of the water was 56° F.

As shown by analysis 10 (p. 532), the water is very highly mineralized. It is very bad, if not unfit, for domestic use, and several 

persons have become ill after drinking it. It should not be used
MOHAVE RIVEB BASIN 529

-unless absolutely necessary. It is poor for irrigation and unfit for 

use in boilers because it contains an excessive amount of foaming, anji 

rscale-fonning constituents.

About a third of a mile east of Mesquite Spring is another spring 

:at the north base of the granite hills. The conditions at this spring 

;are similar to those at Mesquite Spring. The water from these 

.-springs probably comes from the drainage south of the Mesquite 

Hills, which act as a barrier to the northward movement of ground 

4 water. The highly mineralized character of the water may per- 

"haps be due to the presence of a small playa south of the hills, where

-salts may be concentrated by evaporation, or it may be that the

-water comes from Broadwell Valley, about 10 miles farther south,

-where the ground water is of very poor quality. (See p. 658.)

Epsom Springs. Epsom Springs are situated southeast of tjbe 

r Crucero Hills, probably in the SW. % sec. 21, T. 11 N., R. 8 E. They

-emerge at the west end of a long arm of Soda Lake that extends 

,-southwest from the main playa. Water comes to the surface at 

(-several places, and there is a slight flow toward the east. The water 

^probably comes from the area west of the Crucero Hills and moves 

ibeneath an alluvial divide that "connects these hills with the Mes-

-quite Hills.

;' The ground around the springs is more or less covered with white 

(Alkali. The water tastes salty but not nearly as salty as might be

-supposed from the abundance of the alkali on the surface. Analysis 

11 (p. 532) shows that this water contains 2,124 parts per million of

r total solids. It is classed as very bad for domestic use and should 

not be used except in an emergency. The water is poor for irrigation and unfit for boiler use. It will be noted that magnesium .is

rpractically absent, so that the name "Epsom Springs" is not jus-

.tified. The name perhaps has arisen from the fact that the water

-contains Glauber's salt, or sodium sulphate, which has the same 

i medicinal effect as Epsom salt.

Springs and wells at Soda station. Several springs and wells are

-situated at Soda station, on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, 

approximately in sec. 11, T. 12 N., R. 8 E. A brief description of

^the geologic and topographic conditions will help in understanding 

the springs.

At Soda station the Soda Lake Mountains lie within a few hundred 

feet of the Soda Lake playa, and they rise very steeply. At the

-northeastern base of the mountains occur volcanic rocks, probably 

of Tertiary age,, and these rocks probably form a large part of the 

mountains. Farther south granitic rocks are exposed in the base 

of the mountain. At Soda station there is a hill of limestone several 

.hundred feet in diameter, which is separated from.the main mountain mass by an alluvium-filled area about 100 yards wide. The
530 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

alluvium probably represents a beach that was formed when a perennial lake covered the area. (See p. 564.)

Two or more springs flow from the east side of the limestone .Mil. 

The water appears to seep directly from the rock about 5 feet above 

the surface of the playa. An abundance of tules and salt grass 

around the base of the hill shows that the seepage occurs over a 

larger area than indicated by the few openings that have been cleared 

out. The largest spring flows into a concrete reservoir about 15 

by 30 feet in area and 5 feet deep. When visited in 1917 a small 

ram pumped water from this reservoir to an elevated tank for 

domestic use, but it had been removed when visited in 1919. The 

flow of the spring is between 25 and 50 gallons a minute. In the 

winter the water flows for some distance out onto the playa. The 

temperature of the largest spring on December 7, 1919, was 75° F. 

The temperature of a smaller spring near by on October 22, 1917, 

was 74°.

Analysis 3 (p. 532) shows the character of a sample of water from 

the large spring. The water is highly mineralized, and sodium 

chloride predominates. It has a distinct salty taste, .but it can he 

used for drinking if necessary. It is poor for irrigation and very bad 

for boilers.

In the alluvium-filled area between the limestone hill and the 

main mountain two ditches have been dug about 10 feet deep. In 

1917 about 20 gallons a minute flowed from these ditches. The 

water comes entirely from gravel, and there is no evidence of bedrock. The flows appear to originate about 5 feet above the playa 

surface. The water is of about the same quality as that from the 

springs described above.

On the south side of the limestone hill there are three drilled 

flowing wells. The well nearest the hill measured 103 feet deep. 

The greatest quantity of water comes to the surface about 20 feet 

southwest of this well. At this place no casing was seen, but a well 

is said to have been drilled on the spot. The flow of these two wells 

was estimated to be about 150 gallons a minute. The third well is 

about 300 feet farther south and is 39 feet deep. The water in this 

well barely seeps over the top of the casing. On December 7, 1919, 

the temperature of the water from the second hole was 78J^° F. 

In the well with the least flow it was 73^°. Analysis 4 (p. 532) 

shows that the water from the strongest well (No. 10) is essentially 

similar to the water in the big spring on the east side of the limestone hill, although a little less mineralized.

In one of these three wells, probably the 103-foot well, bedrock 

(limestone) was struck at a depth of 15 feet and artesian water was 

struck at 25 feet. Thus in both the well an3 the spring on the east 

side of the hill the water seems to come directly from the rock. This
MOHAVE EIVEB BASIN 581

raises a question as to its source. The water from both the spring 

and the well is relatively low in calcium or magnesium that is, it 

is not a typical limestone water. This fact suggests that the water 

has not traveled very far through the limestone, perhaps because 

the limestone does not cover a great area. On the other hand, the 

water is high in sodium chloride, which is a characteristic of water 

near playas. Probably the water has its original source in the 

alluvium. The fact that it flows out of the rock and rises above the 

surface of the playa may be explained by the clay beds of the playa 

acting as an impervious cover if the water has access to the fractured 

limestone from a more porous gravel or sand bed beneath the clay. 

On the other hand, the temperature of the water from the springs 

and wells, which ranges from 73^° to 78^°,. suggests that the water 

may come from a deeper source. These temperatures are fully 10° 

above the probable mean annual temperature of the region.

Other springs. At times, particularly in the cool months, water 

comes to the surface at a number of places in Soda Lake playa and 

stands or flows. The quality of this water changes with the wet 

and dry seasons. Undoubtedly at be,st it is fullyas .highly mineralized as the samples from Epsom Springs or the springs and wells at 

Soda Lake. In the drier seasons/after there has been much evaporation, it becomes a highly concentrated brine. Samples of brine collected from the playa by H. S. Gale contained 381.49 and 382.47 grams 

per liter (equivalent to more than 300,000 parts per million) of total 

solids.62 A sample of water collected from the playa by Loew 68 

contained 2,826. parts per million pf total solids. It is possible, that 

Loew's sample was collected from a spring on the border of the 

playa, as at Soda station, and not on the playa, where it is likely 

to be more concentrated. The brines collected by Gale contained 

only about 0.01 gram per liter of potash, which is equivalent to 

0.002 per cent of the anhydrous residue. Obviously there is little 

potash in the brines. The brines contain considerable boron.

QUALITY OF WATEE

 Samples from several wells and springs were analyzed in the 

Geological Survey, and the results are given in the table below. 

These analyses show considerable differences both in the quantity 

and in the character of the dissolved mineral matter in the water 

in different parts of the valley. The total dissolved solids range 

from 371 to 3,129 parts per million. Some of the samples are very 

bad if not unfit for domestic use.

« Phalen, W. O., Salt resources of the United States: TJ. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 669, p. Ifc8,1919.

* Loew, Oscar, Report on the alkaline lakes, thermal springs, mineral springs, and brackish waters of 

southern California and adjacent country: U. S. Geog. Surveys W. 100th Mer. Ann. Rept. for 1876, p. 196, 

1876.
532 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

Analyses of ground waters in Soda Lake and Silver Lake Valleys, C0i#., including

Crucero VaUey

[Parts per million]

Silica (SiOs) ___ __ .

' Iron (Fe) . .. ....

Magnesium (Mg)._ ...

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) ........

Sutonate radicle (8Oi).._ ........

Chloride radicle (Cl)._. ................

Nittate radicle (NO»)......__..._._.._._

Borate radicle (BO3)..__. .. __ . ....

Total dissolved solids at 180° C.. .......

Total hardness as CaCO» (calculated)..

Silica (SiOj) ................. .........

IraB(Fe) - - .- - 

^MagnfsfH (Mg)

Sodium and potassium (Na+K)-- .

Carbonate radicle (COi)._. .............

Chloride radicle (Cl)..............._.___

Nitrate radide <NO8). ..................

Borate radicle (BOa) ... ______

Total dissolved solids at 180° C...... ....

1

fil

6

6

 458

35

567

1R6

223

R

1,269

44 

(^

16

R

6

6

}

(

2

62

108

88

623

5

ffitt

163

1,097

10

*,29R

631 

t.

8

C 16

QO

19

181

0

6?,

43

443

83R

3fl5

')

3fl

8

1

"1,

1,

q

3

63

.«

16

5.0

»724

0

264

321

736

2.2

12

2,010

60 

«

9

12

.26

16

7.2

145

0

070

74f>

643

129

70(*)

1

a

4

70

.13

18

6.3

 658

7.2

229

316

688

1.0

1,929

71 

(')

10

62

.05

114

0.8

1,006

0

80

356

1,460

3,120

313(')

5

71

.06

21

4.4 227

1.2

365

108

105

.72

744

70 

«

11

111

.18

3.8

1.7 '768

199

512

270

454

.77

5.9

2,124

16

(0

6

68

.16

29

6.1 135

0

270

74

63

Tfftftft

612

93 

(0

12

39

.19

25

11

 269

0

380

209

113

3.6

864

103

(*)

'?

12

.39

2.9

1.9 142

33

249

7.2

,40

.28

371

16 

«

18

\ «60

14

4.2

« 301

0

343

126

206

«880

62

O

«Calculated. 

. * Na. 70S; S, 16 pacts per million.

 Includes silica (SiOj), iron oxide (FeaOa), and aluminum oxide (AkOj). 

<* Na, ?57; K, 11 parts per million.

 Sept. 9,1917. 

/ Dec. 7,1919.

 Mar. 1908.

 Dec. 3,1919. 

< Dec. 2,1919. 

i Dec. 6,1919.

 Oct. 29,1917. 

' Oct. 28,1915.

Analysts: 1,2, Addle T. Qeiger, U. 8. Geological Survey; 3-7,9-11, Margaret D. Foster, TJ. S. Geological 

Survey; 12, C. H. Kidwell, TT-'S. Geological Survey; 8,13, unknown.

E

l. Well 1, pi. 28 and table on p. 524; G. Brauer, owner. 

2. Well 6, pi. 28 and table on p. 524; R. Y. Williams, owner. 

3. Soda Lake Spring at Soda station, in sec. 11, T. 12 N., R. 8 E. See p. 629 for description of spring.

4. Well 10, pi. 28 and table on p. 524; at Soda station.

5. Well 12, pi. 28 and table on p. 524; Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad Oo.'s pumping plant at Rasor.

6. Well 21, pi. 28 and table on p. 525; Elmo Proctor, owner.

7. Well 13, pi. 28 and table on p. 524; A. Skelton, owner.

8. Well 34, pi. 28 and table on p. 525; Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Co.'s pumping plant at Balcb; 

analysis furnished by the railroad. Recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon.

9. Well 44, pi. 28 and table on p. 526; C. B. Baber, owner.

10. Mesquite Spring, in sec. 25, T. 11 N., R. 7 E. See p. 528.

11. Epsom Spring, in sec. 21, T. 11 N., R. 8 E. See p. 529.

12. Halloran Spring, probably in sec. 14, T. 5 N., R. 10 E. Another sample from this spring collected 

: by G. A. Waring on August 28, 1916, and analyzed by S. O. Dinsmore contained 890 parts per million of 

total solids) The relative amounts of the different constituents are approximately the same as given in 

the above analysis.

13. Well 46, pi. 28 and table on p. 626; Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Co.'spumping plant at Afton 

station; analysis furnished by the railroad; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per 

U.S. gallon. See p. 612 for description of well.

The best water, that from the Skelton well (No. 13), in the NW. 3^ 

sec. 11, T. 11 N,, R. 7 W., is a sodium carbonate water that contains 

371 parts per million of dissolved solids. It is good for domestic use 

but poor for irrigation. A sample from the domestic well of Elmo 

Proctor (No. 21), near Crucero, and one from the well of the Tonopah
MOHAVE KIVBB BASIN ,533

& Tidewater Railroad at Rasor (No.- 12) are of thd 

character but somewhat more mineralized. The water from the 

Proctor well, which contains 612 parts per million of fcetfcl fe»lid&, & 

good for domestic use but only fair fo? irrigation. l%e «A»ipi% ftoni 

the Rasxtt- well, which contains 744 parts per million,is daiy f«&"for 

domestic use, and is poor for irrigation. Despite the poor quality 

of this water for boiler use it is considered relatively good as eotni 

pared with other supplies used by the engines of the railroad* ;

The-three samples just described come from wells era the alluvial 

plain of Mohave River and probably indicate the general character 

of the water that can be obtained in most parts of the plaas between 

Baxter and the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. In general the 

quality of the water appears to be poorer the nearer th« wells ifi* Id 

Soda Lake. -.«.* . 5 ;

An exception wa« found in a sample from a well of O. BJBttbfir 

(No. 44), in the NW. }£ sec. 33, T. 12 N., R. 7 E., which cofltate«i 

3,129 parts per minion of total solids, being the most iiighly raJaarali. 

ized sample obtained in the valley. This water is a sodium chloride 

water but also contains quantities of sulphate and carbonate ftJmoe* 

equal to the chloride. Jt tastes distinctly salty, and is very bad, if 

not unfit, for domestic use. It is unfit for boilers and bad for irrigation. The reason for this great mineralization is not'W&wtf^ fdr a 

sample from the Markt well (No. 41), in the SW. H'wtf: !2§;Tl'li 

N.j R. 7 E., about a mile northwest, contained only 537 parts per 

million of total solids. It is essentially like the samples fro&i the 

Skelton, Proctor, and Rasor wells and is good for domestic use but 

poor for irrigation and very bad for boilers. The water from well 

43, between the Markt and Baber wells, is also said to be df poor 

quality: The Baber well is near one of the channels of Mohavie 

River. The conditions seem to be favorable for free movement of 

the ground water eastward, and it would be expected that any salts 

in/the alluvium would be leached out. The high mineralization of 

the water indicates some unusual conditions.

In addition to the samples described above, samples were analyzed 

from Mesquite Spring, Epsom Springs, and a spring and a well ai 

Soda station. These analyses are discussed in the descriptions of 

these springs on pages 528-531.

TEMJPIBATUKB Qf WATBB

The temperature of the water in 10 wells and springs in Crucero 

Valley was determined, and the results are given m'tne table on pages 

130-131. With the exception of the small spring at Soda station, aU 

the determinations were made during the first week in December, IfIfr. 

These determinations show a range between 50 H* and 78 H 

5831 29 35
504 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

lowest temperatures, 50 Ms0 and 56°, were found in Mesquite Spring 

and a similar spring about a third of a mile east of it. These springs 

have almost no flow and probably fluctuate considerably with seasonal 

and perhaps daily changes in the temperature of the air.

The temperature in the Joralmon well, the Louisiana well of the 

Mohave United Mining & Milling Co., and Epsom Springs ranged 

from 62° to 65° F. The temperature of the water from the Ingalls 

well, which is situated between these wells, is 72^°. The reason fpr 

this difference is not clear. The temperature of the water from two 

wells and two springs at Soda station ranges from 73 H to 783^° F.

The mean annual temperature at Barstow is about 63.7° F., and at 

Bagdad about 72.3°. No data are available in regard to the temperature in Crucero Valley, but from the altitude and topographic conditions and from statements of settlers it seems probable that the mean, 

annual temperature at Crucero is intermediate between that at Barstow and at Bagdad. If so, the temperatures in the Joralmon aad 

Louisiana wells and Epsom Springs are somewhat below the mean 

annual temperature,, and those in the wells and springs at Soda Springs 

are several degrees above it.

IRRIGATION AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Although the depth to water is not great in a large part of Crucero 

Valley, in 1919 there had been practically no real development. 

Several hundred acres of land had been cleared, and about 25 wells 

had been dug or drilled, of which only four or five were equipped with 

pumps suitable for irrigation. Most of this development work was 

done only to meet requirements on homestead entries. Entries have 

been made on fully 10,000 acres in the valley, most of them as long 

ago as 1914. In 1922, however, according to records of. the General 

Land Office, only two or three* homesteaders had received patents.

At the time of the writer's visit in December, 1919, only one ranch 

was occupied. So far as is known, up to that time no successful crops 

had been grown. According to information received in December, 

1922, in the three years following the writer's visit the development 

work had been very slight. One ranch has been irrigated two seasons. 

This ranch was covered by flood watei in the spring of 1920. Subsequently, after May 1, about 4 acres was planted in a variety of 

experimental crops, including milo maize, Sudan grass, sorghum, 

watermelons, cantaloupe, Durango cotton, squash, pumpkins, and 

beans. The land was also irrigated from a well. Two good crops of 

milo fodder were obtained, but the grain did not set because of the 

heat. Three good crops of Sudan grass were obtained and two fair 

crops of cane. No cotton was harvested, but it produced abundantly, 

and the yield, by count of the open boles, was estimated to be about 4 

bales to the acre. Rodents destroyed most of the cantaloupes and
HOHAVE BIVBB BASIN 585

beans. By the use of poison they were driven out sufficiently to 

save the watermelons, which yielded abundantly from August 15 until 

the first freeze, about November 20. It is said that from a fourth of 

an acre several wagonloads were sold to section hands, besides 

many that were given away or fed to chickens and hogs. Many were 

left in the field unharvested. This land was irrigated again in 1921, 

The crops of Sudan grass, milo maize, and cane were better than in the 

preceding year, but rodents destroyed everything else.

Elmo Proctor has experimented with date palms, which were set 

out about 1918 or 1919. He states that although they have had 

very little care they have withstood the winters and are in good condition. In December, 1922, they had not yet bloomed.

Conditions are unfavorable for the development of the valley; in 

fact, in some respects they seem to be more unfavorable than in 

almost any other part of the Mohave Desert region where any extensive development has been attempted. Probably the most discouraging feature is the fact that the soil is more sandy than in most parts 

of the desert where agriculture has been tried. The problem of preventing the sand from blowing on cleared land is more difficult than 

it is in most places. The sandy soil would also require much water 

for irrigation. An additional disadvantage in some parts of the valley 

is the possibility of overflow by the flood waters of Mohave River.

The water from wells in different parts of the valley is of only fair 

or poor quality for irrigation. The water in the western part of the 

valley is probably better than that in the lower eastern part. Where 

the depth to the water table is sufficient to allow good drainage probably no difficulty is experienced, but in the lower part of the valley 

alkali would probably accumulate.

A factor that has doubtless hampered the development of Crucero 

Valley is its comparative isolation. Although two railroads, one of 

them a transcontinental line, pass through the valley, the local 

service is very poor, and transportation charges are high. If enough 

business were brought into the valley to warrant it, the service would 

doubtless be improved, but until that time the pioneers hi the valley 

must bear the burden of isolation. The roads into the valley are 

almost impassable for automobiles, and in the valley itself the trails 

are so sandy that transportation is very difficult and slow. There are 

no large towns near by to furnish markets for the products of the 

valley, which would probably have to be shipped to Los Angeles or 

more distant points in competition with products from more favorably situated regions.

At present floods from Mohave River cross the valley every two 

or three years or oftener. At such times there is probably sufficient 

rechargeiof the ground-water supply to provide for the irrigation of 

several, tjhousand acres. If, however, as seems probable, run-off in
536 THE MOHAVB BESlBT KK0ION, CALIFORNIA

the headwater region of the Mohave River basin is stored in reserivoirs in the San Bernardino Mountains and used in the Upper Mohave 

Valley or directed to the south side of the mountains, the water 

that reaches Crucero Valley will be greatly lessened. Even though 

there might be considerable return seepage from the lands in the 

upper part of the basin, as some persons contend, the area of available 

agricultural land above Crucero Valley is so large that the water 

would probably all be used. Probably only in the wettest yeara^ 

when the run-off considerably exceeded the storage, would enough 

water reach Crucero Valley to be of any value in recharging tfa« 

grcnmd-water reservoir.

CRONISE VALLEY 

eSHEHAl FEATURES

Cronise Valley 64 adjoins Crucero Valley on the northwest. The 

drainage basin consists of two rather distinct parts, which in this 

report are called East and West Cronise Valleys, but as they are now 

or in comparatively recent time have been joined, they are considered 

together in this section.

Because of the sandy surface of the country surrounding the valley 

it has been until recently relatively inaccessible. In 1&22 a new 

road was opened by San Bernardino County, which leads from Yermo 

along the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad to a point near Field 

and thence through a pass in the Cave Mountains or Cronise Mountains and across the Soda Lake Mountains to Baker station, on the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. This road constitutes a part of 

the Arrowhead Trail. (See p. 143.) A little used and probably sandy 

road leads southeast to the valley from Bitter Spring. Roads, 

mostly so sandy that they can be traveled only by horse and wagon, 

lead southward from East Cronise Valley to different parts of Crueero 

Valley. The nearest railroad station is Baxter, 4 miles south of 

East Cronise Valley.

Several ranches have been established in the valley, but when the 

writer visited it in December, 1919, all of them were deserted. As 

late as January, 1923, the valley was still practically undeveloped. 

So far as is known, there has been no mining in the valley.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AMD OBOLOQY

The boundaries of Cronise Valley are shown on Plate 7 and the 

principal features of relief on Plate 11 and in part on Plate 28. The 

valley is almost completely separated into two parts by the northeast end of the Cronise Mountains, which extend nearly north and 

south along the line between Rs. 6 and 7 W. Each of the parts 

contains a playa or "dry lake."

** Tire BKB* ot tbte Ytfiey on aerae maps is speUed Crones*. Information us to ita origin is lacking. 

Possibly it is named after Titus Fey Cronise, a pioneer of California and author of "The natural w«aRn 

of California." On this assumption the name is here spelled Cronise.
MOHATB MY1B BASIN l 587

East Cronise Valley is only about a fifth or a fourth as laige 

the west valley. On the east and south it is separated from 

Valley by low mountains and hills, the most conspicuous of which is Bed 

Mountain, at the southeast, and the Cave Mountains, at the smith* 

west. (See pp. 517-518.) The west side of the valey k borderai 

by the Cronise Mountains, which form a long, rather narrow ridge 

that trends mostly in a northeasterly direction, though its northeast 

end trends almost due north. This ridge is separated from C&ve 

Mountain by a long alluvium-filled valley that rises toward th» 

southwest for 2 or 3 miles. The mountains are steep, a fact which 

suggests that they have been uplifted by faulting. The rocks *t the 

very north end of the ridge, the only place where theaf were observed, 

consist of gneiss and acidic and basic intrusive rocks.

The northern border of East Cronise Valley is formed by tht 

Soda Lake Mountains, which also form the northeastern border of 

West Cronise Valley. These mountains constitute a large, irregular, 

and rugged mass that covers nearly three townships. From a cbak 

tanee the mountains appear to consist largely of m«taroorphic or 

intrusive rocks. -' 

West Cronise Valley is bordered on the south wad southwest by 

Dunn Mountain and the Alvord Mountains, which form a eonttfiuovt 

barrier between it and the Mohave River drainage basin. Buwald* ** 

states that the Alvord Mountains consist of a core of granitic sock 

in which lie patches of limestone, marble, and schist. The mads «f 

cut by pegmatitic, aplitic, and basic dikes, and a series of baefc 

lavas, presumably Tertiary, overlies the granite. He state* that 

Dunn Mountain appears to consist largely of schist.

The western divide of the valley is somewhat indefinite. Tbe 

extreme western boundary of the- basin is formed by lew faille > along 

the line between Tps. 12 and 13 N., Rs. 3 and 4 E., which separate 

the valley from Langford and Coyote Valleys. On the northwest the 

divide is formed by Tiefort Mountain.

From the playa of the western valley a long slope rides westward 

but is broken in places by low hills. The most prominent of these 

hille is one elongated somewhat in a nortbweateiiT direction in the 

north-central part of T. 13 N., R. 8 B. It is composed of black 

basaltic lava that is probably of either Pleistocene or late Tertiary 

age. A smaller ridge farther south appears from a distance to be 

composed of the same rock. From these hills the sloping plain 

continues to rise westward and southwestward, but apparently it 

does not drain directly to West Cronise Lake. Along the road from 

Langford Valley to Bitter Spring the drainage goes northward along 

the west side of the large lava hill juat mentioned and around the north

*' Bmralda, f. f.. Pleistocene bade at Manix, in tbe eastern Mohafc Desert region: California TTnlr. 

Dept. Otology Boll., voL 7, No. 34, pp. 446-W6,1814.
538 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

side of it. On the north side of this hill there is a small alkali flat 

which apparently for a time was a playa, At present the drainage 

line continues southeastward, on the east side of the lava hill, past 

Bitter Spring to West Cronise Lake. The drainage from the north 

slope of the Alvord Mountains seems also to follow this roundabout 

course to West Cronise Lake.

The two playas that lie in the lower parts of the east and west 

valleys are noticeably different in their characteristics. The playa 

in the eastern valley lies close to the east base of Cronise Mountain. 

When visited in December, 1919, it presented a hard, black, much 

cracked surface, with no alkali visible. It was strikingly like the 

surface of Silver'Lake when seen in 1917 and 1918. The water-soluble 

salt content of samples of soil from the playa ranged from 0.69 to 

1.76 per cent of the total sample. (See analyses on p. 67.) The 

features indicate that the playa is of the dry type. However, the 

presence of mesquite around its border and well measurements show 

that the depth to water is probably not more than 15 feet.

The playa known as West Cronise Dry Lake lies at the extreme 

southeast side of the western basin. Its surface is characterized by 

"self-rising ground," with some alkali visible. The water-soluble 

salt content in samples of soil from the playa ranged from 4.20 to 12.73 

per cent, which is considerably higher than in the soil from the east 

playa. (See analyses on p. 67.) Mesquite grows around the borders^ 

particularly on the south and west sides, and the playa is of the wet 

type.

The playas and their basins were at one time completely separated 

by a large alluvial fan that was built out from the south side of thd 

Soda Lake Mountains. This fan, where it abuts against the north 

end of Cronise Mountain, is now cut by a channel from 10 to 25 feet 

deep and 100 to 200 feet wide. Part of this channel is lined with 

round boulders as large as a foot in diameter. There is still a divide 

of a few feet at the northwest end of East Cronise Lake, but the 

natural conditions here have been disturbed by attempts to run a 

ditch from the east playa to the west playa. According to data, 

based on instrumental leveling by H. D. Bradley, the west playa is 

about 5 feet below the east playa.

There is evidence that at some time in the past a lake has existed 

in the eastern valley, and it probably also extended into the western 

valley. A faint wave-cut cliff is visible along a low rock mound about 

a quarter of a mile east of the ranch house of H. D. Bradley, in the 

SE. % sec. 20, T, 12 N., R. 7 E. Shells of mollusks occur along this 

cliff, and at the north end there are two or three pebbly strand lines. 

(See pi. 30, A,} The top of the cutting at the base of the cliff is 

between 10 and 20 feet above the present playa. This altitude is 

considerably above any divide that may have existed in recent
MOHAVE EIVBB BASIN

years between the east and west playas, so thai the lake must also 

have covered the west playa. Between the twor playas, wdst ttf tb$ 

northern tip of Cronise Mountain, lies a considerable thickness of 

sand, which may have been deposited in the lake, but tnfe*write* did 

not have an opportunity to study these sand beds sufficiently lo 

determine their origin.

The lake evidently was formed from flood waters of Mohave Rive*. 

As shown on pages 563-564, a larger lake at one tame covered^Sod» 

and Silver Lake playas, a few miles farther east. This lake presumably 

was created and maintained also by the flood waters of Mohave 

Kiver. Because of the relation of these ancient lakes to Mobav^ 

River the names Mohave Lake, for the lake in Soda and Silver 

Valleys, and Little Mohave Lake, for the lake in Crofiise Valley, 

have been suggested.*8 "> .'-'

When Little Mohave Lake was in existence, Mohave Riwr must 

have flowed northward, as it does now, from the mouth of Cave 

Canyon for longer or shorter periods as it built up sits alluvial fan. 

The area of the lake was not very great, and as the wave-cut cliff 3 

are meagerly developed it may not have existed for asvery long periodj 

probably not nearly as long as the larger Lake Mohave. (See p. 

566.) Doubtless its existence was ended partly because^ a» the rive? 

built up its fan, for periods of varying length the rives must-have 

flowed eastward across the fan and avoided the entrance to Cronise 

Valley. It therefore seems certain that the lake w;as imteimitfceat, 

existing for perhaps several years and then disappearing. As the 

small strand lines cut in alluvium are still preserved they;may have 

been formed .within a very few years, perhaps during the flood of 

1916. One reason for the small area and depth of the lake is that 

the pass between Cronise Valley and Crucero Valley is only about 

30 feet above East Cronise Dry Lake. The lake could:notlexesed 

that altitude, for any excess flood water would go eastward to Soda 

Lake. 

S.OIIS t '

The Isoil in the eastern part of East Cronise Valley is /the typicfcl 

arkosic soil that results from the disintegration of the rocks of the 

near-by mountains. The soil of the western valley is also of this 

nature except around the playa. In the eastern valley, south of the 

playa, the soil contains much sand and silt that was deposited by 

floods from Mohave River. Much of the sand has been blown into 

low dunes.

An attempt has been made to grow crops on a small scale in East 

Cronise Dry Lake. In fact, homestead applications that Cover JbU 

of the playa have been made. A sample of soil, obtained by scraping

M Thompson, D. G., Pleistocene lakes Along Mobave Kiver, Calif.: Washington Acad. Bel. lour., vol. 2, 

No. 17, p. i24,1921. , x i :
540 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

down the side of & 2-foot hole on the play a in the NW. 14 SW. ^ 

see, 17, T. 12 N., E. 7 E., contained 0.69 per cent of soluble salts 

(see p. 37), consisting of about equal amounts of sodium carbonate, 

sodium sulphate, and sodium chloride. Another sample, from a 

depth of about 4 inches at the northwest end of the playa, contained 

1.76 per cent of soluble salts. Evidently the percentage of soluble 

salts in the play a soil is so high that most plants could not grow. The 

soil also has a tendency to bake BO hard that it is very unfavorable 

for crops. The very fact that mono of the native plants, which 

would naturally be best adapted to adverse conditions, grow on the 

play* i# evidence in itself that it is useless to attempt the cultivation 

of this tract of land.

A&ajys&grof soil from the playa in the western valley show from 4.2 

to 12.7 per cent of soluble salts. Obviously this playa also can not 

be cwl&fated.

VISITATION

South of East Cronise Dry Lake, in the area of nearly level land 

between the southern border of the valley and the playa, several 

types of e*lt bush are abundant. The abundance of this vegetation 

evidently depends on the occasional floods from the river. Meaquite 

abounds in tbts part of the valley and also grows in more scattered 

dumps around the border of the entire playa. The desert willow 

occurs on the south side of the valley. In the eastern part of the 

vaitey, approximately east of the line between sees. 20 and 21, T. 

12 N., E. 7 E., the vegetation consists typically of creosote buah and 

its associates.

In the western valley mosquito occurs around the border of the 

play a but doe* not extend very far from it. Some salt grass also 

grows &«*? the playa. Farther away from the playa creosote butti 

is th« dominant plant.

SUBFACE WAT»

The only surface water available for irrigation hi Cronise Valley is 

the flood water that comes down Mohave River from time to time. 

Mohave River, where it emerges from Gave Canyon near Baxter, 

spreads out in a number of distributary channels. Some of these 

channels continue eastward, but one or more lead northward to two 

passes into Cronise Valley, hi the SK % sec. 30 and the SW. M sec29, T, 12 N., R. 7 E.

No definite data are available in regard to the quantity of water 

discharged into Cronise Valley through these passes. In some rainy 

seasons it is doubtless several thousand acre-feet. During the big 

flood of January and February, 1916, the playa in the eastern valley, 

as well as land for some distance south of the playa, was covered to a 

depth of about 10 feet. Some water overflowed into West Cronise 

Dry Lake through a ditch cut between the two playas. In the winter
MOHAVE KIVBK 1JA&IN

of 1921-22 the eastern pkya was flooded to a <te£«& of 6 leet.

The iow of th« gfei-eam At times reaches ueveoral

for short periods. On the other hand, m dry yewsr there m»y be oe

discharge. No reliable measurement ha pe been made of -the quantity

of water discharged intO'l&e Talley, and because d t&e varying «6«*

ditions it is impossible to make any estimate of tbe quanti

In building up its fan below the moot i of Cav* Csaiayon, 

River has frequently changed its channels. The conditions 

fan at the present time are such that it is not improbable that Hie 

river may completely change its course and cease to discharge ittto 

Cronise Valley.

An attempt has been made to utilize the water that discharges into 

Cronise Valley by the Valley Cultivating; Co., organized about 1912. 

The company has filed on 3,000 miner's :nches (60 second-feet) from 

Mohave River and 50,000 miner's- inches (5,000 second-le^t J overflow water, to be diverted! near Baxter. Originally it pl&nfctd to sarry 

the water by ditch to West Crooise Drr Lake,; where it Was to be 

stored and pumped back to land in the extern valky *s needed. Tfe« 

pumping lift would probably be not more than 25 or 30 feet. It ww* 

discovered that the playa in* the western valley, where the- water was 

to be stored, was so saline thai it wouk render the water unfit for 

irrigation. This plan was accordingly dropped.

Subsequently it was proposed to eonstitiet a dam aetoss the la*-gw 

of the two passes into Cronise Valley, in the SB. }4 sec. 30, T. 12 N., 

R. 7 K This dam would b« about 535 fret long, between reek hill*, 

and 26 feet high. A dike would be bm t southward from the «a#t 

side of the dam for about a mile. The rmervoi^ thu* created would 

cover about 450 acres and have a capacity of about 5,900 ftcrs*feet*. 

The company expected k> irrigate about 2, 500 acres. 

visited the valey in December, 1919, th<t main dam had been 

pleted entirely across the pass to a height of about 10 feet. It was 

about 4 feet wide at the top and 30 feet at) the bottom. It is built of 

rook quarried from the adjoining hills. The (lam does not re*ch 

bedrock. A gate at the east end provices an outlet and spillway. 

"When the dam was visited by the writer s, small toluiae of water was 

impounded and ft 'small stream was flowing into t|ie reservoir. Thfcf* 

had been no flow in the river from the headwater region, and the 

water evidently had Come from the upper stretches of the river as 

underflow.

H. D. Bradley states in a letter that the dam successfully withstood 

floods in the winter of 1921-22, but a temporary dam in sec. 29, eaafe 

of the main dam, was carried away and t le flood; waters poured into 

East Cronise Valley. A new channel wm cut around the butte at 

the east end of the main dam, and the res&rvoir n|ow holds very little 

water. The reservoir has silted up about 3 feet, !
642 THE MOHAVE DESEBT REGION, CAMFOBNIA

At the tame of the writer's visit the project was not far enough along 

to determine its feasibility. Certain difficulties, however, must be 

recognized. In some years the discharge of the river is practically 

nothing. In other years the flow is very great for short periods, and 

expensive works may be required in order to control it and prevent 

damage to the dam and dike. The fact that 3 feet of silt was deposited in the reservoir shows that difficulty is to be expected from this 

source. The total area that can be irrigated under the project is at 

'most not more than 1,000 to 1,500 acres, so that if difficulties are 

encountered which require unusual expenditures the cost of irrigation is likely to, prove unusually great.

GROUND WATER 

DEPTH TO WATER

Only five or six wells have been drilled in East Cronise Valley and, 

so far as known, none in West Cronise Valley. At the time of the 

writer's visit no one was living in the valley, and except for measurer 

ments on the depth of the wells and the depth to water very few data 

were obtained. These data are given in the table on pages 526^-520 

(Nos. 35 to 40).

The depth to water in the wells measured ranged from 15 to 20 

feet. In one well (No. 35), which could not be measured, the depth 

to water is reported to be only 12 feet. In another well (No. 41), it 

iS'teported to be 35 feet. This well is situated in the eastern pass 

from Crucero Valley and only a few feet north of a granite hill, which 

may shut off direct underflow from the south.

So far as is known, there are no wells east of the line between sees. 

20 and 21, T. 12 N., E. 7 E. It is doubtful whether water can be 

obtained east of this line. Eock is reported to have been struck at a 

depth of 100 feet in a well of H. D. Bradley at the southwest corner 

of SE. M sec. 20, T. 12 N., E. 7 E. The well was not drilled deeper, 

and it is uncertain whether the rock was bedrock or only a boulder, 

especially in view of the fact that a well less than 100 feet farther 

west, on the G. T. Eoberts ranch, did not strike rock at a depth of 

142 feet. Bedrock crops out in the SW. M see. 21 of the same township. It is probable that the land east of this, although it appears 

to be an alluvial slope, ia underlain by rock at no great depth.

Measurements at several points in the eastern valley show that the 

water table is nearly level, with only a very slight slope to the north, 

which probably indicates that the supply of ground water is not 

great. The granite hills on each side of the pass between Crucero 

Valley and Cronise Valley suggest that in the pass the bedrock is so 

close to the surface that the underflow from the fan of Mohave 

Eiver can not enter the valley. The only important recharge comes 

from the flood water which actually enters the valley and which
MOHAVB BIVBB BASIN

is absorbed in the area between the passes and East Cronise Dry 

Lake. The water that reaches the playa doubtless mostly evaporates, 

for the clay is so impervious that probably not much of the water 

percolates to the water table. The conditions as a whole seem unfavorable for much recharge of the ground-water reservoir, especially 

as in some years there is practically no flood flow into the valley. 

The water table in East Cronise Valley is only a few feet below the 

surface of the western playa. The pass between the two valleys is 

jfilled with alluvium, and undoubtedly there is some percolation from 

the eastern to the western valley, where the ground water is discharged by evaporation.

Springs are said to occur around the borders of West Cronis^ Dry 

Lake, which is of the moist type, with alkali-covered "self-risii|g 

ground." Mesquite on the south and west sides of the playa afltd 

some salt grass at its borders show that water is not far frofti the 

surface. It can doubtless be obtained at a depth of less than 10 

feet near the playa. Away from the playa the depth ,to water increases in general with the altitude of the surface above the playa. 

The grade of the alluvial slopes is gentle for some distance away from 

the playa, especially on the south and west, and very; likely, $& 

depth to water will be less than 100 feet as far as a, mile: or more 

from it. On the northeast side of the playa ifehe slopes rise somewhat 

more steeply and the depth to water will be greater. .,, .

YIELD OF WELLS

Well 35, on the J. Walton ranch, is said to have a yield of .540 

gallons a minute (60 miner's inches). This well is 12: inches in diameter. It could not be measured but is reported to be about 150 feet 

deep, with about 12 feet to water. It is equipped with a Layne 

& Bowler turbine pump. , The well of H. D. Bradley (No. 38) yielded about 225 gallons, a 

minute (25 miner's inches) after the casing was perforated twice. The 

G. T. Roberts well, about 75 feet west of the Bradley well, yields 

315 gallons a minute (35 miner's inches). The casing of this well was 

also perforated twice. It is 12 inches in diameter and 142 feet deep, 

and the depth to water is about 22 feet. So far as could be learned, 

no other well yielded as much as 225 gallons a minute.

The log of the Roberta well follows.
544 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Leg of well 39, southeast comer of SW, H sec. 80, T< 12 N., R. 7 JS. San

Bemardino meridian 

[George T. Roberts, owner. Log furnished by H. D. Bradley. Drilled February, 1914]

SB* and sand ..-......-.... . .. ...... ....... ...... ........ . 

SHt____.___.._-... ................._._..____._._._._......__........_........_._ SaftcJay.. . .... . .. *. . ,. . __ _ ---

Clay^. .... -.. ..._..........-........-.... . ..-. . 

Hard sand .... .....

Sartd. _ ..... _ .. .. .... ... .. .. . _. . .. .. .... ....,

Clay _ .. . .-. ..... ..... .. . . Sand-.^. . «

Clay and sand.. ________________________________

Gravel; coding perforated FtmtMHl.. ~* . , ..* * .^. ^ .. * i ^ ^... j* . ...

travel; easing perforated _________ . _ . _____ . _________

&todroafc..-.. ..... ., jj , j^.,. ...j . ,

Thickness

(teet)

12

0

7

4

16.

9

2

4

1

2

1

6

9

5

4

32

2

8

2

14

Depth 

(«»*)

12

18

86

20

45

ro

82

86a?

99

60

88

78

80

54

110

US 1»iagil

This log shows that the casing was perforated in 59 fe«t of gravel, 

or almost 50 per cent of the total depth of the well below the water 

level. According to tibe yield of wells in other parts of the Mohave 

Desert region, this thickness of gravel should yield water abundantly 

unless there is some unusual condition. Possibly fine material has 

clogged the well, but when the writer meastired it in December, Itl9, 

more than five years after drilling, the total depth was 184 feet, 

showing that it had sanded up less than 10 feet. The low yield can 

hardly be due to poor perforations, for the casing has been perforated twice.

As a whole, the conditions are unfavorable for any great develop* 

ment of ground water in East Oonise Valley. Very likely the groundwater storage area is confined to the land south o| the pkya, about 

1,500 acres, and is practically equal to the area available for irrigation. 

It is questionable whether lie recharge would be sufficient to irrigate 

even this small area.

No definite statements can be made as to the probable yield of 

wells hi West Cronise Valley. It appears that the geologic conditions 

in comparatively recent times which resulted in the accumulation of 

the fine silt and clay in East Cronise Valley did -not exist in West 

Cronise Valley. In the western valley the alluvium is Washed from 

near-by mountains and is probably somewhat coarser than in the 

eastern valley. However, there is probably no great quantity of 

water available for recharge.

QUALITY OP WATER

Samples of water were collected from two wells hi East Cronise 

Valley and the results of the analyses are given on page 545.

One sample (2), from the Markt well (No. 41), is moderately 

mineralized and contains 537 p;arts per million of total solids. It is
BIV3i» SASIN

good. I©* domestic use but poor for irrigation. This water c&me 

a -well in the eastern of the two passes to Crucw® Valley. The well 

is BO situated that it receive® the first accession from the flood waters 

tfe&t enteE the valley and beaides there is free drainage

The other sample (1), frora the donaestie well of H. D. : 

(No. 37), is somewhat more mineralised, containing 681 prtfc - million of total solids. It is only fair for domestic use and is-,-- 

for irrigation.

The water in other wells is said to be no better thaB 

although none apparently is go highly mineralized, that it can uat 

he used for a domestic supply. In genital it is probable that 

water near the playa is somewhat poorer in quality than 

from it. , - Water near the playa in West Cronise Valley is pi?0b«Wy 

highly mineralized than that in Hast Croniae VaiUy, for the-soil 

beneath the western playa is more highly impregnated with 8*Ute. 

The eatte»t to which the water some distance from the play* is minaraliaed is uncertain, but conditions in other valleys show that the 

<H**Uty probably improves toward t&e b<M?der»0f the valfey, 

the water is of sufficiently good quality for irrigation in th<e 

in which the pumping lift is within the economic limit can be determined only by trial.

Analyses of ground waters in Cronise Valley . ', 

[Parts per JBt

fliVm (iPIOj)

Iron (Fe)

Ori«to»<Ca)., .,,...,,..,...,.,,..................,,.....,.,..,.,

Magnesium (Mg) . . ...

Soifam and potassium <Na+K)~~ ,, ,.,.,-,,, ,,.

Carbonate radicle (COtf- _ , _____________ .. .., __ r

Biwbonate radicle (HO OB)

Sulphate radicle (BOO- ___ -,- _ - _.,. .. ... ..

Nitrate radicle (NO8)._._ ............................ ..............

Total dissolved solids at 180° <5.^. __ . __, ____...., _ .,

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated). _______ .... ............

D»te of collection. , . .., .> ,....., . , 

1

39

.11

5.0

1.0

36

sey

94

.24

17

2

49 .,

*3f

4.8

0

187

64

40 

.36

SI7

92

CO

3 : ' - v

U

.20 ut T. a

'305

3Sr

606

946

2.8

64 '

« Calculated. * Na, 485; K, 20 parts per million. « Dec. 4,19W. 

4 Dec. 3,1919. « F0b. 96, U9il8.

Analysts: 1, 2, Margaiet D. Foster, 17. S. Geological Survey; 3, c. H. KidweU, U. S. Oeologiqil Surrey.

1. WeB 37, pi. 28, and table on p. 526: H. D. Biadley, owner.

2. W«ll 41, pi. 28, and table oa R.,538; H. Markt, owner.

3. Bitter Spring, in sec. 10, T. 13, N., R. 6 E. San Benrardiao meridian.

BPEINQ6

Cronise Spring. O several maps a spring known as Oonise 

Spring is shown at the sou<3seast end of West Cronise Dry Lake* 

According to Mendenhall,67 the spring emerges at the southwest b«ae

-. r. , i M , n-, «. ^

*7 Mendenhall, W. C., Some dasart watering places to aouttiflastern OaliloroiaaBdsottthwestera Nev»4»: 

U..S. Ge«l. Survey Wator-Supply iPap^r 224, p. 61,1906.
546 THE MOHAVE DESEET RE&ION, CAMFOBNIA

of the Soda Lake Mountains. The writer did not see any spring in 

this locality, and inquiry from several prospectors failed to reveal 

any definite information as to it. One or more springs are reported 

to emerge on the northwest side of the playa. The locality was not 

visited, but mesquite was seen on the west and north sides of the 

playa, and it is not improbable that seepages or shallow wells may 

be present there.

When Mohave River pours much flood water into East Cronise 

Valley the water table possibly rises sufficiently to cause some surface 

seepage in the channel that leads from the northwest end of East 

Cronise Dry Lake to West Cronise Dry Lake. During succeeding dry 

seasons the water table may fall sufficiently to result in the drying up 

of the spring.

BiMer Spring. Bitter Spring is in the north-central part of T. 13 

N., R. 5 E.,68 near the head of a long wash that drains southeastward 

to West Cronise Dry Lake. The drainage in the western part of West 

Cronise Valley goes northeastward around the west side of a lava 

butte in T. 13 N., R. 5 E. At the north end of this butte it is joined 

by drainage from Tiefort Mountain. At this locality there is a elay 

flat in which the flood waters are now partly ponded. From the clay 

flat the wash swings to the southeast and passes between the lava 

butte and a low hill on the east that perhaps formerly formed a complete barrier to the drainage and made a true playa of the clay flat. 

Where the wash passes between the hills there is much arrow weed, 

some salt grass, and one or two mesquite trees. At the time of the 

writer's visit, in February, 1918, there were several small seepages in 

the wash, which are said to dry up in the summer. Bitter Spring is 

situated about 100 yards southeast of the uppermost growth of waterindicating plants. The water comes from a pipe that leads from a 

shallow hole dug in the hillside east of the wash to a watering trough. 

When seen by the writer the flow was only about 2 gallons a minute. 

It is said that although the seepages in the wash dry up in summer 

the flow from the spring continues about the same.

Analysis 3 (p. 545) shows that this water is of poor quality. The 

high sulphate content gives it the bitter taste from which its name 

is derived. Nevertheless it can be used in an emergency.

Bitter Spring was for many years a well-known desert watering 

place, but in recent years it has been less used. It was a regular 

camping place on the old Salt Lake wagon road, and before that 

also probably on the old Spanish trail to New Mexico. It seems 

certain that Bitter Spring was the Agua de Tomaso mentioned by 

Fremont w and other early explorers. On several maps this spring has

w The location of the spring is incorrectly shown on the relief map (pi. 11), as in T. 14 N., E. 5 E. According to the General Land Office township plat it is in sec. 10, T. 13 N., B. 5 E. The general location of 

the spring with respect co roads and topographic features, however, is correct.

* Fr&nont, J. C., Report of the exploring expedition to the Rocky Mountains and to Oregon and California, 1st ed., p. 262,1845.
MOHAVE BIVBB BASIN 547

been shown in the central or eastern part of T. 14 N., K. 7 E., but 

no one could be found who knew of any spring in that locality. The 

latitude and longitude determinations made by Fr&nont at Agua de 

Tomaso put it about 2 miles south of the location of letter Spring 

that is, much nearer to Bitter Spring than to any location in T. 14 

N., E. 7 E. Other information in Fremont's journal tends to corroborate the belief that Agua de Tomaso is none other than Bitter 

Spring, and that the former spring should be eliminated from maps,

KBIGATIQir AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Homesteading in East Cronise Valley began about 1912 or 1914. 

In December, 1919, when the writer visited the valley, there was 

little evidence of real development. Some land had been cleared 

and irrigated, but no one was at that time living in the valley. It is 

reported that there has been some additional development. Some 

land has been irrigated from the reservoir of the Valley Cultivating 

Co., but apparently not with much success. There is no evidence 

that any attempt has been made to irrigate lands in West Cronise 

Valley.

The conditions in East Cronise Valley do not seem favorable for 

great development. There is some doubt whether sufficient water 

will collect in the reservoir in dry years to meet the requirements for 

irrigation. On the other hand, in years of unusual floods, sufeh as 

are almost certain to occur, considerable damage may be done either 

to the reservoir or to the valley lands by flooding. The natural situation of the reservoir is such that the liability to damage can be prevented only by considerable expenditure. The irrigable area is 

small, and the pro rata expense of protective works might prove 

burdensome.

If ground water is used for irrigation the conditions are no more 

favorable. The water table in a large part of the valley is not far 

below the surface, but the wells for which data are available1 do not 

yield large supplies. The ground-water reservoir is not large, and 

conditions do not seem favorable for recharge. The ground water is 

of poor quality for irrigation, and the possibilities of drainage are 

slight. As a result, irrigation, either from wells or from the reservoir, might spoil the land through the accumulation of alkali. If &nf 

of the proposed projects for using water of Mohave River in the Upper 

Mohave Valley or on the south side of the mountains are ever completed the water supply in Cronise Valley will become stall smaller. 

A further disadvantage is the isolation of the valley, though this has 

been remedied somewhat by the opening of the new road from Yermo 

to Silver Lake, which passes through the valley. As the irrigable 

area is relatively small, the farming community can at best not 

become large.
548 THE MOHAVE DESEBT BBOI0tf» <3AIJFORNIA

KELSO VAMJBJY

GENERAL FEATX7RBS

Kelso Valley, part of the Soda Lake drainage, basin, lies a short 

distance east of the central part of San Bernardino County. (See 

pi. 7.) The valley is named from Kelso, the only town in the area.

The valley is traversed by the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Kailroad. 

A fair, road parallels the railroad from Cima, at the northeast end o| 

the valley, as far as Kelso. Southwest of that point it is so sandy 

that it is impassable for automobiles, but it could probably be traveled by wagons. A number of secondary roads lead to different parts 

of the valley (see pi. 12), but the only roads that are satisfactory for 

automobiles are the road that leads from Cima southward to Cedar 

Canyon and across the New York Mountains to Lanfair and Fenner 

and one that leads westward from Cima to Marl Spring. From Marl 

Spring a road leads northwestward to Silver Lake, but it is said to be 

so sandy as to be impassable for automobiles.

Kelso is a fuel station for all trains, and there is also a roundhouse 

for helper engines used on trains ascending the heavy grades to Cima. 

Groceries can be obtained at a small store. In 1918 Cima, situated 

on the divide between Kelso Valley and Ivanpah Valley, consisted 

of onty two or three houses, including a small store. Its existence 

depends largely on mining activity in the near-by mountains. There 

are post offices at both Kelso and Cima.

Section crews are stationed at Glasgow, Flynn, Hayden, and Elora, 

and a pumping plant is operated at Sands, Water and help in emergencies can be obtained at these places. In addition water is available at a railroad tank at Chase. Kerens and Ames are only sidings, 

where neither water nor help is available.

No records of precipitation have been kept in the area. There is 

evidently a difference of several inches in the average annual jirecipi^ 

tation in different parts of the region, which is due to the difference 

in altitude. In the lowest part of the valley the average annual precipitation is probably not more than 3 or 4 inches. According to 

short-time records at Lanfair and other points it may be as much as 

10 inches in the highest parts on the west slope of the New York 

and Providence Mountains. Evidence of the greater precipitation 

in the mountains is found in the presence of piflon on their upper 

.slopes.

The soil of the greater part of the region is the typical desert 

arkose a coarse sandy loam that has resulted from the mechanical 

disintegration of granitic rocks. West and southwest of Kelso the 

soil is yprv sandy over a large area. About 5 miles southwest of 

Kelso a single area 10 or 15 square miles in extent contains immense 

sand dunes. (See pp. 113, 551.)
MELSO VAMJBY I -,» -.'» } «N®

The vegetation of the greater part of the area M 

its associates. The pinon grows on the upper slopes of the 

York and Providence Mountains. Near Cima Joshua trees: 

abundant. (See pi. 4, B.) Also in this high altitwte ft species of 

grass (probably galleta or grama grass) is abundant and funiislues 

forage for cattle, r

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND QEOLOQY

Kelso Valley constitutes a complete unit of the Soda Lake drainags 

basin in that the drainage from the entire valley, as shown on Plates 

7 and 12, is concentrated into a single wash. This wa-sfr passes from 

the valley to Soda Lake on the west side of T. 11 N., &-. 10 E. 

valley is primarily a trough that descends southeastward, in 

the drainage from the two sides flows through numerous channels to 

an axial wash. At the southwest end the drainage from, a consider-* 

able area is concentrated into a single branch wash before it eatexs 

the main wash. . The southeast side of Kelso Valley is bounded by the Pw>¥idenoe 

Mountains, which rise to a maximum altitude of 5,800 feet, (Sea 

pp. 663-666.) A notable feature of these mountains is the steep 

northwest face, which is suggestive of a great fault scarp, A number 

of canyons have cut eastward beyond the crest of the rmngie. This 

cutting may be due to & renewal of eroaional activity thai followed uplift of the range. From the railroad a low scarp IB visible at the foase of 

the mountains 2 or 3 miles east of Hayden. It has the appearance 

of a fault scarp that cuts the alluvial slope. However, neither it 

nor the mountains were studied closely, and definite evidence of 

faulting was not obtained.

The southern border of the valley is formed by the Granite Mountains and Old Dad Mountains. As suggested by the name, the Granite Mountains consist principally of granitic rocks, and a large peart, 

of the other range is probably composed of rocks of the same kind. 

Township plats of the General Land Office show la^a flows ia Ifte 

extreme southwestern part of the valley. A notable feature, wfoicfc 

may or may not be significant, is the approximately parallel arrangement of several elongated mountain ranges, including the Old Dad 

Mountains. The northward trend and parallelism of these ranges 

are strongly suggestive of regional faulting.

The northern border of the valley is formed by several more K$ 

less isolated mountains and knobs. The highest of these is Kelso 

Peak, which rises 4,746 feet above sea level. The rocks of the low 

mountains between Cima and Marl Spring are all granite, and it is 

probable that a large part of the other mountains on the north -siile 

of the valley is also composed of granite.

5631 29 36 v '
550 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

Northwest of Cima the land rises with a rather gentle uniform 

slope, like an alluvial slope, to a nearly dome-shaped summit, which 

reaches more than a thousand feet above Kelso Peak. This unusual 

feature is shown very well on the Ivanpah topographic map. Many 

outcrops show that this dome is composed of granite and is not an 

alluvial slope, as it appears to be, but an erosional slope or mountain 

pediment.

A large part of Kelso Valley consists of smooth valley slopes which 

rise for 500 feet or more from the axis of the valley to the foot of the 

mountains. Along the axis of the valley the smooth slopes rise from 

an altitude of about 1,500 feet at the southwest end to more than 

4,000 feet at the northeast end. In fact, west of Cima the smooth 

slopes rise uniformly to an altitude of more than 5,500 feet, broken 

only hi a few places by a few low hills. In the lower part of the 

valley, including the axial wash for most of its length, the alluvium 

is probably present to a considerable depth. For example, well 1 of 

the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Kailroad at Kelso did not strike bedrock 

at a depth of 882 feet. According to a log of the well furnished by the 

railroad this well penetrated cemented sand to 465 feet, clay and 

boulders from 465 to 500 feet, sand and gravel from 500 to 630 feet, 

sand and boulders from 630 to 740 feet, and sand from 740 to 882 

feet. The following log of well 2, which was drilled to a depth of 606 

feet at a point less than 100 feet from No. I shows many more beds 

of sand, gravel, and boulders.

Log of well 2 at Kelso, Calif. 

[Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, owner]

©lay . _____ . _ . . . ....

Sand and gravel. _ _ ... _ . .

Sand ___ _ ____ _ ... ..........

Granite (?)....... __ . ____ . ____ . _ . _ . __ . ____ ................ Boulders. . . _ .....

Sand and boulders.... ____________________________

Granite (?) -.--...-.--..-.--.. ...... .. ....... .. .-....._.... .

Sand......... .......... .. ______ . __ ....... _ . _ ....... _ . .... .

Thickness 

(feet)

75

9

65

23

14

10

12

23

15

54

35

14

20

20

18

29

12

48

10

55

41

Depth 

(feet)

75

84

149

172

196

106

208

281

246

300

335

349

309

889

407

486

448

491

510

565

606

The notable difference between this log and the log of the upper 

600 feet of well 1 can hardly be due to changes in the alluvium in a 

short distance but is probably due to the fact that the drillers paid
VAIJiBY 5§1

little attention to tho nature of the formation in well 1 until water was 

reached. It is very doubtful whether the f0rmation reported as 

granite from 407 to 436 feet and from 491 to 510 feet is really granite. 

It may be arkose, more or less consolidated, similar to that which 

now forms the surface soil in a large part of thej desert. This arkosej 

which was formed by the mechanical disintegration of granite, looks9 

considerably like drill cuttings of granite. i 4

The alluvium along the axis of the valley is not everywhere as thick 

as at Kelso. Thus, | according to a log furnished by the railroad company, a well at San is struck the granite bedrock at a depth of only 

205 feet and continued in it 41 feet to the bottom of the well. This 

well is near a constriction between rock hills through which Kelso 

Wash passes to Sola Lake. The bottom of alluvium in this well 

doubtless lies at abtmt the lowest altitude to which it extends any* 

where in Kelso Vallpy. On the other hand, at the upper end of the 

valley, bedrock is njear the surface, A dug well at the Gibson ranch 

at Cima entered granite at a depth of about 25 feet. Farther up the 

slope, in T. 14 N., B. 13 E., numerous large boulders and small knobs 

of granite rise abo^e the otherwise gentle slope. It is very evident 

that the surface hi this part of the valley is not an alluvial slope, asifc 

appears to be, but is an erosional surface or mountain pediment 

beveled across the Ipedrock. It may have a thin veneer of alluvium 

on top of it, but at jmost this is only a few inches or a few feet thick. 

It is difficult to tell where the alluvial slope ends and the erosional 

slope begins, for the decayed granite in place is much like the soil of 

the alluvial slope. I

Noteworthy featijires in Kelso Valley are immense dunes that cover 

an area of at least! 10 or 15 square miles southwest of Kelso. The 

dunes lie on alluvijai slopes north of the Granite Mountains. They 

are estimated to be fully 500 feet high. The apparent height may be 

exaggerated by the if act that the dunes lie on the alluvial slope, which 

may be steeper beneath them than in front of them. This group of 

dunes is the largest] that was observed in the Mohave Desert region. 

Although they do not cover nearly as large an area as those on the 

east side of Imperil,! Valley, it is believed that they are higher. The 

occurrence of the dimes at tifris place is undoubtedly greatly influenced 

by local topograpric and geologic conditions. The great fan of 

Mohave River between Cave Canyon and Soda Lake supplies abundant sand, and the wide expanse of Soda Lake Valley gives opportunity for strong winds to pick up the sand. The sand is blown eastward across the vaJ ey. As the air currents approach the high Providence Mountains t ley must rise more and more. With the increase 

in the vertical com jonent the wind is less powerful to carry the sand 

upward and drops it. The dun«s are situated at some distance from 

the Providence Mountains, apparently because the sand is too heavy
5S2 THE MOHAVE DESBET REGION, CALIFOKNIA

to be carried farther up the alluvial slope. Their position may be 

due to a localization of wind eddies caused by topographic features. 

In addition to the large dunes southwest of Kelso smaller dunes 

cover a large area on the lower alluvial slopes, particularly on the 

westward-facing slope east and northeast of Sands station. This, area 

constitutes part of the Devil's Playground, an area that is covered 

with sand, which is continually drifting about.

GROUND WATER

WATER IN THE ALLUVIUM

The only wells known to exist in Kelso Valley belong to the Los 

Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad, three of them at Kelso and one at 

Sands. The following information in regard to them is furnished 

by the railroad company.

, Wetta at Etloo. The logs of wells 1 and 2 at Kelso are given on 

page 560. Well 1 is 882 feet deep and ranges in diameter from 13^ 

to 9^g inches. The depth to water is about 450 feet. The casing ifi 

perforated from 440 feet to the bottom. Well 2 is 600 feet deep and 

ranges in diameter from 13^> to 9% inches. The depth to water is 

about the same as in well 1. The casing is perforated from 460 to 

500 feet. No data are available in regard to the third well.

The wells are pumped by deep-well cylinder pumps operated by 

steam heads. The cylinder in well 1 is set at a depth of 585 feet and 

ia well 2 at 565 feet. The drawdown is 100 feet when each weU is 

pumping 100 gallons a minute.

As shown by analysis 1, below, the water from these wells is 

moderately mineralized. A sample collected in 1908, which was 

slightly less mineralized, contained 268 parts per million of total dissolved solids. The water ia good for domestic use and for irrigation 

and fair for boilers.

Analyses of ground waters from Kelso Valley, Calif. 

[Analyzed by the Dearborn Drag & Chemical Co. Parts per million.*]

*

Sflfea (SiOj)

feon(Fe) ____ , ___ .. . .

Magnesium 4Mg) _____ . _ . . . __ __ . _

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO«).. ........... _ ..... ... _ ........................

Sulphate radicle (804). _____ . ______ . _ . _______________

Chloride radicle (01)

Nitrate radide (NO»). ........... ....................... ......... ...... .........

Total dissolved solids (calculated} _______________________ 

Total hardness as CaCOg (calculated) ______________________

Date of collection. . _____ _____ __ ______________

1 

} >fl.6

14

54

171

42

41

272

126 («)

2

>20

28

7.8

78

114

59

72

4.4

320

162 (")

* Recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon. 

' Indudas silica (SiOj), iron oxide (FeaOg), and aluminum oxide (AliOi).

* Oct. 22, 1915.

* Oct. 28,1S15.

1. Los Angeles & Belt Lake Railroad Co. pumping plant at Kelso, probably in sec. 24, T. 11 N., B. 12 E.; 

analysis furnished by railroad. See above -for description of well.

2. Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad Co. pumping plant at Sands station probably in sec. 30, T. 11 N., 

B. 10 E.; analysis furnished by railroad. See p. 553 for description of well.
KELSO

Wells at S&nds station. The railroad well at'Stods siatkm is 246 

feet deep and ranges in diameter from 13 % to 11 % inches. The depth 

to water is 196 feet. The materials penetrated in the well were saad 

Mid boulders 105 feet, hard sand from 105 to 117 feet* sand (apparently unconsolidated) from 117 to 195 feet, sand ami bouldera from 

195 to 205 feet, and granite from 205 to 246 feet. The casing is perforated from 190 to 220 feet. The well is pumped with a deep-well 

cylinder pump, operated by a steam head. The cylinder ia get at 217 

feet. The capacity of the well is about 125 gallons a minute. The 

drawdown when it is being pumped at this rate is not known, but it ia 

believed to be not more than 10 feet. Analysis 2 (f>. 562} shows the 

water to be moderately mineralized. like the water at Kelso, a 

sample analyzed in 1908, seven years prior to the date of the analysis 

given in the table, was less highly mineralized. The water from the 

Sands well is somewhat more mineralized than that from ibe Kelso 

wetts. Nevertheless, it is good for domestic use aaad fair for tattani.

General featurta. The altitude of the surface at Sands is. about 

1,235 feet above sea level and of the water table about 1,040 fe«fe. 

At Kelso the altitude of the surface is about 2,150 feet and of the 

water table about 1,750 feet. There is thus a difference of about 700 

feet between the two places in the altitude of the water table, s The 

distance between the wells along Kelso Wash is about 18 miles, and 

the grade of the water table is thus about 40 feet .to the mile. OB 

this basis the depth to water in other part® of the valley may be 

estimated. For example, at Ames, 8 miles northeast of Kelso, 

water table would be about 320 feet higher than at Kelso. But 

surface at Ames is about 900 feet higher than at Kelso, so that tite 

depth to water there would be nearly 600 feet greater, or a total erf 

nearly 1,000 feet. Probably bedrock would be struck before that 

depth was reached, and very little if any water would be obtained 

in the rock. It is apparent that drilling at any point very far narllteast of Kelso would be an expensive undertaking, with the probability that little or no water would be obtained.

The depth to water in the well at Sands is 196 feet, so great aa to 

preclude its use for irrigation. This well is in the lowest part of the 

valley. Because of the greater depth to water in other parts of the 

valley, there is obviously no prospect of any development of irrigation.

 ' " '-

SPRINGS

Marl Spring. Marl Spring is in sec. 36, T, 13 N., R. 12 E. It is 

reached most easily by a road that leads southwestward from Cima. 

This road continues westward and northwestward to Silver Lake tut 

is very sandy. Koads lead southward or southwestward from the 

spring to Kelso, Hayden, and Ames, but in 1917 they were in tt>ad 

condition. The spring issues at the southeast end of a spur at the
554 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

i

northeast end of a low mountain. The water comes from a tunnel or 

drift that extends for almost 50 feet along the side of the spur. The 

rock is granite. A pipe line leads from the tunnel to a near-by 

watering trough. When the writer visited the spring no water was 

flowing from the pipe line, although there was plenty of water in the 

tunnel. The tunnel was barricaded to prevent cattle from entering, 

but water could easily be obtained. No sample was taken, but the 

water appears to be of good quality.

Cornfield Spring. Cornfield Spring is in the Providence Mountains, about 6 miles southeast of Kelso. The water is piped to Kelso 

mad used by the railroad, mainly as a reserve when the supply from the 

wells is insufficient. For this purpose there is about a mile southeast 

of Kelso a storage reservoir that has a capacity of a little more than a

 million gallons.

On the Ivanpah topographic map several springs are shown in the 

Providence Mountains, but none of them were visited and no information was obtained in regard to them. As they are situated in

*he mountains the water from them is probably of good quality.

SODA TAKE AND SILVER LAKE VALLEYS

- GENERAL FEATURES

The unit described in this section as Soda Lake and Silver Lake 

Valleys lies in the central part of San Bernardino County. It consists 

of a wide valley elongated in a north-south direction, in the bottom of 

which are two playas, Soda Lake and Silver Lake. (See map of drainage basins, pi. 7, and relief maps, pis. 11 and 12.) At its southeast 

end it receives the drainage from Kelso Valley (p. 549) and at its 

southwest end that from the large Mohave River basin (p. 512). 

Kelso Valley and the Mohave River basin, however, constitute rather 

definite physiographic units, distinct from the great depressions that 

hold the playas, and they are described as such. The unit here 

described is considered as comprising the area that lies immediately 

adjacent to the two playas known as Soda Lake and Silver Lake, but 

tile boundaries as shown on Plate 7 are necessarily somewhat arbitrary 

assumed for purposes of description. The area directly tributary 

to the two playas is physiographically a single unit, but it may be 

divided into two smaller units, Soda Lak% Valley and Silver Lake 

Valley, by a line drawn approximately east and west across a former 

low divide between the playas at Baker station. A large area south 

and southwest of Soda Lake, although draining directly to that playa, 

for convenience is described as being part of Crucero Valley, a subdivision of the Mohave River basin. (See pp. 512-536.)

The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad crosses the two valleys from 

north to south, and the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad runs along 

the south side of Soda Lake.
SODA LAKE AND STLVEB LAKE VAULJJIB 555

The town of Silver Lake, on the east edge of the playa of the 

same name, is reached by several roads. The main route from 

Barstow formerly went by way of Garlic Spring, joining the Bands* 

burg-Silver Lake road about 4% miles south of Cave Springs. Jta 

1922 a new shorter road which is now part of the route from Los Angeles to Salt Lake City known as the Arrowhead Trail was opened by 

San Bernardino County. (See p. 143.) A branch from this road 

leads from Baker to Silver Lake. The new route has the advantage 

of being near a railroad for most of the distance, whereas on the old 

route no help is available, except from passing travelers, between 

Barstow and Silver Lake, a distance of 82 miles. A third route to 

Silver Lake, seldom used, is by way of Langford Well and Bitter 

Spring. (See p. 259.) From Silver Lake a road leads westward to 

Randsburg and other points in the western part of San Bemardin0 

County. This road crosses the playa and ascends an alluvial slope 

which is so sandy that many automobiles become stalled on it. {This 

sandy stretch may be avoided by turning northward at the west edge 

of the playa and skirting low hills around the north edge of 

alluvial slope. From Silver Lake a road leads northward to 

Springs and points in Death Valley. A few miles west of Saratoga 

Springs a branch road leads westward to Randsburg by way of Owl 

Holes and Leach Spring.

From Silver Lake a road leads eastward, and 9 miles east of the 

town it forks, one branch leading to Goodsprings, Nov., and points 

in Mesquite and Ivanpah Valleys, and another branch to Valley 

Wells, Nipton, and Cima. A road leads southward along the west 

side of Soda Lake to Crucero Valley and Ludlow. However, from 

Soda station to Broadwell station it is too sandy for automobilesi 

Roads leading from Silver Lake and Baker to the Whitney mine aad 

Marl Spring, on the east side of the valley, are reported to be too 

sandy for automobiles.

In 1918 there was at Silver Lake a well-stocked general storey but 

D. F. Hewett reports that in 1927 the store was no longer in operation 

and, except for the station agent and section crew of the railroad, 

the place was virtually uninhabited. According to the 1927 Postal 

Guide the post office at Silver Lake has been discontinued. A section crew is stationed at Baker, and water can be obtained there in 

emergency. In December, 1919, no one was living at Soda station, 

but water of poor quality may be obtained there from springs and 

flowing wells. (See p. 529.)

The soil of the two valleys is mostly the typical arkose so common 

in the Mohave Desert region. The slopes on the east side of Soda 

Lake Valley in many places are covered with wind-blown sand. 

Some alkali is present around the borders of Soda Lake, but there is 

none around SilverXake.
556 THE MOHAVB DESEBT REGION, CiLIFOBNIA.

The vegetation of the alluvial dopes of the, valley ii principally 

creosote bush, with other species that are commonly associated with 

it. In the highest part of the Turquoise Mountains and other mountains southeast of them some giant yuccas grow. Swaeda, mffnttesoen* 

(mkweed) and Sesuvium portulacastrum were found at the southeast 

end of Silver Lake after the evaporation of the flood waters tiiajt 

covered the play a in 1916 and 1917. The seeds of these pla&Jg, 

which are indicative of alkaline soils, apparently were washed in by 

the flood.

No climatic records have been kept in either valley. From a 

comparison of records at stations within 100 miles of Silver Lake it 

is believed that annual precipitation is probably not more than 3 to 

5 inches. The summer temperatures are rather high, as 120° to 125° 

F. has been reported at Silver Lake.

There is practically no activity of any sort in either valley. Ai> 

tempts to farm small areas have not proved successful. Some cattk 

are grazed on the highland in the eastern part of the valleys. A little 

mining has been done at the Whitney mine, in the eastern part of 

T. 13 N., R. 10 E.r and also in the western part of T. 15 N., R. 10 £., 

but there has been no great development. A number of years ago 

turquoise for gems was, mined in the Turquoise Mountains, east of 

Silver Lake, but there has been no production in recent years*1 

Several years ago a project was started to recover gold from the mud 

of Soda Lake near Soda station. An elaborate plant was erected, 

and for a short period as many as 50 men were employed. Th« 

promoters of the project claimed that the mud contained large 

amounts of gold, but it is said that the company spent $30,000 without obtaining- any gold. There is little reason to believe that gold 

would be found in the playa sediments, which are deposited from 

standing or only slowly moving water. Because of its weight any 

gold that was carried by flood water moving down the alluvial slopes 

or mountain sides would be deposited before the water reached the 

playa. , : \

The ruins of large vats on the playa near Soda station testify to an 

attempt made many years ago to produce salt from the playa deposits 

at Soda station by solar evaporation. The project doubtless failed 

because of the greater purity of the salt occurring in other playas 

where it can be recovered more cheaply. $\

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND OEOLOQY

GENERAL FEATURES OF THE VALLEYS

Soda Lake and Silver Lake occupy a part of a great trough that 

extends from the vicinity of latitude 35° approximately due north-

« Oloudman, H. 0., and others, Mines and mineral resources of £Jau Eeraardlno County, pp. 90-94, 

California State Mining Bur., 1917; in part quoted from Kunz, Q. F., Gems, jeweler's materials, and 

ornamental stones of California: California State Min. Bur. Bull. 37, pp. 107 et seq., 1905, .
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 31

A. SODA LAKE, LOOKING NORTH AND EAST FROM HILL AT SODA STATION

E. SILVER LAKE, LOOKING SOUTHWEST, WEST, AND NORTH FROM HILL AT NORTHEAST EDGE OF PLAYA 

Showing wave-cut cliffs at left, ancient beach, and outlet channel of Lake Mohave (marked X). Tha dark smooth surfaca is not wate? hut hard clay

SODA IAKE AND SILVER LuiKE VALLEYS 557

ward for a distance of about 50 miles; thence it bends sharply west* 

ward for about 10 miles and continues northwestward as Death 

Y&fley for many miles. The trough is cut into three distinct closed 

basins by low divides. At two other places, and poseib^r more, 

there appear to have been divides which have been cut through by 

erosion. One of these former divides separated Soda Lake from 

Silver Lake. This divide, no longer continuous, was so low and 

indefinite that it is not feasible to draw an accurate boundary between 

the two areas tributary to the playas.

The western border of the part of the great trough that contains 

the two playas is formed by a continuous range of mountains that 

extends from the north end of Silver Lake southward ae far as Bftsor* 

a distance of about 20 miles. The north end of these mountains is a 

low ridge, with an eastern arm that extends across the valley j\w4 

north of Silver Lake. Farther south the mountains are larger, 

forming the great Soda Lake Mountains. Limestone was found at 

several places near the base of these mountains, notably at the north* 

east end of Silver Lake, and at several places on the west borderof 

Stiver Lake, about half a mile southwest of Baker statk^,.iaadUtft*a 

small hill lying just east of the railroad at Soda station. In, the 

limestone half a mile southwest of Baker station two specimens 

were obtained which contained fossils. G. H. Girty, who examined 

the specimens, stated that they were not definitely identifiable, but 

one specimen was suggestive of a Syringopora, and the other COB* 

tains what appeared to be crinoid stems. He believes them to be of 

Carboniferous age, possibly Mississippian. It is not unlikely that 

limestone will be found to cover a considerable area of the uaoiiafcains 

on the west side of the trough. In addition to the limestone, granitic 

rocks form part of the mountains. At Soda station porphyritic 

volcanic rocks overlie the granite.

The northern border of Silver Lake valley is formed in part by a 

ridge that extends eastward a mile or two from the north end 0f the 

mountains just described and in part by spurs that extend westward 

from the Turquoise Mountains. Bedrock does not extend osuliwi* 

ously across the north end of the basin, but between the mountain 

spurs on each side the divide is composed of alluvium.

The eastern border of the valley is formed partly by the Turquoise 

Mountains and farther south by unnamed more or less isolated hills 

and mountains. The Turquoise Mountains are greatly dissected, 

and canyons tributary to Silver Lake extend eastward almost en^ 

tbely through the main mountain mass. The rocks of the Tmquoise Mountains are mainly granitic, but at several places there are 

areas of Tertiary volcanic rock. The most notable of sueh areas is ia 

the northwest corner of T. 15 N., E. 11 E., where a lava flow overlies 

the granite and slopes gently south westward. This is to be seen
558 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFOBNTA

particularly well from the road between Halloran Spring and Valley 

Wells. (See pi. 8.) A steep northwestward-facing scarp along the 

north side of this flow or of a similar flow lying north of it as seen from 

the road between Silver Lake and Francis Spring suggests a fault 

scarp.

South of the road between Halloran Spring and Valley Wells for 

several miles there is no great mountain mass, but a long slope rises 

more or less continuously from Silver Lake eastward for many miles 

to a rounded peak in the center of T. 14 N., R. 13 E. This highland 

area, a sort of plateau with a slight westward slope, is separated from 

the alluvial slopes in the lowest part of the area by a more abrupt 

slope in the eastern part of Tps. 13 and 14 N., R. 10 E., and all of 

Tps. 13 and 14 N., R. 11 E. At the southeast end of the valley the 

mountains are again more continuous. In the southeastern part of 

T. 15 N., R. 11 E., and northeastern part of T. 14 N., R. 11 E., there 

is a nearly flat area, with steep slopes descending on the northwest 

and west but with more gradual ascent on the east. From the road 

several miles north of it the flat area appears to be a lava flow similar 

to the one lying just north of the road.

The physical features of this part of the valley are rather striking.

The long gradual slope rising to an altitude of 4,800 feet above 

the bottom of the valley and 5,700 feet above sea level has the appearance of an alluvial slope, but granite at a depth of only a few 

feet in mine shafts and small outcrops shows that in many places 

the alluvium is at best very thin. The slope is probably in large part 

a mountain pediment or erosional surface beveled across the bedrock.

The southern border of Soda Lake Valley is formed by high mountains, which separate it from Broadwell Valley and which may be 

called the Broadwell Mountains.

Several more or less isolated mountain ridges lie in the middle of 

the great trough, near the eastern border of Soda Lake. These have 

& northerly or slight northwesterly trend and are rather narrow.

Several features suggest that the great trough occupied by Soda 

Lake and Silver Lake, as well as the part farther north, had its origin 

in faulting that it is a great block of the earth's crust that has 

dropped between blocks on each side. Especially noticeable is the 

elongated ridgelike character of the mountains west of the playas 

and of several low mountains on the east side of Soda Lake. One 

high mountain ridge in the eastern part of T. 12 N., R. 11 E., and 

the townships adjoining it on the north and south is paralleled by 

smaller ridges to the west and northwest. The rather abrupt descent 

at the western edge of the plateau in the eastern part of the trough 

is also ^approximately parallel to this ridge. At Soda station a knob 

of limestone is separated from the main mass of the Soda Lake 

Mountains, which are composed of granite overlain by lava, in such 

a way as to suggest faulting.
S0J>A ItAKE AND SILVBK LAKE VAIiI/EYS

The alluvium in the valley consists of play a and lake deposits, 

materials of the alluvial slope, and wind-blown sand. The alluvial 

slopes have their greatest extent on the east side of Soda Lake and 

Silver Lake. West of the playas the alluvial slopes are rather narrow in fact the Silver Lake playa reaches almost to the base of the 

mountains west of it. East of the playas the slope rises eastward 

for 10 to 12 miles to the zone of isolated knobs described above,

The alluvial slope east of Soda Lake and to a less extent east of 

Silver Lake is covered with much wind-blown sand. The sand has 

also been blown up on to the lower parts of some of the rock ridges 

that rise above the alluvial slope. The sand is blown, about on 

every windy day. On account of the great accumulations of loose 

sand, which make travel very difficult, this part of the area has been 

called the Devil's Playground. The presence of so much sand east 

of Soda Lake is doubtless due in large measure to its situation; with 

respect to the great alluvial fan at the end of Mohave River, which 

supplies an abundance of fine sand, together with the topographic 

 conditions, which are favorable to the movement of the,wind with 

high velocity across the broad expanse of Soda Lake, Probably ftlstt 

some of the sand had its origin in the ancient Lake Mohave, which 

covered the playa at one time. (See p. 563.) The playa and lake 

deposits are described briefly in a subsequent section.

THE PLAYAS

The two playas, Soda Lake and Silver Lake, present some unusual 

features. Soda Lake is one of the largest playas in the"Mohfiv« 

Desert region, having an area of about 60 square miles. Silver Lak^ 

is much smaller, having an area of only 12 or 13 square miles.71

A view of part of Soda Lake is shown in Plate 31, A. The'pMya 

as a whole is one of the wet or discharging1 type. At its southisteit 

end the ground water is near the surface and in deep wells:is under 

sufficient pressure to flow. (See p. 529.) When the writer 5 waff 1 at 

Soda station in late October, 1917, and in December, 1919} smftll 

streams of water were flowing on the playa surface. The water 

appeared to come in part from the springs at Soda station but also 

in part from ground water that reached the surface of the flat: Mesquite, principally of the sprawling, bushy type, is found around the 

western and southern borders and possibly grows on the east side. 

In consequence of the discharge of ground water there is more or less 

alkali on the surface, which is soft and mushy. In dry years wagons 

and horses can be driven across the flat, but in other years it is too 

soft. The area covered by visible alkali appears to fluctuate with 

the amount of water poured into the basin by floods and is greatest

n strangely, large as they are, neither of these playas was shown on the original General Land Office 

township plats, and as a result they have been omitted from later maps, even some published wittfla *h» 

last few years.
560 THE MOHAVE DESBBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

in very wet years, when the ground water reservoir is Ml and the 

water level is near the surface throughout a larger area. Probably 

in such years pools of water stand on the surface of the playa.

When the writer visited Soda Lake it was observed that the alkali 

was most abundant around the borders of the playa, very little being^ 

present in the more central part. This may be because the impervious 

nature of the playa mud prevents much ground water from moving 

far inward toward the center of the playa. The greatest accession of 

ground water is from the alluvial slopes, and accordingly the greatest 

opportunity for deposition of alkali is nearer their borders.

As shown on Plate 31, J., alkali is especially abundant on the west 

side of Soda Lake just north of Soda Lake station. There is no alkali 

at tike extreme northern border of the playa just south of Baker station, for the reason suggested on page 561.

Formerly there was a definite though low divide between Soda Lake 

and Silver Lake, but in comparatively recent geologic time a channel 

has been cut across the divide, and during floods water flows from Soda 

Lake to Silver Lake. A few years ago the Tonopah & Tidewater 

Railroad cut a second channel between the two playas to protect it» 

tracks. It is certain, however, that a natural channel was cut 

between the playas before any changes by man, as is shown by the 

following statement by Williamson,72 written in 1865, which, so far 

as the writer is aware, is the first published description of the region.

On the morning of November 16, at 5 o'clock we started by fine moonlight and 

traveled to the northern extremity of the salt lake [Soda Lake] and thence to the 

next one (Silver Lake]. We found the two connected by «, ditch, out by water in 

the clay soil and about 20 feet wide, with banks 2 feet high. The two lakes w«r» 

from 3 to 4 miles apart.

The former divide between the two playas was apparently less than 

W feet high. It was formed by the coalescence of alluvial fans builfe 

out from the mountains on the east and west sides of the valley^ 

According to profile surveys of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, 

Sliver Lake at Silver Lake station is about 15 feet below the north 

end of Soda Lake, near Baker station. However, the north end of 

Silver Lake is possibly a little lower than the south end.

SUver Lake is different from Soda Lake in that all its features are 

those of a playa of the dry type. Ordinarily the surface is very hard 

and mud cracked. Alkali is entirely absent. The soil of the playa is 

unusually dark as compared to that of most of the playas observed. 

Similar dark soil, however, is found in Soda Lake and East Cronise 

Lake, and it probably comes from a common source, perhaps from 

some material washed into the playas by Mohave River. No springe

are known to exist around Silver Lake, and as shown below the depth « ^ '' "

n WiUiamson, K. 8., aod otben, Report of explorations in California for railroad routes to connect witb 

t h« routes near the 35th md 32d parallels of latitude: U. S. Pacific B. B. Espl., vol. C, p. 33,1865.
8ODA LAKE AND SILVER LAKE VALLEYS 561

to water beneath the playa is from 30 to 60 feet. No mesquite. grows 

anywhere around the playa. , , <5

Sesuvium portulacastrum was abundant around the edges of the 

playa in the fall of 1917, and Snaeda sufruteseens (inkweed) grew 

thickly at its south end. Both these plants grow where the soil is 

alkaline and generally where the water table is not far from. ||ie 

surface. In this locality, however, they appear not to indicate ground 

water at a slight depth but to have got a start during a high flood that 

covered the playa from January, 1916, to July, 1917.

At irregular intervals Silver Lake is covered with water to a depth 

of as much as 10 feet. (See p. 494.) In view of this fact it is perhaps 

surprising that there is no more visible evidence of alkali left upon the 

evaporation of the water. It is reported that after one flood about 

1900, the playa surface was white instead of black, as it usually is. 

The difference between the surface features of Soda Lake and Silver 

Lake seems to be a permanent condition and not due to seasonal 

conditions at the time of the writer's visits, for Williamson ra in 1855 

wrote:

The character of the second lake [Silver Lake] was entirely different from that 

at the first [Soda Lake]. It was a dry, hard clay bed in which the shoes of the 

mules scarcely made an impression; while the other was covered with salt and in 

many places too soft to .travel over.

It is believed that these differences in the surface features of the 

two playas are due almost wholly, if not wholly, to differences in the 

ground-water conditions. On the west, southwest, and south borders of Soda Lake the water table is close to the surface, and it is on 

these parts of the playa that the alkali is most abundant. No 

information is available as to conditions on the east side of the playa. 

At the north end of Soda Lake and beneath Silver Lake, where alkali 

is absent, the depth to water below the playa surfaces ranges from 

about 20 to 50 feet or more. (See pp. 568-569.) The relatioh of the 

water table to the playa surfaces is shown in Figure 16, which is 

based on railroad altitudes and leveling with a telescopic alidade by 

the writer in the vicinity of Baker and Silver Lake. The significant 

feature of this profile is that the water table slopes continuously 

northward and is lowest near the town of Silver Lake. This condition is believed to indicate that there is underground drainage from 

the basin at some place near the northern part of Silver Lake. Sufficient Information in regard to the depth to water at different points 

is not available to show definitely the point of this outlet. The 

extreme north end of Silver Lake is surrounded by rock hills, which 

are without doubt sufficiently impervious to prevent percolation. 

However, a short distance east of the Toaopah.& Tidewater Railroad 

these hills disappear beneath aJluvium, which extends eastward several

*» Williamson, R. S., and others, op. crt., p. S3.
562 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGFION, CALIFOJttflA

NOIXVA3H3

miles to the foot of the Turquoise Mountains. The alluvium slopes 

upward to these mountains from the railroad, but the profile of the

Silver Lake hills seems to 

indicate that there is between the hills and the 

mountains a buried valley 

of sufficient depth to 

§ provide a subsurface out-

*§, let of ground water in 

| Silver Lake Valley. If 

tj there is any underground 

| percolation from the 

| valley such movement 

j8 would prevent the accuCO

^ mulation of very much.

1 alkali in the soil. Even

1 if the playa were flooded

* to a considerable depth

1 much of the water would TO

2 probably percolate into

| the alluvium and pass

a northward from the

| valley, carrying with it

| most of its alkali content.

js Silver Lake and Soda

(0* Lake lie near the west 

£ border of the great de-

*g pression that they occupy.

* Their present situation 

| seems to have been deter* 

.§ mined largely by the 

? relative altitudes of the 

| mountains on the east 

f and west. If, as just 

s suggested, there was for- 

| merly a connection bell tween Silver Lake Valley 

and Riggs Valley, to the 

north, it must have been 

between the east end of 

the rock hills at the north 

end of Silver Lake and 

spurs of the Turquoise Mountains that is, the lowest part of the 

valley must have been slightly farther east than it is now. The 

mountains on the east cover a much larger area and rise to a much
SODA LAKE AND SILVER LAKE VALLEYS 563

higher altitude than those on the west. These factors would 

naturally tend to produce larger rainfall and greater run-off from 

the east, with the result that much more alluvium has been 

poured out into the valley bottom from the east than from the west. 

As the great alluvial slopes were built out from the east they cut off 

the connection to Riggs Valley, and presumably a lake, or at least a 

playa, was formed just south of the barrier between the valleys. 

As the alluvial slopes have continued to grow they have crowded til© 

playas to the west side of the valley so that their western edges are 

practically at the base of the low mountains, from which relatively 

little alluvium has been carried out into the valley.

LAKE MOHAVE

There is unmistakable evidence that at some time in the past a 

large lake covered both Soda and Silver Lakes, not only submerging 

the low divide between them, but also reaching slightly beyond the 

borders of the present playas. The existence of this ancient lake has 

been recognized by several writers,74 but the details of the evidence 

have not been previously presented. As the ancient lake was for, a 

long period the end of the Mohave River drainage system, and as the 

discharge from this system was probably the prime factor in its formation, the writer has suggested that it be called Lake Mohave.75

The evidences of the existence of Lake Mohave comprise wave-cut 

cliffs and "terraces, beach ridges and other beds deposited in lakes, 

and an unmistakable outlet channel toward the north. The moot 

manifest evidence consists of wave-cut cliffs and terraces at the edges 

of rock hills on the west side of Silver Lake, opposite the town of that 

name and also at the extreme northeast end of the playa. (See pi. 

31,5.) Beach ridges are also well developed at the north end of Silver 

Lake. The best, perhaps, is a ridge that reaches from the railroad 

westward to a limestone hill that extends southward from the main 

'rock hills. This ridge, which rises nearly 40 feet above the playa, 

apparently was a sand bar, for between it and the rock hills that form 

the divide of the basin a few hundred feet farther north is a completely 

closed depression or lagoon, the bottom of which is about 15 feet below 

the top of the beach. West of the limestone hill the beach ridge is 

not so evident, for it lies close to the rock hills and the depression 

north of it is not well developed. About 400 feet south of Baker 

station the railroad passes through a short cut in a low gravel ridge 

^that rises westward to the foot of the alluvial slope from the mountains. 

This ridge was probably a bar or spit formed by shore currents or by

" Gate, H. 8., Notes on the Quaternary lakes of the Great Basin: U. B. Geol. Survey Boll. 540, p. 401, 

1914. Free, E. E., The topographic features of the desert basin of the United States with referenoe to the 

possible occurrence of potash: U. 8, Dept. Agr. Bull. 54, p. 46,1914; An ancient lake basin on the Mohave 

Eiver: Carnegie Inst. Washington Yearbook for 1916, pp. 90-91. Huntington, Ellsworth, The curtail*- 

ment of rivers by desiccation: Carnegie Inst. Washington Yearbook for 1915, p. 06.

"Thompson, D. G., Pleistocene lakes along Mohave Eiver, California (abstract): Washington Acad. 

Sci. Jour., vol. 11, No. 17, p. 424,1921. , ' ;,
564 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEQION, CALIFORNIA

the deposition of alluvium washed in from near-by mountains oft- the 

west. At Soda, Lake station a low ridge of alluvium lies between 

the main mountain and a small limestone knob that projects into the 

play a. Several feet of gravel with clay lenses is exposed in a railroad 

cut through the ridge. According to railroad surveys the altitude of 

this gravel is just about the same as the level of the beach ridge «t the 

north end of Silver Lake. It is 15 or 20 feet above the play a. No 

beach lines were observed east of the town of Silver Lake, but a more 

careful inspection may show them to exist. It is possible, 

that if any were formed they have been obliterated by alltlvial 

from the mountains.

For a time Lake Mohave had an outlet northward in the great 

valley that reaches to Death Valley. This outlet passed through a low 

notch cut in the rock hills north of Silver Lake playa, at a point marked 

X in Plate 31, B. From the playa a gradual slope rises for sdveral 

hundred feet to the barrier beach west of the limestone hill: described 

above. North of this beach the land slopes again toward the rock 

hills and to the outlet. When the writer saw the outlet in 1917 the 

conditions were clearly shown, for a short time previously some artificial excavation had been made, apparently as part of an attempt to 

drain the playa by pumping water over the divide after it was flooded 

in 1918. The outlet channel was cut slightly into rock but-was partly 

filled again with sand and gravel, which form the divide in the channel. 

The top of the alluvium in the channel is at about the same level as 

the top of the beach ridge, but the bedrock in the channel is about 8 

feet lower than the top of the beach ridge. The rock'channel near the 

divide is generally less than 20 fe^t wide and only a few feet deep.

The rather small size of the channel indicates that the discharge of 

the lake was not great. The lake evidently extended beyond the 

borders of the present play as of Soda and Silver Lakes. On the north 

and west the borders of the ancient Lake Mohave were rather definitely, 

determined by rock hills. On the east, south, and southwest, however, 

alluvium may have been washed in since the lake ceased to exist, pushnig the border of the playas some distance inward from the former 

lake border. There is some evidence of this near Crucero, for blue 

clay and blue sand, generally believed to indicate deposition in a lake, 

were found in wells in sec. 18, T. 11 N., R. 8 E., 2 or 3 miles west of 

the present border of Soda Lake playa. (See p. 519.) The total 

area of ancient Lake Mohave was probably between 75 and 100 square 

miles.

The surface of Silver Lake playa is about 900 feet above sea level. 

Altitudes determined on the beach ridges show that at its maximum 

the water surface was about 40 feet higher, so that at the north end of 

the basin the lake was fully that deep: It was, in fact, probably 

somewhat deeper, having been shallowed in its later stages by the 

deposition of sediment. If topographic and drainage conditions dur-
SODA'LAKE AND SILVER LAKE ¥A!/LET& r

i

ing the existence of,the take were similar to those at present, the south 

end of the lake was probably much shallower than the north end, fou 

then, as now, Mo-hare River doubtless washed in so much alluvium 

that the playaa bad a s%ht northward slope.

Hie age of Lake Mohave is uncertain. Molhiak sheik were fwind 

in the beach deposits at Baker, but the species are of little value in 

determining the age of the beds, except that they are probably Qua tor-1 

nary. On the assumption that during the Pleistocene epoefe the 

precipitation throughout the entire Basin and Range province was 

somewhat greater than at present the lake is beliered to have existed 

contemporaneously with other lakes now extinct, such as Lake Botaie* 

ville, Lake Lahontan, and the Owens-Searles Lake system. (See 

p. 110.) As described on pages 111, 450, and SSS-^SO, lakes are also 

beliered to have existed at about the same time in Cronise Valley 

(Little Mohave Lake) and in the Lower Mohave Valley near Manix 

(Manix Lake). The relation of Lake Mohave to Little Mohave Lake* 

and Manix Lake is uncertain and raises some questions, as pointed 

out below.

The total area now tributary to the playas that mark the site of 

Lake Mohave is estimated from planimeter measurements to be about 

3,500 square miles. Certain areas now separated from the basin by 

low alluvial divides but then possibly parts of it may have increased 

the drainage area by 500 to 1,000 square miles. About half of the 

present area is tributary to the playas through Mohave River; of the 

remainder about 670 square miles is tributary through Kelso Wash, 

and the rest slopes more or less directly to the playaa.

It is said by inhabitants of the valley that when Soda and Silver 

lakes become real lakes, at irregular intervals, the discharge from 

Mohave Kiver is the only important source of watet. Although the 

mountains east of Soda Lake rise 5,000 to 7,000 feet above sea level, 

the largest arroyo is only 2 or 3 feet deep and a few yards wide, and 

apparently most of the water sinks into the alluvium before it reaches 

the play a. Most of the run-off that causes the flooding of the playas 

now comes from the very heavy precipitation in an area of tittle1 

more than 200 square miles hi the San Bernardino Mountains, about 

125 miles distant. (See p. 386.) In discussing the origin of,.the 

Quaternary lakes of the Great Basin, Gale w has pointed out that the 

largest of these lakes were situated in regions that are now drained 

by perennial streams originating in high mountains where the rain* 

fall is much greater than in the lower portions of the basin. He 

believes that a slight increase in the precipitation might be sufficient to 

form lakes in basins fed by these rivers. In the Lake Mohare basin 

conditions are very similar, though on a smaller scale. Unless the 

precipitation in the rest of the basin was greatly increased, tke head-

» Gate, H. 8., Quaternary lakes of the Great Basic: t?. 8; Oeol. SorVef Bttll. «4d, -pp. «B*408, itit*. 

5031 29 37
566 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CAXJFOBNIA

water region of Mohave River must have been the principal factor, 

in producing Lake Mohave.

Assumuig, therefore, that the greater part of the water that formed 

Lake Mohave came from the San Bemardino Mountains, a question 

arises as to the relative age of Lake Mohave, Little Lake Mohave, 

and Manix Lake. Did Mohave River reach the site of Lake Mohave 

before Manix Lake was formed? If so, when the river channel was 

dammed, hi a manner as yet unsolved, and Manix Lake was created, 

no great supply of water reached the Lake Mohave basin until 

Manix Lake had overtopped its barrier. Was the Silver Lake basin 

closed by the inwash of alluvium northeast of Silver Lake prior to the 

formation of Manix Lake, or during its existence, or even not until 

sometime after it ceased to exist? Buwalda n states that the barrier 

at the northeast border of Manix Lake is composed of comparatively 

unconsolidated alluvium, and once the lake overtopped this barrier 

the water would presumably-deepen its channel and drain the lake 

rather rapidly. It may not have been until this occurred that Lake 

Mohave came into existence. Under such circumstances, with only 

one of the two lakes existing at the same time, a much smaller supply 

of water would have been required than if they had existed contemporaneously. In view of the possible variations in the correlation 

of the age of these lakes it is believed that further studies of the lake 

beds in the Mohave River basin may be worth while in order to 

obtain information for interpreting the climatic conditions under 

which the lakes existed.

Of more than passing interest is the finding in September, 1917,. 

of the dried remains of many fish along the edge of the Silver Lake 

playa. Several specimens collected by the writer were submitted 

to Dr. B. A. Bean, of the United States National Museum, who 

identified them as the ordinary catfish, Ameiurus nebulosus, which 

presumably had been introduced from other parts of the country, 

and a species of the chub, Siphateles mohavensis. Both of these 

species are known to live in pools at different places on Mohave 

River. Apparently they had been washed into Silver Lake by the 

waters of Mohave River during the flood of 1916, and as the temporary 

lake^dried up they were stranded and dried. They were so numerous, 

however, that there is some question as to whether all had been 

washed in or whether only a comparatively few were carried by the 

floods and most of them had been born and grew during the year or 

more that the lake existed. The fish must have been carried at least 

25 miles by the flood waters and probably a much greater distance 

from their regular habitat.

The occurrence of these fish remains on a desert playa many miles 

from their regular habitat emphasizes the fact that the finding of

" Buwalda, J. P., Pleistocene beds at Manix, with eastern Mohave Desert region: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 7, p. 45d, 1914.
ROD A LAKE AND SILVER LAKE VALLEYS

fresh-water remains in deposits in a desert region that show some of 

the characteristics of lake beds can not be too strictly interpreted to 

indicate the existence of a perennial fresh-water lake. If these fish 

remains were buried by later deposits and subsequently exposed, 

their presence might be considered erroneously to indicate that they 

had lived in a lake that existed for a period of years. And if, perchance, the wave-cut cliffs and terraces of Lake Mohave were still 

visible they might be even more erroneously correlated with the lake 

that cut the cliffs. It is of interest to note that both Orcutt 78 and 

MacDougal 79 record a similar occurrence of fish remains in Lake 

Maquata, an ephemeral lake on the delta of Colorado Kiver a few 

miles south of the Mexican boundary. Fish have been carried into 

this playa when it is flooded from time to time by the river under 

conditions similar to those that resulted in the formation of Salton 

Sea. In addition to the fish remains Orcutt found millions of freshwater snails and clam shells, although water that was present on 

part of the playa was very salty.

The writer has endeavored to find criteria that may be used in 

determining whether deposits in the desert basins like those in the 

Silver Lake basin have been laid down in perennial lakes or in ephemeral lakes that existed for a year, or two or three years at the most, 

with intervening periods when the lakes evaporated and playas 

resulted. However, unless there is physiographic evidence in the 

form of wave-cut cliffs or beaches the only reasonably reliable criterion appears to be the color of the sediment. The prevailing conception is that a greenish or bluish color of the beds indicates deposition beneath water; but the writer has^ not been able to find any 

information as to whether this is an infallible indication of deposition 

in a lake enduring for only a year or several years, or whether it 

indicates the existence of the lake for many years.

The presence of Siphateles mohavensis in the Mohave drainage 

system is suggestive in connection with the question of the, former 

extent of that system, as pointed out by Snyder.80 In describing this 

species he writes:

The fishes of the Mohave River belong to a single species, a member of the 

genus Siphateles, a channel and lake minnow which occurs in the SacramentoSan Joaquin, Klamath, Oregon Lake, Columbia, and Lahontan systems and 

Owens River. The species of this group are very closely related, intergradation 

of distinctive characters being not unusual. In a measure they resemble geographic races or subspecies of birds and mammals as usually defined, except 

that, being fluvial and lacustrine forms, the range of each is definitely circumscribed, and no intermingling or interbreeding of individuals of different forms 

is possible. Species of Siphateles are not known from Santa Ana or Colorado 

Rivers.

78 Oreatt, C. B., A visit to Lake Maquata: Western Am. Scientist, vol. 7, No. 59, pp. 159,161* 18SJ. 

" MacIJougal, D. T., Tlw desert basins of the Colorado Delta; Am. Oeog. Soc. Bull., vol. m, p. 720,190?, 

* Snyder, J. O., The fishes of Mohave River, California: U. S. Nat. Mas. Proc., vol. 54, pp. 297-289,1S1&
568 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Snyder states that the Mohave species was originally considered 

identical with and described as a cotype of a form found ia the Sacramento-San Joaquin system (SiphatfUs formosm), but he has considered the Mohave form sufficiently different to constitute a new 

species. He writes further:

The large series of specimens from the Mohave reveals & considerable degree 

of differentiation when comparisons are made with specimens of S. formosus and 

S. obesus, the two species which are geographically nearest them. S. obesu* i» 

indigenous to the Lahontan system and Owens Kiver. The immediate rela^ionr 

ship of the Mohave form, which may be known as Siphateles mohavensis, can not 

be determined with certainty from an examination of the fishes, and unless the 

geology of the region points to some previous connection between the Mohave 

basin and the Sacramento-San Joaquin or the Lahontan systems, the question 

may remain only partly answered. There is reason to doubt the possibility that 

the species reaohed the Mohave through stream capture near the headwaters, as 

the species of Siphateles appear to be lacustrine and channel forms and are not 

known to migrate far up into the smaller tributaries. The occurrence of the 

genus in streams without deep, sloughlike channels or direct connection with a 

lake is rare, and individuals are not at any time found at a distance- from such 

places.

As described on pages 110-111 a chain of lakes'extended from the 

Owens River basin through Searles Lake to the Panamint Valley. 

It is believed that there was overflow from Panamint Lake to Death 

Valley, where the existence of a lake hi is long been suspected but only 

recently confirmed.81 (See p. 186.) Mohave River also at one time 

reached the south end of Death Valley. It seems quite likely that 

an ancestral form of SipJiateles obesus, which now inhabits Owens 

River, may have traveled through the Owens-Death Valley system 

and through a permanent or temporary lake in Death Valley and 

entered the Mohave River basin,, where it became modified to the 

S. mohavensis form. If the fish once reached Death Valley, there were 

no impassable barriers to prevent it ascending the Mohave,. providing 

the water in the valley was not so saline as to kill it. If fish entered 

Mohave River from Death Valley, it would be reasonable to expect 

that the same species also entered Amargosa River, which joined the 

Mohave about 25 miles north of Silver Lake. Perhaps, therefore, 

Siphateles may be found living in the Amargosa River basin.

GROUND WATER

GENEBAL CONDITIONS

Meager data were obtained in regard to four wells in the valley 

of Silver Lake and five wells in the valley of Soda Lake near Baker. 

These data are given in the table on page 524, and the location of 

the wells is shown on Plate 28. Ground-water conditions on tia

« NoWe, L. P., Note on a eoiemanite deposit near Shosbone, Calif,, with a sketch of the geology of a part 

ef Amargosa Valley; TJ. S. Geol. Survey BaH. 785, p. 6ft, 103SJ; Tbe San Aadreas rift and some other active 

faults JB rh» desert region of southeastern California: Caraegte last. Washington Yearbook 25, p. 426, teas.
SOiXA lAK^E ANO SJLVKm LA03 YftXttNRrr " .

west aid* of Soda Lake from Socla station southward are discussed 

utite Ckucero Valley «XB pages 523-534.

Five of the nine wells mentioned (Nos. 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6, pi, 28) 

are dug and reach only a few feet below water Level. Wall 6, belonging to B. Y. Williams, was dug all the way in material reported as 

"hard gravel." In the well of G. Brauer (No. 1) the upper 14 feet 

of material was gravel and sandy clay with small pebbles. For the 

remaining depth the material was slightly coarser and sandier. No 

data were obtained in regard to the materials penetrated in any of 

the other wells. The depth to water in the wells ranges from about 

20 to 60 feet. The greatest depth to water is at Silver Lake station, 

not far from the edge of the playa. A profile of the water table in 

an approximate north-south direction beneath the two playas is 

shown in Figure 16. This profile is based principally on altitudes 

at several points along the railroad. The exact altitude of the wells 

was not determined accurately, but the error at most of them can 

not be more than a few feet, so that the profile shows the conditions 

with reasonable accuracy. The significant features are that th« 

water table is near the surface beneath a large part of Soda Lake, 

but at the north end of that playa and beneath the whole of Silver 

Lake it lies at a greater depth; and the water table slopes continuously 

from the south end of Soda Lake to the north end of Silver Lake. 

The great depth to water at the north end of Soda Lake in contrast 

to the shallow depth farther south is seen to be due to the fact that 

the playa surface at the north end is nearly level, or at least does not 

have as great a slope as the water table. The northward slope of 

the water table beneath Silver Lake and its great depth seem to 

indicate without any doubt that there is percolation from the basin. 

As indicated on page 562 this probably does not occur tJhrough the 

rook hills at the north end of the playa, but around their east end, 

where the divide appears to be composed of alluvium to a considerable 

depth.

So far as the writer is aware there are no wells on the east side of 

Soda Lake. A single well belonging to the Los Angeles & Salt Lake 

Railroad has been drilled at Balch station. According to a log of the 

well furnished by the railroad the materials penetrated were sand 

and clay to 55 feet, gravel at 55 to 88 feet, sand and gravel at 88 to 

160 feet, sand and clay at 160 to 175 feet, sand at 175 to 205 feet, 

and boulders at 205 to 212 feet. The depth to water was 55 feet. 

A railroad profile shows that the surface of the well is about 50 or 

60 feet above the lowest point where the railroad crosses the south 

end of Soda Lake, where ihe presence of alkali shows that the water 

level is near the surface, and the water level in the well is at about 

the same altitude as beneath the playa.

The depth to water at different points near the edges of the playas 

is probably n6t much greater than is shown in Figure 16. There is
570 THE MOHAVE DESlftT BBCMON, CALIFORNIA

no large supply of ground water moving toward the playas^ e»;ept 

from Mohave River in Crucero Valley. Therefore the water frible 

on each side of the playas probably does not rise very much toward 

the mountains. Accordingly at points farther and farther up the 

alluvial slopes the depth to water will be increasingly great, by an 

amount about equal to the difference in the surface altitude. In 

general a depth to water of 100 feet may be expected within 1 or 2 

miles of the borders of the playa and of 200 feet within 3 to 5 

miles.

No information is available as to the yield of the drilled wells. 

The yield of the dug wells for which data are available is only a few 

gallons a minute. This small yield is probably due in part to the 

fact that the wells are dug only a few feet below the water level, 

and the water level is quickly lowered to the bottom of the well if 

the rate of pumping is very great. However, there is also some 

evidence that the water-bearing capacity of the materials penetrated 

is not very great. This may be explained by the fact that the wells 

are near the playas, in a position where the material deposited was 

naturally rather fine. Indeed, some of the materials may have been 

deposited in the playa lakes or in Lake Mohave if those lakes at one 

time covered a larger area than the present playas. It seems reasonable that farther from the playas the alluvium may be somewhat 

more permeable, and wells drilled a mile or more from the borders 

of .the playas may yield more water than those for which data are 

available.

QUALITY OF WATER

Analyses have been made of water from two wells, Nos. 1 and 6. 

(See anal^jses 1 and 2, p. 532.) Both waters are highly mineralized, 

containing 1,269 and 2,298 parts per million, respectively. The 

sample from well 6 is high in sodium chloride, or common salt, but 

the other is a sodium bicarbonate water. The water from well 1 is 

only fair for domestic use, and that from well 6 is bad for such use. 

Both samples are poor for irrigation and very bad for boilers.

The rather high mineralization of the waters is undoubtedly due to 

their location near the playas. The flood water that occasionally 

covers the playas becomes concentrated as it evaporates, and such 

water as enters the alluvium carries with it much of the mineral matter 

that accumulates during the process of concentration. The ground 

water at points some distance from the playas may perhaps be of 

better quality, but this is not certain.

WATERING PLACES

In addition to the wells at Silver Lake and Baker stations there are 

several places in or near the mountains on the east side of the Soda 

Lake-Silver Lake basin where water may be obtained under certain 

circumstances.
SODA LAKE AND SILVEE LAKE VALLEYS 571

Hyten's Wett. Hyfe&'s Well is about 10 miles east of Silver Lake, 

two-tenths of a mile south of the road from Silver Lake to Valley 

Wells and Nipton. The well is really an inclined shaft dug in granite, 

in which the depth to water is about 125 feet. In 1917 the well was 

equipped with a bucket and windlass. The water has not been analyzed, but it appears to be of good quality. It is reported that water 

can be obtained from three shallow wells at a stamp mill about 1% 

miles south of Hyten's Well. Hyten's Well should not be confused 

with Hyten's Spring, in the southwestern part of T. 10 N., R. 9 E,

Halloran Spring. Halloran Spring is 14.5 miles east of Silver Lake 

by way of the road to Valley Wells. It is near the junction of this road 

with the new road from Baker to Valley Wells and Roach, which 

ascends Halloran Wash. (See pis. 7 and 12.) The spring is on the 

north side of the easterly one of two large branches of the wash, at 

the west end of low hills that rise toward a large lava flow farther east. 

The spring issues from granite about 100 feet east of the Silver Lake 

road. A buried pipe line carries the water to a near-by trough for 

watering cattle. D. F. Hewett reported that in 1927 the trough 

was equipped with a ball float, which was housed in such a way that 

fresh water could not be obtained from the pipe. As shown by analysis 

12 (p. 532), the water is moderately mineralized. A sample collected 

by the writer on October 29, 1917, contained 854 parts per million 

of total solids, and one collected by G. A. Waring on August 23, 1916, 

contained about 890 parts per million more of total solids. The 

water is a sodium carbonate water and is fair for domestic use.

Granite Spring. Granite Spring is in the north-central part of T. 

14 N., R. 11 E. (See pi. 12.) No definite information is available 

in regard to the spring, but it is believed to be used as a watering 

place for cattle.

Henry Spring. Henry Spring is reported to be about 1% miles 

almost due west of Granite Spring, in the northwestern part of 

T. 14 N., R. 11 E. It is said to flow about a gallon a minute and is 

used as a watering place for cattle. It can be reached by a road 

leading from the main road between Valley Wells and Halloran Spring.

Deer Spring. Deer Spring is shown on the Ivanpah topographic 

map in sec. 20 or 21, T. 14 N., R. 13 E., about 1^£ miles northwest of 

the high rounded summit that is 6 miles northwest of Cima. It is not 

near any road, and nothing is known about it.

Indian Creek. It is stated that water runs throughout the year at 

the head of Indian Creek, 18 miles almost due west of Cima. A pipe 

line formerly carried water from this creek to the Whitney mine, but 

it was torn up in 1917. The road that leads to the west of the creek, 

from Marl Springs to Silver Lake, is said to be impassable for automobiles because of heavy sand.

Unnamed well. About 4.5 miles east of Halloran Spring, at.,'4 

point 500 feet south of the Silver Lake-Nipton road, is an inclinec!
672 THE MOHAVE 1>ESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

shaft dug in granite, which in 1917 contained water at a depth of 

about 35 feet. Water for use in emergency probably eould be ofrtained from this well with a rope and bucket.

PROSPECTS FOB IRRIGATION

In 1917 there was no agricultural development in either Soda Lake 

or Silver Lake Valley. No ranchers were living in the valleys, and 

there seems to be no prospect of any worth-while development in the 

future. The meager information available indicates that near the 

playas the yield of wells is likely to be small and the quality of water 

poor for irrigation. Higher up on the alluvial slopes, where the waterbearing beds may possibly yield water more freely and the quality 

of the water may be better, the depth to water is probably so great 

that water could not be pumped economically for irrigation. The 

valleys are so far from any market that irrigation could be profitable 

only under exceptionally favorable conditions, and such necessary 

conditions do not exist in the region.

AMABGOSA DBAINAGE BASIN

GENERAL FEATURES

The Amargosa drainage basin is one of the largest in the Basin and 

.Range province. It is larger than any other drainage basin in the 

Mohave Desert region, although the part of it that is wholly in the 

region is exceeded by the area that is tributary to Soda and Silver 

Lakes, which include the basin of Mohave River.

The main drainage feature of the basin is Amargosa River which 

empties into Death Valley. Like Mohave River, the Amargosa is an 

intermittent stream, with no water flowing in most of its course 

except in the cool months or hi unusually wet years. Besides Amargosa River there is no perennial stream in the region, although in 

some of the mountain canyons short streams may persist for short 

periods after heavy rams. The surface features of the part of the 

drainage basin outside of the area covered by this report are shown on 

the topographic maps of the Kawich and Furnace Creek quadrangle 

and the Amargosa region.

What may be termed the headwater region of the Amargosa drainage basin that is, the part farthest from the lower end of the river 

is in a high dissected area known as Pahute Mesa, about 30 miles 

north of the town of Rhyolite, Nev., and more than 90 miles northwest of the point where the river enters the northern part of the 

Mohave Desert region as shown on Plate 11. The headwater drainage from a large area of mountainous country is collected in several 

major drainage lines. Amargosa River is considered as beginning a 

few miles north of Rhyolite. Near Rhyolite the river emerges from 

the more or less dissected hilly and mountainous region into a broad
 AMABGOSA DRAINAGE BASIN ;

valley that slopes southeastward and lies approximately parallel to 

and just east of the boundary line between Nevada and California,

This valley, which is known as the Amargosa-Desert, is >§ tt> B 

miles wide and practically unbroken by hilk for 50 miles. *The 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad lies in this valley from Rhyolite to 

Sperry siding. According to the topographic map the course of 

Amargosa River for most of this distance is only a sandy wash. The 

river crosses the California-Nevada boundary line at latitude £6° 30' 

and continues in a more southerly direction. Near latitude 36° !§', 

about 5 miles south of Death Valley Junction, the valley is somewhat 

constricted by a low mountain known as Eagle Mountain, which lie* 

practically in the middle of the valley. The drainage apparently k 

partly ponded behind this barrier, for a playa or somewhat similar clay 

flat lies just north of it. Flood waters, however, may pass to the 

west side of the mountain. South of Eagle Mountain the valley here 

continues for about 25 miles, but its width is only 2 to 5 miles. Near 

Shoshone, in T. 22 N., R. 7 E. (see pi. 11), the valley is again constricted. South of that point for about 10 miles, although the valley 

is wide it'is much dissected, and the smooth slopes of the portion 

farther north are lacking. Just south of Tecopa Amargosa River 

cuts through low mountains for about 10 miles, and between Speary 

and Dumont it emerges from them onto an open alluvial slope.

From the point where the river leaves the mountains, near Dumontt 

it flows southwestward down the alluvial slope for about 10 miks, 

dropping in that distance an average of about 50 feet t® the milft. 

Near the west-central part ofT. 18N.,R.6E., the river turns north* 

westward into the south end of Death Valley and continues in that 

direction for about 30 miles, to the great salt flat that lies in the 

bottom of the valley. In this part of its course the grade is only 

about 15 feet to the mile.

For convenience in description the Amargosa Basin and certain 

important tributary areas have been divided into several sections 

namely, the Upper Amargosa Basin, the Middle Amargosa Basin, 

the Lower Amargosa Basin, Wingate Valley, Lower Kingston VaHey, 

Upper Kingston Valley, and Riggs Valley. The Upper Amargosa 

Basin does not lie within the Mohave Desert region and is n#t d«r 

scribed in this report. The boundaries of the other areas are shown 

on Plate 7. These areas are described in the following pages.

MIDDLE' AMARGOSA BASIN

GENEBAL FEATURES

i

In the present report the Middle Amargosa Basin is considered as 

that part of the basin above the mountains south of Tecopa. Most 

of the area is not in the Mohave Desert region. The writer did not 

see any of the Middle Basin, and the following brief statements in
574 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

regard to the geology and water supplies are based largely on information furnished by G. R. Mansfield and L. F. Noble, of the United 

States Geological Survey.

The basin is traversed from southeast to northwest by the Tonopah 

& Tidewater Railroad. From the south it is accessible by automobile 

only by roundabout routes. A road formerly led up the canyon 

of Amargosa River through the mountains south of Tecopa, but it 

has been destroyed by flood waters, and in places the river bed is 

soft. From the south the approach to the canyon is up a sandy slope 

which is difficult for automobiles. Although the road is occasionally 

used by persons familiar with the region,'it is dangerous unless the 

traveler is fully prepared to meet any difficulties that may arise. 

A road that was formerly much used led from Saratoga Springs 

northward across mountains to the Ibex mine and thence to Zabriskie. 

However, sandy stretches on an up grade make this road practically 

impassable for automobiles going northward from Saratoga Springs. 

Lightly loaded automobiles might be able to descend this road, but 

as it is now little used the traveler would be unwise to attempt it. 

It is understood that a road leading from the Tonopah & Tidewater 

Railroad near Valjean station in a northerly direction to a paint near 

Rabbit Holes and thence to the Tecopa smelter is also difficult to 

travel. The most feasible routes to Tecopa, Zabriskie, and Shoshone 

are either northward in Death Valley to the Confidence mill and 

thence northeastward by way of Bradbury Well and Salsberry Spring 

or by way of Silver Lake or Baker to Mesquite and Pahrump Valleys 

and westward through Emigrant Pass and past Resting Springs to 

Tecopa. The Death Valley route is much shorter from Barstow 

and Silver Lake than the route by way of Pahrump Valley, but it 

has the disadvantage that it passes through entirely uninhabited 

country for much longer distances than the other route, and sand 

and long grades are encountered.

Tecopa and Shoshone are railroad telegraph stations with post 

offices. In 1918 supplies and water could be obtained at both places. 

At that time Zabriskie was the headquarters for a railroad section: 

crew, but no supplies were available. In the past ranches have been 

maintained at Resting Springs, Yeoman Hot Springs, and the China 

ranch (also called the Morrison ranch). There has been some more 

or less sporadic mining activity in the region. Conditions are not 

favorable for agriculture.

The distribution of different types of rocks as shown on Plate 8 

has been taken from unpublished data kindly furnished by Messrs. 

Noble and Mansfield. The bedrocks consist chiefly of sedimentary 

rocks of pre-Tertiary age. In the northwestern part of the region 

are Tertiary volcanic rocks, and in the vicinity of the China ranch 

are sedimentary rocks of Tertiary age. The central part of the por-
AMARGOSA DRAINAGE BASIN

tkm of Middle Amargosa Basin -tkat lies in the Mohave Desert 

region is underlain by playa and lake beds, presumably of Pleistocene 

age. These beds contain nitrate and have been explored in an effort 

to discover deposits of commercial value.82 The beds in part were 

deposited in a lake, evidence of which is found particularly as a shore 

line along the mountain sides.88 The lake beds have been greatly 

dissected into badland forms. The conditions are essentially similar 

to those in the Middle Mohave Valley, where a lake known as Manix 

Lake once existed and eventually was drained as the lake overtopped 

the barrier that held it in. After this overtopping of the barrier a 

river channel was eroded to a considerable depth in the unconsoHdated 

sediment that had been deposited in the lake.

GROUND WATER

Three wells are reported in the northwestern part of a branch of 

the main basin that is known as Chicago Valley. (See pi. 11.) 

These are all from 2 to 4 miles north of Yeoman Hot Springs and 

about 6 miles east of Shoshone, on a road that branches to the northwest from a road that lies in the axis of the valley. Unfortunately 

no information is available in regard to them. At an old borax works 

about 1^4 miles southwest of Zabriskie are two drilled wells which 

flow. One of the wells yields sulphur water, but that from the other 

is of somewhat better quality. There is a dry well in sec. 36, T. 21 N., 

R; 6 E.

Springs are rather more numerous than in most other parts of the 

Mohave Desert region. Water is at or near the surface of the wash 

of Amargosa River at several places, especially in the canyon below 

the China ranch, but the water is reported generally to be salty. 

Several more or less permanent springs are found on Willow Creek, 

about 2 miles east of the China ranch. At that ranch is a spring 

with a constant flow of fresh water but of small volume. Water for 

railroad use at Shoshone is obtained from a warm spring a short 

distance north of the town. Water for Tecopa is obtained from a 

warm spring just north of the town. About halfway between Tecopa 

and Zabriskie is a hot spring. The water from the springs at Shoshone 

and Tecopa is not very good for domestic use. A spring of poor 

water is reported to be situated in sec. 35, T. 21 N., R. 7 E. A warm 

or hot spring at the ranch of Alec. Yeoman, about 5 miles southeast 

of Shoshone, is said to flow 10 miner's inches. It has been used for 

irrigation. Resting Springs, on a road leading from Tecopa to 

Pahrump Valley, yields a good supply of water. There is not much 

definite outflow at Tule Springs, but water for drinking can probably 

be obtained by digging.

88 Noble, L. F., Mansfield, O. R., and others, Nitrate deposits in the Amargosa region, southeastern 

CaBtornla: U. 8. Oeol. Survey Bull. 724,1922. : . 

" Idem, p. 60.
576 THE MO^AVE DBSEBT REGION, CALIFORNIA 

LOWER AMABOOSA BASIN (INCLUDING SOUTH DEATH VALLEY)

GENERAL FEATUBES

The Lower Amargosa Basin is considered as including the territory 

directly tributary to Amargosa River below the point where it 

emerges from a canyon in low mountains near Sperry station on the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. Except for the area between Sperry 

and Saratoga Springs and for certain tributary valleys, this p"arf of 

the basin «f Amargosa River is more commonly known as South Death 

Valley. Before entering Death Valley the river receives drainage from 

a large area to the southeast, described on pages 598-^606 as Upper 

Kingston and Lower Kingston Valleys.

There are no permanent habitations in the region. There have 

been some sporadic attempts at mining both metal and saline deposits in the Owls Head, Avawatz, and other mountains, but up to 

the tune of the writer's visit in 1917-18 there had been no important 

developments.

Although rather isolated the region has a peculiar fascination for 

the desert traveler, perhaps in part because of the reputation ascribed 

to it by the rather awesome name of Death Valley. (See p. 15.) However, regardless of the attraction due to its reputation alone, the 

region exhibits scenic features that are rather out of the ordinary 

and make a trip into it well worth while. The region is of special 

interest to the geologist and geomorphologist, for the little work that 

has been done shows that its geologic history has been very complicated. For these and other reasons, in spite of the supposed dangers 

involved, there is considerable travel through the valley.

As a matter of fact, the region may be traversed with comparative 

safety provided certain precautions are followed, except that because 

of the great heat the danger is greater in the warm months. The 

precautions to be observed are essentially only those to be followed 

in traveling other parts of the desert, but the preparations for meeting 

emergencies must be doubly sure. Above all, supplies of water, 

gasoline, and oil must be not merely sufficient for reasonably anticipated needs, but there should be an extra supply for unforeseen 

emergencies. Heavy sand and long grades will be encountered, and 

generally more water, gasoline, and oil will be used than in ordinary 

desert travel. Shovels should be carried for digging out sandy 

places, and it is not infrequently necessary to rebuild stretches of 

roads that have been washed out. The traveler's automobile should 

be in good condition, and minor repair parts should be carried. So 

far as possible before entering the region the traveler should inquire 

as to recent changes in road conditions and watering places.

Since the writer worked in the Lower Amargosa Basin in 1917-18, 

a tourist resort has been established near the Furnace Creek ranch,
AMARGQSA D BAIN AGE BASIN 577

about 00 miles north el $1& northern boundary of the araa shown on 

Plat.e 11. Although & large part of the travel to this resort probably 

goes by way of the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad it is understood 

that a considerable part goes by automobile from southern Cafiforaia. 

Accordingly road conditions are now probably somewhat better thftja 

formerly, and the chance of obtaining help in emergencies is perhaps 

a little better.

Death Valley may be entered by several routes. One or more roads 

enter the valley from its extreme north end. An important route If 

by way of Searles Lake and Trona, or by way of Pilot Knob and 

Ballarat, to the north end of Panamint Valley, thence across the Panamint Range and down into the valley along Emigrant Wash. A continuation of this road constitutes a route into the valley from Beatty 

and Rhyolite, Nov., on the east, descending into the valley through 

Boundary Canyon. This route between Panamint Valley and Beatty 

by way of Emigrant Wash and Boundary Canyon is uaed for travel 

between Los Angeles and Goldfield and points farther northeast. 

Death Valley may also be entered from the east by way of roads that 

lead northwest from either Shoshone or Death Valley Junction, on the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad, into Furnace Creek Wash and thence 

down that wash into the valley near the Furnace Creek ranch. A 

third route from the east leads westward from Shoshone and Tecopa 

by way of Salsberry Spring and Bradbury Well. (See pi. 11.) A 

little-used route runs from the south end of Panamint Valley through 

/Wingate Pass. (See p, 591.) From the south the valley may, be 

reached by three routes, which unite near its south end. One of these 

comes from Randsburg and other points to the southwest, by way of 

Granite Wells and Leach Spring and down Owl Holes Wash. The 

second comes from Barstow and Daggett by way of Garlic Spring an4 

Cave Springs and down Cave Springs Wash. The third comes from 

Silver Lake through Riggs Valley. The routes from Barstow and 

Randsburg 'are the shortest into the valley for travelers coming from 

Los Angeles. They are of about equal length, and except for possible 

bad stretches, which may change from tune to time according to 

weather conditions, there seems to be little choice between them.

Death Valley is a deep trough, the bottom of which is many 

hundreds of feet below the mountains that almost completely 

surround it. As a result, in order to get out of the valley it is 

necessary to climb grades of greater or less steepness. Most of 

th% roads lead through mountain passes that are several thousand 

feet above the valley bottom, and the grades are steep. For example, 

the road leading up Emigrant Wash and Canyon for several miles 

has ft grade of 500 to 700 feet to the mile. Although these roads 

may be descended with ease, the grade, combined in many places with 

the sandy or gravelly nature of the road bed, m^ke* the ascent difficult
578 THE MOHAVE DE&EBT REGION, CALIFORNIA

and at times impossible for all except the highest-powered automobiles. In contrast to most of the routes, the route from the south 

end of the valley to Silver Lake has a comparatively gentle grade, 

ascending only about 700 feet in 30 miles! The road up Owl Holes 

Wash, at the southwest end of the valley, although having a steeper 

grade than the Silver Lake road, probably affords the next easiest 

route out of the valley.

Travel along the axis of South Death Valley goes by way of a road 

On the west side of the valley to a point about 10 miles northwest of 

Saratoga Springs, where it crosses to the east side of Amargosa River 

and continues northward for about 3 miles to the old Confidence mill. 

In 1918 it was reported that the road was nbt passable northwest of 

this place for several miles, and it was necessary to ascend a road 

leading up Rhodes Wash toward Shoshone for about 6 miles and theft 

turn northwestward again down the so-called Carbonate mine road 

into the valley.

In 1918 the road from Barstow led down Cave Springs Wash to the 

base of the alluvial fan in front of the wash and joined the road from 

Silver Lake about 2 miles south of Saratoga Springs. A mile and a 

half north of Cave Springs a little-used branch road to the left led 

to Denning Spring, about 3 miles from the main road. Beyond the 

spring the road continued through a cannon. A map furnished to 

the writer by the Automobile Club of Southern California in 1927 

showed the road by way of Denning Spring as being more used at 

that time for travel into Death Valley.

The climate of South Death Valley is probably about the same as 

at the Greenland ranch (Furnace Creek ranch) on the east side of 

Death Valley about 65 miles northwest of Saratoga Springs. Data 

in regard to climatic conditions there are given on pages 69-89. : The 

average annual rainfall is very low, less than 2 inches. The temperatures are high, both in summer and in winter. At the Greenland 

ranch maximum summer temperatures of 120° have befen reported 

in different years in each month from June to August. Even in the 

winter midday temperatures of 80° and more are reported. On 

winter nights, however, the temperature may drop several degrees 

below freezing. The temperatures in the mountains bordering the 

valley are, of course, probably several degrees lower than on the 

valley bottom.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

»

The principal feature of the Lower Amargosa Basin is the Death 

Valley trough, which extends in a northwesterly direction for about 

130 miles. For less than half of this distance the drainage is 

tributary to Amargosa River, which ends in a playa in the lowest 

part of the valley. Within the area shown on Plate 11 the valley 

is from 3 to 5 miles wide. Along Amargosa River the valley is
AMABGO6A DRAINAGE BASItf 579

rather flat for half a mile or more . on ea|ch side of the river and 

descends toward the playa with a gentle grjade. At Saratoga Springs 

the altitude is about 215 feet above sea level; at the Ooiifictenee 

mill, about 13 miles to the northwest, it is about 15 feet below sea 

tevel, and the grade between the two places is about 18 feet to the 

mile. The lowest point in Death Valley, 1 which is also the lowest 

point in the United States, is about 3 miles east of Bennett's Well, 

about 20 miles northwest of Saratoga Springs, where the surface is 

296 feet below sea level.84

Near Saratoga Springs Amargosa River hardly deserves the name of 

a river, for it consists generally only of several dry channels. An 

uncompleted topographic 'map made by the United States Geological 

Survey shows that as the river emerges from its canyon near Sperry 

it descends an alluvial slope with a grade of 50 to 100 feet to the mile. 

In this part of its course it divides into two or more distributaries. 

These, however, are brought together again about 4 miles southeast 

of Saratoga Springs, where the course of the river is determined by a 

fock ridge which extends across the valley from the north and through 

which the river has cut but a single channel. West of this ridge the 

valley bottom is rather flat, and the stream branches out again into 

two or more distributaries. In September, 1917, and January, 1918, 

on the branch road from the Silver Lake-Owl Holes road to Saratoga 

Springs the course of the river was indicated only by two or three 

insignificant channels, a foot or two deep and several feet wide. They 

were dry in September, 1917, and only slightly moist in the following 

January, but the presence of salt grass and mesquite and of alkali in 

spots shows that the water is near the surface. It is apparent, however, that in spite of the large drainage area tributary to them there 

is practically no flow in the channels of Amargosa River near Saratoga 

Springs except in the wettest seasons.

The flat bottom of Amargosa Valley below Saratoga Springs is 

interrupted at one or two places by low hills. The most prominent of 

these are the so-called Confidence Hills, near the old Confidence mil, 

in T. 20 N., R. 4 E., which are about 10 miles long and 1 mile wide and 

rise 300 to 400 feet above the bottom of the valley. The hills are 

composed principally of clay, probably either lake or playa beds, of 

Tertiary age. The clay contains nitrates, but extensive tests have 

not shown the deposits to be rich enough to warrant commercial 

exploitation.85

From the relatively level land along Amargosa River alluvial fa'ns 

.*ise toward the mountains, their gradients increasing as the mountain^ 

are approached. The mountains rise steeply. In the area shown on 

Plate 11, however, the mountains do not rise as high or as steeply as

w U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 766, p. 267, 1925. I

M Noble, L. F., Mansfield, G. R., and others, Nitrate deposits jn the Amargosa region, southern California: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 724, pp. 51-69, 1922.
§80 THE MOHAVE DBSBRT HEGION, CALIFORNIA

farther north in the valley. For example, just west of Benaett's well 

the alluvial slope rises about 1,500 feet in 3 miles, and above that the 

mountains rise fully 10,000 feet in 8.5 miles to Telescope Peak* in the 

Panamint Range, and form a veritable wall which constitutes an 

almost impassable barrier for many miles. The mountains on the 

east side of the valley are likewise steep but do not rise as high- as 

the Panamint Range. The narrow troughlike character of the valley 

suggests that it has been formed by faulting, a huge block of the 

earth's crust being dropped downward between the parts that now 

constitute the mountains. Faulting of considerable magnitude -has 

been observed on the east side of the valley, but definite evidence of 

faulting on the west side is still lacking.85* The structure is complex, 

and further work is necessary to determine the true structure.

The rocks of the mountains on both sides of Death Valley north of 

Saratoga Springs consist principally of pre-Tertiary crystalline and 

metamorphic rocks granite and other intrusive rocks, gneiss, schist, 

and sedimentary rocks that are more or less metamorphosed, including 

marble, quartzite, and slate.86 At Saratoga Springs the rocks are 

limestone, slate, and conglomerate, intruded by gabbro or diabase.87 

The rocks strike approximately north and dip about 50° E.

In T. 18 N., Rs. 4 and 5 E., the southeasterly trend of the great 

Death VaUey trough is interrupted by the Avawatz Mountains, which 

rise to a height of more than 6,000 feet above sea level and are about 

that high above the bottom of the valley near Saratoga Springs. 

However, the valley is not completely closed hi, for there is an offset 

to the east for several miles to Rs. 7 and 8 E., and thence a broad 

valley extends southward for many miles and includes the Lower 

Kingston, Riggs, Silver Lake, and Soda Lake Valleys. (See pi. 11.)

The part of the valley that comprises the offset toward the east 

just mentioned is somewhat constricted but not fully cut off, hi two 

localities, by low hills that extend southward from the main mass of 

the Amargosa Range. The eastern part of the offset consists of a 

broad sandy alluvial fan built out from the mouth of Kingston Wash, 

from which it slopes gently westward. (See p. 604.)

In the eastern part of the valley, below the mouth of the canyon of 

Amargosa River below Sperry and on the fan of Kingston Wash* 

there is much wind-blown 'sand, with some large dunes. Dunes are 

also to be seen in reentrants in the mountains between Saratoga 

Springs and the canyon of Amargosa River.

At the southwest end of the valley, opposite Saratoga Springs, is a 

larger embayment or valley in the mountainous border that is some-

" Nobls, L. F., The San Andreas rift and some other active faults in the desert region of southeastern 

California: Carnegie lost. Washington Yearbook 25, pp. 425-436,1920.

w Noblej, L. F., Mansfield, G. R., and others, op. cit., p. 28.

17 Spurr; J. E., Descriptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions' 

Californiac U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 208, p. 188,1903.
AKAEQOSA DRAINAGB BASES . 581

what like the offset to the east, just described, exeept that the kad 

rises more steeply and culminates in a low divide, just west of the 

Owl Holes, at an altitude about 1 ,800 feet above Amargosa Elver near 

Saratoga Springs, This valley f several miles wide hi its lower part, 

is a large alluvial fan built up principally by the drainage from the 

Owls Head Mountains. The principal channel of this fan is known 

as Owl Holes Wash and heads! on the south side of the Owk Head 

Mountains. Near the head of the wash is the Owl Head

mine. Maim 88 states that the rocks in the vicinity «f the mine 

consist of granite, which forms the main mass of the mountain, and 

overlying beds of limestone, jasper, and gypsum. On the south side 

of the wash are gravel and gravelly clay with some gypsum, wiieh 

are exposed to a depth of 15 feet. The beds are older than the recent 

wash and are probably of Pleistocene or Tertiary age. At on© place 

the strike was determined to be S. 85° W. and the dip 27° SH The 

beds have apparently been tilted by faulting. On the south side of 

the wash just west of Owl Holes is a long ridge that extends eastward 

for several miles as a spur of the Avawatz Mountains. Where crossed 

by the road southwest of the Owl Holes this ridge is composed of 

unconsolidated alluvium. Near Denning Springs and hi Cave 

Springs Wash a ridge that is apparently the continuation of that just 

described contains old sedimentary and igneous rocks, so that bedrook 

may lie at or near the surface farther west hi the ridge. The trend 

of the ridge is nearly due east, approximately parallel to the strike of 

the faulted beds of alluvium above Owl Holes Wash. The linear 

extent of the ridge and its rather steep northern and southern slopes 

suggest that it has been raised by faulting. The ridge is roughly in 

line with the eastern end of the great Garlock fault farther west. 

(See pp. 118, 188, 195.)

The southern and southwestern border of the Lower Amargosa 

Basin is formed by the Avawatz Mountains. The southeastern part 

of this range is a high rugged mass, culminating in Avawatz Peak, 

which reaches an altitude of &,100 feet above sea level. Tibe raog« 

becomes lower toward the northwest.

The geology of the mountain is rather complex. The following 

notes are based on rather superficial and incomplete observations 

during the writer's hurried trip between watering places, but they will 

give some idea as to the complexity of the geology. The west end of 

the mountains, near Two Springs, is composed principally of granitic 

rocks. On the south side of the range, about 1^ miles east of Avawatz Dry Lake, talcose schist was observed. Where the Bars-towDeath Valley road crosses the mountains in a low pass about 1% 

miles south of Cave Springs are beds of more or less weathered white,

s! Mann, B. L., Owl Head manganese deposit, Saa Bernardino County, Calif.: Mlfi. and Eng. World 

vol. 44, pp. 743-744, 1916.

5631 29 38
582 THE MOHAVB DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

pink, and brownish rocks whose origin was not fully determined. 

In part they are volcanic, but some of them may be altered sediments. In one place these rocks were observed to strike about due 

north and to dip almost vertically. Just south of Cave Springs is a 

red conglomerate which dips north, down the wash in which the 

springs are situated. The conglomerate is probably of Tertiary or 

Pleistocene age. On the west side of Cave Springs Wash opposite the 

springs is a huge block of quartzite about 100 feet wide and 40 feet 

high, the linear extent of which was undetermined, which apparently 

has been pushed up through the other rocks by faulting.

Below Cave Springs the wash descends across an alluvial fan for 

about 3^ miles. A peculiar feature is that the great alluvial fan, 

the highest part of which lies east of Cave Springs, slopes in a northwesterly direction toward Denning Spring, but Cave Springs Wash 

cuts diagonally across the fan in a northerly direction that is, the 

wash does not follow the original slope of the fan. This unusual 

drainage feature can be well seen from a rock ridge about 3}^ miles 

below Cave Springs. The traveler is also impressed with it if he leaves 

Cave Springs Wash 1 ^ miles below the springs and follows the road 

to Denning Spring. Below Cave Springs the wash receives the drainage from the alluvial fan that rises southeastward from it. Above 

the branching of the roads as well as for some distance below it the 

wash is bordered on both sides by steep banks 5 to 40 feet high cut 

in alluvium older than the Recent deposits. The bank on the west side 

of the wash is not as high as that on the east side. Climbing to the 

top of this bank, the Denning Spring road immediately begins to 

descend northwestward on a slope that is the continuation of the fan 

on the east side of the wash. In other words, Cave Springs Wash 

drains no territory west of the wash. It is apparent that there has 

been an important change in the drainage some of the drainage that 

originally went northwestward toward Denning Spring is now 

diverted to another course. The conditions are essentially those 

recognized by geologists as constituting stream piracy, the present 

Cave Springs Wash having captured the upper part of the large 

alluvial fan that formerly was tributary to what may be termed 

Denning Spring Wash. This fan may be termed the Denning Spring 

fan. A suggested explanation of this change in drainage is as follows. 

At an earlier period Cave Springs Wash probably did not reach as far 

south as now but ended on the north side of the rock ridge that crosses 

its course about 3H> miles north of the springs. Subsequently by 

headward erosion the wash cut through this ridge and reached the 

unconsolidated alluvium of the Denning Spring fan, lying back of it. 

With a steeper grade than that of the fan, perhaps as a result of increased earth movements of which there is much evidence in different 

parts of the Avawatz Mountains, Cave Springs Wash was able to cut
AMAHGOSA DRAINAGE BASIN

its enamel headward and rob Denning Spring Wash of the upper 

part of *it» drainage.

About 3^ miles north of Cave Springs the northerly course of 

Cave Springs Wash is blocked by a rock ridge 75 to 100 feet high that 

trends about due east. The wash swings abruptly to the east and 

cuts through the ridge in a canyon, beyond which it swings back to 

the northwest for a short distance. The main mass of the ridge is 

composed of limestone, which is cut by veins of a material that is 

probably siderite. The limestone is shattered. At one place the 

strike was observed to be due east and the beds were almost vertical. 

Flanking the limestone on both the n|>rth and the south are granitic 

or dioritic intrusive rocks. At one plajse on the south side of the ridge 

the granite overlies the limestone. [The ridge continues westward 

from Cave Springs ,Wash for several miles. It is cut by a canyon 

near Denning Spring. The appearance of the ridge and its relation 

to other rocks strongly suggest that it has reached its present position 

with relation to the intrusive rocks by faulting, but observations 

were too meager to prove this to be a fact.

North of the limestone ridge conditions are somewhat similar to 

those south of it in that there is an alluvial fan whose original slope 

was northwest, but Cave Springs Wash cuts across it diagonally and 

has diverted some of the drainage fro^n its original course. Continuing down Cave Springs Wash from the! limestone ridge just mentioned, 

the traveler passes a mass of chloritic granite on the northeast side of 

the wash, against which lies a red conglomerate that dips 60°-85° 

NW. The conglomerate extends aboijit 1,000 feet along the wash and 

gives way to gravel beds of the alluvial fan 25 feet or,more in thickness. About a mile north of the limestone ridge these gravel beds, 

which dip down the wash, lie unconlormably on other gravel beds 

which seem to be of the same nature but which dip southwest. At 

one place the strike of the underlying beds is N. 10° E. and the dip 

20° SE. These gravel beds are faulted. About two-tenths of a mile 

farther north the wash cuts through brown, gray, and yellow clays 

which contain salt and gypsum. Tjhe beds are crumpled, but the 

general strike is N. 45° W., and the dip 45°-85° SW. At this place, 

on the east side of the wash and about 30 feet above it, gravel that 

dips down the wash overlies the clay :>eds unconformably. The clay 

beds are part of a series that form low hills that reach northwestward 

to the Silver Lake-Owl Holes road about 3 miles west of Saratoga 

Springs. These hills, which are locally known as the Saratoga Hills, 

are nitrate-bearing, although extensive testing has not shown the

deposits to be of commercial value

tions.89 Between Cave Springs Wash and Sheep Creek, farther east,

under present economic condi-

» Noble, L. F., Mansfield, Q-. E., and others, op. cit., ;jp. 31-51.
584 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGIOX, CALIFORNIA

in what is known as Salt Basin, are somewhat siasilftc nikftte beds 

bearing salt, gypsum, and celestite (a strontium-bearing mineral).90

Below the nitrate beds just mentioned cut by Cave Springs Wash 

are hils of badly weathered granite. The last of these is about 6^4 

miles north of Cave Springs. North of this point the wash pours out 

onto a large alluvial fan.

Additional evidence of the complicated structure of the Avawatz 

Mountains was observed on a trip part way up the wash of Sheep 

Creek. The wash is reached by a road that turns southwest from 

the Silver Lake-Owl Holes road about 5^ miles east of the branch 

road leading to Saratoga Springs. The mouth of the wash is about 

4 miles southwest of the main road. On the east side of the wash is 

coarse alluvium, older than the present wash material, exposed to a 

depth of 40 feet. At one point near the mouth,of the wash this old 

alluvium, which is probably of Pleistocene age, are a series of old 

rocks, probably early Paleozoic or pre-Cambrian. The beds strike 

N. 10° E. and dip about 20° E. On the west side of the wash about 

400 feet farther south are somewhat similar rocks, consisting of 

quartzite, limestone, marble, and slate, but the strike is N. 80° W., 

or approximately at right angles to that of the beds just mentioned, 

and the dip is 86° S. This nearly vertical series, a few hundred feet 

across, is cut on its south side by basaltic rocks. The contact between 

the igneous and sedimentary rocks is slickensided, indicating that 

there has been movement along it. The basalt gives way to disintegrated granite. At Sheep Creek Spring, about half a mile up the 

wash, are ledges of pegmatitic granite. On the east side of the wash 

as far south as^ Sheep Creek Spring rises a large mass to much greater 

heights than on the west. The lower part of this mass is overlain 

by the older alluvium. From a distance it appears to be largely 

granite.

South of Sheep Creek Spring the canyon or wash broadens and the 

main canyon bends to the southeast. Directly south of the spring is 

a large very much dissected alluvial fan that rises 200 feet or more 

above the present wash. A number of small canyons only a few feet 

wide but with straight-walled sides 30 to 50 feet high cut this fan. 

In some of these canyons coarse f anglomerate, probably of Pleistocene 

age, is exposed for the full depth. Near the west side of the fan the 

fanglomerate is underlain by older beds of gypsum. At one place 

there is about 100 feet of red conglomerate in which was seen an overturned fold whose axis leans about 45° toward the north. This conglomerate rests against gypsum beds, which are also much folded. 

The gypsum beds are doubtless related to those found in Salt Basin, 

a mile or two to the northwest. In some of the canyons the f anglom-

» Pbatea, W. O., Oelwtite deposits in Oaliforaia and Arizona: U. S. QeoL Surrey Bull. 540, pp. 528-531 

1914.
.'i. ' '»MA31GOSA DBAINA.Cffl!

erate reatfi on a badly weathered granite. At its upper end the fan 

abuts *agaitJ9t a purple rhyolite porphyry, which cuts in a aorthwest 

direcftkm across the granite that underlies the fan. The several different types of rocks exposed in the canyon of th« alluvial fan exhibit 

a variety of colors white, red, delicate pink, and purple. The colors, 

the variety of rocks, and the dissection of the fan by vertical-wailed 

canyons present a striking scenic feature.

The writer did not go farther up Sheep Creek Wash than the faa 

just described. A variety of boulders in the bed of the recent wash, 

including granite and marble, suggest that the geology of the upper 

part is as complicated as in the short stretch just described.

The recent alluvium on fans in front of the Owls Head and especially, 

on the north front of the Avawatz Mountains is much coarser than 

that observed in most other parts of the Mohave Desert region. In 

many of the other valleys the alluvium is largely a coarse sand or 

fine gravel with little material larger than an inch or two in diameter. 

In contrast, along the Silver Lake-Death Valley road between Salt 

Spring and the branch roads to Saratoga Springs, although at a 

distance of 3 or 4 miles from the base of the mountains, there is much 

very coarse debris in which are numerous boulders from 1 to 2 feet 

in diameter. The debris" is also much furrowed by small channels 

from recent rain wash. These conditions suggest that comparatively 

recent uplift may have produced conditions conducive to unusual 

erosional activity.

The observations of the writer indicate that the geology of the 

Avawatz Range, at least of its north side, is as complicated as that 

of almost any other area of similar size in the Mohave Desert region. 

In a stretch of less than a mile along Sheep Creek Wash may be seen 

sedimentary rocks of probable Paleozoic or pre-Cambrian age, preTertiary intrusive rocks of probably two and perhaps three different 

ages, both igneous and sedimentary rocks presumably of Tertiary 

age, and alluvial deposits oldei than the recent deposits. All are 

rather well exposed, because uplift in comparatively recent geologic 

time has resulted in marked erosion and consequent dissection of 

the mountain slopes. In Sheep Creek Wash and Cave Springs Wash 

there are indications of faulting in at least three different directions. 

One series of faults shown by the vertical sedimentary series neftr the 

mouth of Sheep Creek Wash and the prominent ridge of Umestone 

3^ miles north of Cave Springs trends almost due east and is doubtless related to the great Garlock fault, which extends from Fremont 

Valley northeastward across the south end of Searles Lake Valley 

and eastward through Leach Valley. A second series of faults trends 

northwest, as seen in the Saratoga nitrate beds. The direction ,01 

this fault zone is approximately parallel to the Death Valley trough, 

A third probable fault line is suggested by the northward-striking
586

beds of old rocks on the east side of Sheep Creek Wash. The strike 

of these beds is approximately similar to that of beds north of Amargosa Hirer near Saratoga Springs. The Avawatz Mountain® seem 

to be the meeting point of three or more fault systems of considerable 

magnitude, and detailed geologic study of the locality should yield 

much valuable information in regard to the history of not only this 

particular region but adjoining regions.

GBOUND WATER

Amargosa River. The channels of Amargosa River are dry for 

most of the time. Near Saratoga Springs and for about 10 miles 

.southeast, and probably also for most of its course northwest of the 

springs ground water is evidently near the surface, as is shown by the 

presence of patches of salt grass and mesquite, and of alkali on the 

surface, which in other parts of the Mohave Desert region generally 

indicate that the depth of the water table is less than 10 feet. It is 

believed that an abundance of water could be obtained from dug or 

drilled _wells on the flat land along the channels of Amargosa River, 

but there is little question that the water is of poor quality. The 

water that is found in places in the river canyon above Sperry is 

reported to be salty. Water from a salt spring in or near sec. 30,, 

T. 18 N., R. 7 E., in a tributary channel to the river from the southeast, is highly mineralized, containing 5,385 parts per million of total 

solids, most of which was ordinary salt. (See analysis 5, p. 588.) 

The water elsewhere along the river is probably about as highly 

mineralized, if not more so.

It is not surprising that the water of the river bottom has a rather 

high mineral content. At several places in the long course of Amargosa River in its upper valley there is more or less evaporation of 

ground water with concentration of the salts contained in the water. 

These salts may later be carried farther down the drainage basin 

by flood waters. Furthermore, there are in the drainage basin 

several areas of Pleistocene or older rocks that contain salt and 

gypsum beds, such as the lake beds in the vicinity of Tecopa and 

Zabriskie, the Saratoga niter hills, the beds of Salt Basin, on the 

north side of the Avawatz Mountains, and the Confidence Hills, 

from all of which more or less saline material is carried into the surface water or ground water that moves toward Death Valley.

Because of the poor quality of the ground water near Amargosa 

River travelers are almost wholly dependent on springs for potable 

water.

Saratoga Springs. Saratoga Springs are among the largest 

springs in the Mohave Desert region. They have long been a noted 

camping place for desert travelers. Picture writings on the south 

face of a rock hill a few hundred feet to the southeast show that the
AMARGOSA DKAINAGE BASIN 587

springs were important in the life of the desert Indian prior to the 

coming of the white man.

The springs, four in number, are in the NW«/J£ sec. -2, T.. 18,3ST.> 

R. 5 E., on the northwest side of a low rock hill that forms the south 

end of a ridge that extends southward from the Ibex Mountains 

(also called Black Mountain). A road formerly led past the springs 

up the east side of Death Valley for a short distance and thence 

across the Ibex Mountains to Zabriskie. The road north of the 

springs is generally impassable for automobiles, and they are now 

reached only by a branch road that turns off from the Silver LakeOwl Holes road about 2 miles south of the springs. The road to the 

springs skirts the south side of the rock hill. Near the west end of 

the hill tules, or "Indian sugar cane," and salt grass on the south 

side of the road suggest that water is near the surface, but the presence of the springs is not suspected until a northward turn in the 

road around the hill brings the main spring into sight. An old road 

leads directly west across the valley flat to the Silver Lake-Owl Holes 

road and the road up the west side of Death Valley near the Saratoga 

niter hills. This road is likely to be treacherous in places, and 

although it saves several miles it should be avoided.

The principal spring forms a large pool about 30 feet in diameter 

and 4 feet deep. The bottom is covered with sand, which is agitated 

by water bubbling up through it. An overflow of at least some tens 

of gallons a minute escapes through a channel to a pond several 

hundred feet to the north. Farther north are two or three other 

ponds that cover an aggregate area of several hundred square feet. 

The other three springs are much smaller than the one just described. 

One is a few feet east of the main spring. Another is 150 feet or 

more east of the main spring, close to the base of the rock MU. The 

fourth spring, which was not seen by the writer but is shown on a 

sketch map of the area around the springs which was made by Hoyt 

S. Gale, is near the base of the hills about 700 feet northeast of the 

main spring. This spring is said to be poisonous and when visited 

by Mr. Gale in May, 1918, was walled up.

The water from the springs has a peculiar, unsatisfying taste that

is neither especially bitter nor salty. This taste is probably

a fortuitous combination of certain proportions of sodium sulphate 

and sodium chloride hi such a way as to disguise the characteristic 

tastes of those substances. The water from the large spring has a 

stronger taste than that from the two small springs, and ws.ter for 

drinking is generally obtained from the smaller springs. An analysis

(2 in accompanying table) of a sample from the first spring

the main spring shows that the water is highly mineralized and contains 3,098 parts per million of total solids. It is high in 

sulphate and rather high in chloride. The water is of poor

due to

east of

sodiuja 

tiuali1.fr
588 THE MOHAVE DE8BHT REGION, CALIFORNIA

for domestic use, but members of tHfe Geological Survey have camped 

at the springs for several weeks and have used it regularly for drink* 

ing without serious effects.

The water from all the springs is warm. The temperature of the 

large spring appears to be rather uniform within about 1°, for several 

observations by the writer and others reported to him by Hoyt S, 

Gale showed readings between 82° and 83° F. The temperature $>f 

the water in the small pools that have little or no outflow may be 

subject to more variation. The large spring with its abundant supply of warm water makes an inviting bathing pool at all seasons.

The presence of salt grass and tules shows that ground water is 

near the surface over a large area on the valley flat near the springs. 

Whether the water that emerges in the springs is derived from tMs 

body of ground water, which may be considered underflow of Amargosa River, or whether it comes from some independent source is 

uncertain. The situation of the springs, especially the three smaller 

ones, in relation to the near-by rock hills, which have been faulted, 

and the warmness of the water suggest that the water may rise along 

fractures in the rock.

Analyses of water from springs in the Lower Amargosa Valley, Calif. 

[Farts per million]

Sfllea (SiOi).-....-..-..... ...........................

Carbonate radicle (COs).. .. __ . _ . ..............

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj) _____________ ..

Sulphate radicle (SO4). ......................... ...

Chloride radicle (Cl)... ..............................

Nitrate radicle (NO»).................................

Total dissolved solids at 180° C. ____ . ______ .

1

90

.38

41

9.0

545

22

175

675

261

29

1,804

139 (»)

2

70

.17

31

36 994

22

410

1,039

667

1.7

3,098

225

(«)

3

52 (

.29

96

16

55

30

155

137

61

5.7

585

306

CO

4

74

05

71 *

5« 90

5.8

186

393

23

.23

860

407(»)

5

48

.19

256

120

1,559

0

318

901

2,295

1.8

5,383

1,130

(')

1 Calculated. 4 Oct. 15,1917. 

 Oct. 16,1917.

« Sept. 8,1917. * Sept. 7, 1817. 

/Jan. 14,1918.

Analysts: I, 5, Margaret D. Foster and C. H. Kidwell, U. S. Geological Survey; 2, A. A. , 

U. S. Geological Survey; 3, Addie T. Geiger, U. S. Geological Survey; 4, Addie T. Geiger and C. H. EMwell, IT. 8. Geological Survey.

1. Owl Holes, a spring or dug well, probably in sec. 23, T. IS N., R. 3 E. San Bernardino meridian. See 

below for description.

2. Saratoga Springs, S W. M sec. 2, T. 18 N., R. 5 E. Sample taken from small spring at base of rocks a 

few fast east of the big spring. See p. 586 for description.

3. Cave Springs, near center of T. 17 N., E. 5 E. (unsurveyed), from southerly of two caves. See p. 689 

for description.

4. Sheep Creek Spring, approximately in sec. 5, T. 17 N., E. 6 E. (unsurveyed). See p. 589 for description.

5. Salt Soring, in bed of south branch of Amargosa River, approximately in sec. 80, T. 18 N., R. 7 E. 

See p. 606 for description.

Owl Hok8. Owl Holes are in sec. 23, T. 18 N., R. 3 E., on the 

north side of Owl Holes Wash where it emerges from the Owls Head 

Mountains. When visited by the writer in October, 1917, they consisted of two pits about 2 feet apart. The upper pit was 6 by 18 feet 

and 2 feet deep; the other was 7 by 14 feet and 3 feet deep. The
AMARGOSA PIUINAGE BASIN T

torn of the lower pit was mucky and the water dirty, but the water in 

the upper pit was clear. A small stream of water trickled from the 

lower pit. Apparently from time to time the holes are filled with allur 

vium washed in by floods, but water can doubtless be obtained bydigging anywhere within 200 or 300 feet of the location oi the holes 

described. The water has a slight salty or bitter taste, but is palatable. As shown by analysis 1 the water is rather highly mineralized, 

containing 1,804 parts per million of total solids. It is poor lor 

domestic use.

Cave Springs. Cave Springs are near the center of T. 17 N., B. 

5 E. (unsurveyed), on the road from Barstow to South Death Valley. 

They are about 65 miles northeast of Barstow by the road by way of 

Paradise Springs and Garlic Springs, and 9 miles almost due south of 

Saratoga Springs (ll^s miles by road). The springs are on the- east 

side of the wash 2 miles north of the point where the road crosses the 

divide of the Avawatz Mountains. They consist of two cavern or 

short tunnels, about 40 feet apart, dug about 10 feet into the low wall 

of the canyon. Apparently there is seldom, if ever, any overflow 

from the springs. The water is clear and cool. As shown by analysis 3, the water is only moderately mineralized. Although the water 

would be rated as only fair for domestic use as compared to waters 

in many other parts of the Mohave Desert region it is of better 

quality than samples collected by the writer from other watering 

places in the Lower Amargosa Basin. j

A number of mesquite growing in the wash near the spring indicate 

that water is probably near the surface in the vicinity of the springs. 

A huge block of quartzite crops out on the west side of the wash, and 

probably a rock barrier lies near the surface in the wash, behind 

which some water is impounded.

Sheep Creek Spring. Sheep Creek Spring is approximately in 

sec. 5, T. 17 W., R. 6 E. (unsurveyed), about half a mile above the 

mouth of the canyon of Sheep Creek Wash. The location of the 

spring is marked by an abundant growth of mesquite. Water comes 

to the surface in the gravel wash near a low ledge of rock on the 

west side of the canyon and flows for about 200 feet. At this point 

the wash is only about 200 feet wide, with granite cliffs on both sides. 

In October, 1918, the water was collected in a pipe about 100 feet 

long, from which it flowed at a rate of about 3 gallons a minute.

The water is rather highly mineralized, containing 860 parts per 

million of total solids. (See analysis 4, p. 588.) i It is fair for domemr 

tic use. The temperature of the water at the time of the writer's 

visit was 71^° F., but it doubtless varies with the season.

Itenwmg Spring.-*-Denning Spring is on the north slope of th© 

Avawatz Mountains about 3J^ miles northwrest of Cave Springs 

(about 5-^j miles by road). The spring is reached by,a road that
500 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

turns northwest out of Cave Springs Wash about 1% miles below 

Cave Springs and leads down an alluvial slope. About 2 miles from 

Cave Springs Wash the road approaches a low rock ridge and parallels 

it for about half a mile, to a point where the road bends rather sharply 

toward the north down a canyon that cuts through the ridge. At 

this point the road strikes a wash draining from the southwest. In 

1918 an old shack stood in a small gulch south of the road a short 

distance southeast of this wash, though it was so hidden that it was 

not seen until the traveler was almost directly opposite it. A short 

distance up this gulch was an old well or spring in which the water 

was not in good condition. A better well was found a short distance 

up the wash leading from the southwest. It is dug, 5 by 6 feet in 

cross section, and about 10 feet deep. The depth to water was 4 

feet. The sides of the well had partly caved in. No sample was 

collected, but the water appeared to be all right for drinking. The 

temperature of the water was 65° F. From Denning Spring a road 

continues northward through the canyon just mentioned and along 

the west side of the Saratoga Hills to the Death Valley road.

Rhodes Spring, Bradbury Well, and Salsberry Spring. Rhodes 

Spring, Bradbury Well, and Salsberry Spring are on the road between 

the Confidence mill and Shoshone. The following information is 

based on data furnished by L. F. Noble, of the United States Geological Survey, in 1918. Rhodes Spring is about 8 miles northeast of 

the Confidence mill. It is reached by a branch road that turns 

northeast from the main road near a prominent rock point 6J^ miles 

from the mill. The spring is 1^ miles from the main road. The 

road toward Shoshone continues up grade for 7 miles beyond the 

branch road, and water for automobile radiators should be taken at 

Rhodes Spring or Bradbury Well, which is near the road a mile farther 

east. In going toward Barstow these two watering places are the 

last until Saratoga Springs or Denning Spring are reached, a distance 

of about 25 miles, some of which is through heavy sand. Good water 

is generally available at Bradbury Well, so that the traveler need not 

make the long side trip to Rhodes Spring.

Bradbury Well is 7.6 miles by road from the Confidence mill and 

18.1 miles from Shoshone. The well is in a wash on the south side 

of the road and about 500 feet from it. A path leads up a small open 

wash about two-tenths of a mile east of a point of rocks to some 

mesquite bushes, surrounded with camp litter, and then about 200 

feet west to another small wash in which the well is situated. The 

well is dug in disintegrated granite, and the water apparently is of 

good quality.

Salsberry Spring is about 13.8 miles by road from the Confidence 

mill and 11.9 miles from Shoshone. It is reached by a trail that leads 

about half a mile east from the road. It is reported that the yield 

of the spring is small and not always reliable.
AMARQO8A DRAINAGE BASIN : ?' 591

WINGATE VALLEY

GENEBAL FEATURES

The name Wingate Valley is suggested by the writer to designate 

a small valley that Jies between the south end of Panamint Valley and 

Death Valley. (See pi. 7.) The name is derived from Wingate 

Wash, by which the valley is drained to Death Valley.

When the writer was in the valley in October, 1917, and January, 

1918, it was uninhabited except for a temporary camp of miners

 exploring deposits of Epsom salt in hills on the south side of the 

valley. It is understood that these deposits have been developed in 

recent years. To ship the recovered material a monorail system has 

been built leading from the Trona Railroad near Westend in a direct 

line across Searles Lake and over the Slate Range to the epsomite

 deposits. Conditions in the valley are unfavorable for agriculture.

In 1918 the valley was reached by a road leading eastward from 

Panamint Valley about 9 miles north of its south end and 5% miles 

north of Lone Willow Spring. The road climbs out of Panamint 

Valley with a rather steep grade. About 7J^ miles east of the Panamint Valley road is a road fork. One road continues eastward down 

Wingate Wash to Death Valley, reaching the floor of the valley 10 

miles or more northeast. This road was not traveled by the writer. 

It is said to have a rather steep grade, and although automobiles can 

probably descend it, travel in the opposite direction may be difficult. 

The other road leads southeastward to low hills known as the Crystal 

Hills and up a-.wash through these hills to an open slope beyond. In 

the hills, about 4 miles from the road fork, are deposits of Epsom salt 

and other salts. South of the hills the road ascends a rather gentle 

alluvial slope for several miles to Hidden Spring. (See p. 593.X A 

short distance south of the Crystal Hills a road comes in from the 

northeast which is a short cut to the Wingate Wash road to Death 

Valley. South of Hidden Spring the road continues in a southeasterly 

direction up a wash to the divide of the Quail Mountains and down 

another wash to the road from Randsburg and Granite Wells to 

Leach Spring and South Death Valley, which is reached 7J^ miles 

from the spring.

flidden Spring is the only watering place in the valley. Distances 

to other springs outside of the valley are considerable, and the traveler should be well supplied with water if he does not intend to visit 

Hidden Spring.

Wingate Valley is essentially a break, though an incomplete break, 

in the great mass of mountains that forms the west wall of Death 

Valley. The part of this great mass north of Wingate Valley constitutes the Panamint Range, and the part south of the valley constitutes Brown Mountain at its west end and the Quail Mountains 

farther east. (See pis. 10 and 11.) The valley is almost wholly shut
592 THE MOHA.VE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

off from Panamint Valley, but at one point there is a break in the 

mountains, and from a low divide one looks down to the bottom of the 

south end of Panamint Valley, which is 300 feet lower. From this 

divide, near a point marked "BM 1977" on Plate 10, the bottom 

of Wingate Valley, which is occupied by Wingate Wash, slopes eastward and northeastward. Gentle slopes rise northward for a mile or 

two to the Panamint Range and southward to the Quail Mountains. 

The lower part of the slope on the south side of the wash is broken 

by the low Crystal Hills, mentioned above. Although the general 

depression of which the valley is a part continues eastward to Death 

Valley, spurs from the Quail Mountains and Panamint Range nearly 

prevent the drainage from reaching Death Valley and form the eastern 

border of Wingate Valley. The grade of Wingate Wash in this area 

is rather gentle in fact, for some distance it is so gentle there is no 

single well-defined channel, but there are many small clay-bottomed 

depressions 5 to 30 feet long in which water appears to have stood. 

Farther east the grade toward Death Valley increases.

Waring 91 has mapped the rocks of that part of the Panamint 

Range immediately north of Wingate Valley as metamorphic rocks 

limestone, slate, and quartzite. The rocks of Brown Mountain and 

the Quail Mountains, where seen close at hand by the writer, are 

principally Tertiary volcanic rocks, but pebbles of granite and other 

intrusive rocks found in the washes indicate that such rocks are 

present.

The Crystal Hills are about half a mile south, of Wingate Wash 

and approximately parallel to it, in such a position as almost completely to prevent the waters from the south side of the valley from 

reaching the wash, but they are cut through at one point by a wash 

that may be termed Crystal Hills Wash. The hills are net over 50 

to 100 feet high and are much dissected. A variety of rocks are 

exposed volcanic rocks of probable Tertiary age, clay, beds of gypsum, and other beds reported to be rather pure deposits of aluminum 

and magnesium sulphates. No distinct bedding of the clay, gypsum, 

and associated deposits was observed. The volcanic rocks are 

relatively hard and form the principal hills. The other deposits are 

in general softer and have been much eroded into a sort of badland 

topography. Debris resulting from disintegration of both the hard 

and soft rocks mantles the hills in many places, and it was not possible 

from a very hasty examination to determine the true nature or origin 

of the deposits. At the time of the writer's visit several men were 

engaged in exploration of one of the richest deposits of Epsom salt. 

The process consisted principally of scraping off a caliche-like crust, 

which was sacked for shipping. Earlier in the year a similar crust 

had been taken from the deposit. During a period of several months,

'i Waring, G. A., Geologic map of Inyo County, Calif., California State Min. Bar., 1917.
BASS! % <<" ; >" . '

when no work was done, and in which there was some rain & second 

crust had formed. The deposit hud been penetrated to a maximum 

depth of only 8 feet, so that its full extent was not known.

A large lake at one time occupied Panamint Valley and was fed in 

part by the overflow from a system of lakes in Searlee, Indian Wells, 

and Owens Valleys. Gale M has pointed out the possibility that 

Panamint Lake rose to the altitude of Wingate Pass and discharged 

into Death Valley. Evidence found by the writer tends to confirm 

this suggestion, although it is still somewhat indefinite. (See p. 186.)

GROUND WATEE

The only known source of water supply in Wingate Valley is Hidden 

Spring. This spring has had a reputation, suggested by its name, of 

being difficult to find and known only to prospectors. Perhaps this 

reputation is really due to the fact that comparatively few travelers 

have reason to enter the valley. The spring is about 9 miles south of* 

the Wingate Wash road by way of the road through the Crystal Hifls 

and about 4% miles south of those hills. From the hills a welldefined road leads along the east side of the valley, almost in a 

straight line for about 3^ miles, and then bends rather sharply 

southeastward and ascends the slope for 0.6 mile to a road fork near 

the base of the rock spurs of the Quail Mountains. The right-hand 

fork swings south westward and then southward up a wash and leads 

across the mountain. The left-hand fork continues for only about 

1,000 feet and ends in a short canyon. Hidden Spring is found by 

following a foot trail that leads to the left up a second short canyon 

about 200 yards from the end of the road. It is on a hillside and is 

marked by a large willow tree.

The spring is a hole about 4 feet in diameter and of the same depth, 

dug kite a hard but much jointed reddish porphyritic rock. It is 

noteworthy that the water emerges not in the bottom of the canyon 

but about 15 feet up on the east side. This suggests that the water 

reaches the surface along certain fractures and does not permeate the 

entire rock mass. A short tunnel had been driven into the canyon 

wail below the spring, apparently in an attempt to strike the water, 

but no water was in it. When visited a small stream was trickling 

from the spring. Men at the epsomite mine in the Crystal Hills 

reported that the spring yielded several barrels of water ft day.

The water is clear and cool and except for a slight taste of vegetation 

is quite wholesome. The accompanying analysis shows that it is only 

moderately mineralized, containing 446,parts per million of total 

solids. The water is good for domestic use but poor for boilers.

» Gale, H- 8., Salines in the Owens, Searles, and Pamamint Basins, southeastern CaUfemia: "P. 8. CtaL 

Survey Bull. 580, pp. 312-317. 1915.
594 THE MOHAVB DISSERT REGIOif, CAI/IFORNIA

Analysis of water from Hidden Spring, Qalif. 

[Analyzed by Margaret D. Foster and C. H. Kidwell. Parts per million}

Silica (Si02)-----_____-.________-_-_______,_______ 74

Iron (Fe)_______.___.__._.______________ .21

Calcium (Ca)____________________________ 50

Magnesium (Mg)__________-_____-______________.____ 21

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated)____________ 36

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3)--_-_________________ 183

Sulphate radicle (BOO- ------------------- 55

Chloride radicle ( ») _______________________________'_ 52

Nitrate radicle (NO_)-_________-______-_-___________ 12

Total dissolved solids at 180° C____.___________ 446

Total hardness as CaCO3 (calculated) _---__-_____--___ 211

Date of collection, Jan. 12, 1918.

Water from Hidden Spring was hauled for the use of the miners at 

the epsomite deposits in the Crystal Hills. A nearer source of water 

would be desirable, but the conditions are not favorable for the development of a large supply. The most likely place is on the south side 

of the Crystal Hills, where the drainage from several square miles 

enters the wash that passes through the hills. It seems possible that 

alluvium extends to some depth below the surface south of the hills, 

and unless the alluvium of the wash through the hills extends deep 

enough to provide drainage there is probably some water stored in the 

underground reservoir thus created behind the hills. However, if 

the hills have acted as a barrier to the northward movement of water 

the conditions have been favorable for the prevention of circulation 

of water, with the result that water contained in the alluvium may 

be rather highly mineralized. The presence of gypsum, Epsom salt, 

and similar minerals in the hills is also conducive to the mineralization 

of the water. The drainage area is not great, and the average annual 

rainfall is low, probably not more than 6 inches, so that a large quantity of water can not be developed. Nevertheless, if the geologic 

conditions are such as to produce a reservoir, the water to be obtained 

would doubtless be ample for mining operations. In spite of the 

possible but unknown adverse conditions, it is believed that if the 

need of water for mining purposes is great enough to warrant the 

expense, it would be worth while to put down one or more test wells 

south of the hills. They should be preferably about a quarter of a 

mile from the base of the hills, in order not to strike bedrock too 

near the surface, but should be close enough to the hills to strike the 

deepest part of the underground reservoir if there is one there.

BIGGS VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Kiggs Valley lies in the north-central part of San Bernardino 

County. (See pi. 7.) The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad traverses 

the east side of the valley. The principal mad in the valley is that
AMAKGQBA DRAINAGE BASIN ? j -

*

leading from Silver Lake to South Death Valley. About 7 miles 

north of Silver Lake this road is joined by a road from the southwest. 

(See pi. 11.) This branch road leads up a broad southwestward 

extension of Biggs Valley to Red Pass and thence to Bitter Springs 

and the Barstow-Death Valley road near Langford Well. About 

5 miles west of Silver Lake this road is crossed by the road between 

Silver Lake and Randsburg. About 13 miles north of Silver Lake 

the Silver Lake-Death Valley road is joined by a road from Riggs 

station, 5j"|jj miles to the southeast. A road leads along the railroad 

from Silver Lake to Riggs and thence northward for several 'miles 

and northeastward across the east side of Lower Kingston Valley. 

From Riggs a road leads eastward to the Riggs mine, on the south 

side of the Silurian Mountains, and up Riggs Wash. The roads on 

the east side of the valley are reported to be rather sandy and difficult 

to travel by automobile.

In 1918 the valley was uninhabited except for railroad employees 

at Riggs station, on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. At that 

time water was available at the station, but no other supplies could 

be obtained. There has been some mining on a small scale hi the 

Avawatz, Silurian, and Turquoise Mountains. Conditions in the 

valley are not favorable for agricultural development. 

- Riggs Valley is a part of a large trough that extends southward 

from the southeast end of Death Valley for about 50 miles. In this 

trough, to the south of Riggs Valley and separated from it by low rock 

hills, is Silver Lake Valley, and beyond that is Soda Lake Valley. 

North of Riggs Valley is the Lower Kingston Valley, separated by an 

almost imperceptible divide.

At its southwestern border an arm of the valley basin bends soutbwestward and parallels Silver Lake Valley. (See pi. 11.) Although 

the trend of the valley proper is north and south, tributary washes 

extend far back into the mountains on the east and west, with the 

result that the drainage basin as a whole does not exhibit a linear outline but rather one somewhat similar to an inverted L. A large wash 

known as Riggs Wash heads hi the Turquoise Mountains more than. 

10 miles southeast of Riggs station, and another large wash heads on 

the southwest side of the Avawatz Mountains, in or near sec. 1, T. 

15 N., R. 6 E., about 10 miles west of the north end of Silver Lake.

The western border of Riggs Valley for a large part of its length is 

formed by the high Avawatz Mountains, which rise to an altitude of 

about 6,100 feet above sea level or nearly 5,500 feet above the lowest 

part of the valley, which is about 675 feet above sea level. The part 

of the Avawatz Mountains tributary to Riggs Valley was not observed 

close at hand. Where seen in Cave Springs and Sheep Creek Washes 

there is a considerable variety of rocks granite, metamorphic rocks, 

volcanic rocks, hard sedimentary rocks, and unconsojidated
596 THE MOHAVE DESBBT REGION, CMIFOBNIA

mente ranging in age from probable pre-Cambrian or Cambrian 

through Tertiary and Pleistocene to Eecent. (See pp. 581*586.) The 

tocks in that part of the mountains were much faulted. It is therefore inferred that in the part of the Avawatz Mountains lying in Biggs 

Basin the geology is rather complicated. A single possibly significant 

feature was noted in the form of a low scarp cutting across the front 

of an alluvial fan at the base of the mountains several miles west of 

the Silver Lake-Death Valley road near the north end of Riggs Dry 

Lake. The scarp is suggestive of faulting, and if faulting has occurred 

it is doubtless related to faulting farther northwest.

South of the Avawatz Mountains a large wash leads westward and 

is followed by the Eandsburg-Silver Lake road. In the upper part of 

the wash alluvium older than the recent deposits, probably Pleisto*

 cene, is exposed to a depth of 20 feet or more. A mountain that lies

 south of the wash, along the line between T. 15 N., E. 6 E., and T. 15 

N., E. 7 E., is composed largely of granite. Along the Silver LakeEandsburg road, about 0.6 mile east of the head of the canyon and 

about 11^ miles west of Silver Lake station, are hills of almost pure 

magnetite with some hematite. The mineral body is about 500 feet 

wide and strikes about due north. These iron deposits are presumably a part of the so-called Iron Mountain group, which is reported to contain 12,000,000 tons of good iron ore.93 The geologic 

relations of the ore body were not determined.

The extreme south end of Riggs Valley is bordered by the Soda 

Lake Mountains. Part of this range also separates the valley from 

Silver Lake. (See pi. 11.) At the north end of Silver Lake the two 

valleys are separated by a low, narrow ridge of mountains. Where 

this ridge is crossed by the Silver Lake-Eaadsburg road there is a 

gradual ascent from Silver Lake but a very steep drop into Riggs 

Valley on the west. Along this road Riggs Valley appears to Be 

somewhat lower than Silver Lake. The western edge of the ridge is 

rather straight, and this fact, with the steep west slope, suggests that 

tne ridge has been faulted up.

. The eastern border of Riggs Valley north of the Silver Lake Basin 

is formed by the Silurian and Turquoise Mountains. Along the road 

from Silver Lake to Goodsprings through the Turquoise Mountains 

and at the head of Eiggs Wash granite cut by basic intrusive rocks is 

exposed.

Eiggs Valley is separated from the north end of Silver Lake Valley 

in part by low rock hills and east of the Tonopah & Tidewater Kailroad by alluvium. The rock hills rise only 50 to 100 feet above 

Silver Lake, but on the north side they descend 100 feet or more 

below the level of the play a. There was formerly some overflow 

from the Silver Lake basin. Prior to the formation of the lake that

B Oloudman, H. O., and others, Mines and mineral resources of San Bemardino County, p. 46,1917.
AMAKQOSA DRAINAGE BASIN 597

occupied that basin, which has been called Lake Mohave, it i& -not 

unlikely that there was no divide between the two valleys. Thus* 

the drainage of Silver and Soda Lake Valleys at one time emptied 

into Riggs Valley, as did indeed that of the entire Mohave River 

basin if the river then reached Soda Lake and the flow el the rivei 

did not evaporate or percolate into the alluvium before reaching the 

valley. As shown on page 564 there is reason to believe that there 

may now be some underflow from Silver Lake Valley into Riggs Valley.

On its north side Riggs Valley is separated from Lower Kingston 

Valley by an almost imperceptible divide of alluvium. In fact, it is 

possible that after heavy rams there may be some drainage into 

Lower Kingston Valley. At present there is opportunity for underflow into the northern valley, and there is little doubt that in the 

past there has been a surface connection with the valley. Thus at 

some time Mohave River flowed through Riggs and Lower Kingston 

Valleys and joined Amargosa River, unless the connections between 

the several valleys were not entirely contemporaneous.

The lowest part of Riggs Valley is occupied by a playa, now generally 

called Riggs Dry Lake but formerly known as Silurian Dry Lake. 

The playa is of the dry type, with a hard, smooth surface and no alkali 

or vegetation on its borders that would indicate water near the surface. 

This is to be expected, for undoubtedly ground water in Riggs Valley 

percolates northward to Lower Kingston Valley, and available 

information indicates that near the boundary between the two 

valleys the depth to water is probably 100 feet or more.

GROUND WATEE

So far as the writer could learn the only available water supplies 

in the drainage basin are derived from springs or wells in the mountains bordering the valley. Mendenhall 94 reported a well at the 

edge of Riggs Dry Lake, along the Silver Lake-Death Valley road, 

but the writer could not find any well near the playa. It seems likely 

that water could be obtained by drilling near the playa, but the depth 

to it would probably be great. In Lower Kingston Valley water' 

emerges in a stream channel in the southwestern part of T. 18 N., 

R. 7 E., at a locality known as Salt Spring. (See p. 605.) It is 

probable that the water level beneath the Riggs playa is not much 

higher than at the spring unless between them bedrock lies nearer 

the surface than at the spring. As the difference in altitude between 

the two points is 100 to 150 feet or more, the depth to water beneath 

the playa is probably at least 100 feet. It is believed that the quantity of water available from the alluvium of the valley is not great,

* M«ncfe»MisO, W. O., Seme d*sart ws&sing pUeee in eeathttstem California 

U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 224, p. £6,1909.

* 5031 29 39
598 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

for the quantity of water emerging at the surface in the vicinity of 

Salt Spring is small. Presumably all the water that moves from 

Riggs Valley to Amargosa Valley, as well as most of that moving 

from Lower Kingston Valley, either rises to the surface or moves a 

short distance below the surface where the rock hills just west of the' 

spring form a submerged dam. Nevertheless, although the supply 

is more or less limited, wells drilled in favorable situations would 

doubtless yield sufficient water for domestic use or niining, for &< 

considerable quantity of water is doubtless stored in the alluvium.

The only watering place in the valley of which the writer obtained 

definite information is a well near the head of Riggs Wash on the 

north side of the Turquoise Mountains, in T. 16 N., R. 10 E. (unsurveyed). (See pi. 12.) It is most easily reached from the road 

between Silver Lake and Goodsprings. On this road 13.3 miles from. 

Silver Lake a little-used road branches to the left (northwest) and 

descends Riggs Wash. The well is \y% miles ddwn the wash. Thewell is really a tunnel excavated in granitic rocks. When visited by 

the writer in October, 1917, the tunnel was barricaded. A pipe line 

led about 100 yards down the wash to a trough used for watering, 

cattle. The outlet of the pipe was equipped with a ball valve so 

arranged as to maintain a certain depth of water hi the trough but toprevent waste when water was not being used. The valve was tightly 

boxed in to prevent tampering, and the only way to obtain water was 

by dipping it from the trough.

A well known as Riggs Well is reported to be situated on the south 

side of Silurian Mountains, about 3 miles east 6f Riggs station on the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. In July, 1919, the well was reported 

to contain a good supply of water.

Two springs, known as Harpers Spring and Harpers Willow Spring, 

are reported to exist at Harper's mining camp, now abandoned, in. 

the southeast end of the Avawatz Mountains, 10 miles or more northwest of Silver Lake. No definite information could be obtained 

either as to the springs or as to the route leading to them. 

' A dug wellj dry at a depth of 50 feet, was found in the wash along, 

the Silver Lake-Randsburg road, 9 Ms miles west of Silver Lake. The 

well- was dug near several willow trees (perhaps the desert willow, 

Chilopsis $aMgna, rather than the true willow), which did not prove 

to be an infallible indication of water.

UPPER KINGSTON VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Upper Kingston Valley lies in the northeastern part of San Bernardino County and is separated from the State of Nevada only by part 

of the Mesquite and Ivanpah Valleys. Apparently this valley
AMARGO8A DEAINAGE BASIN ' ?' -

previously had no definite name. The name used in this 

derived from the Kingston Range, which borders the valley on the. 

northwest, and from Kingston Wash, thrbti£h which the drainage 41 

the valley passes to the Amargosa Valley, fiumari activities in the 

valley center around Valley Wells, formerly called Rosalie, in T. IB 

N., R. 12 E., where there is a cattle camp. A copper smelter at this 

place has been worked spasmodically.

A number of mines, most of them on the west slopes of Clark and 

Ivanpah Mountains, have been worked at intermittent periods. The 

metals produced include copper, lead, silver, gold, and tungsten.

One of the principal mines is the Copper World, hi the northwestern part of T. 16 N., R. 13 E. Many years ago copper ore was 

mined there and smelted at the Valley Wells smelter. The mine was 

closed for several years, but it was reopened in 1917 by the Ivanpah 

Copper Co. Some high-grade ore was hauled to Cima and shipped* 

to Garfield, Utah, for smelting. The smelter was rebuilt and was 

put into operation in the fall of 1917 to smelt the low-grade ore.? 

The capacity of the smelter was about 150 tons a day. The ore is so 

low in grade that it probably could not be smelted at a pirofit. How* 

ever, it was expected that sufficient copper could be recovered from 

the slag of the old smelter to warrant the operation of the new smelter. 

The mine and smelter were reported to have been closed a few months 

later. >

In 1917 about 100 cars of lead and silver ore was produced from the 

Mohawk mine, on the south side of Mohawk Hill, in T. 16 N., -R.^ 

13 E. The lead occurs mostly as ceru'site. The ore was hauled about; 

25 miles to Roach for shipment. ;

Tungsten has been mined at one or more places in Clark Mountain, 

but the production has been small. The deposits do not seem, to be 

rich enough tq§ compete with those in the Atolia district. Tungstenis also reported hi the Shadow Mountains on the northwest side of the 

basin.

No land is farmed hi the valley. One cattle company runs several 

hundred cattle in it.

Roads cross the valley in several directions. The road from 

Silver Lake to Mesquite Valley, Goodsprings, and other places in 

Nevada passes along its northwest side. A road from Silver Lake 

to Nipton and Searchlight crosses the center of the valley, and at 

Valley Wells a branch road leads from it southeastward to Cima. 

The other roads are less traveled and maty not be passable for auto* 

mobiles.

PHYSICAL FEATURES ANti GEOLOGY ' .- - .''

The principal topographic feature, of Upper Kingston VallejJs the*

mountain barrier that forms the eastern

basin. The mountains extend almost continuously from the Ivanpah

and northern border of the
§00 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Mountains on the south northwestward to the Kingston Kange, 

although there are passes at several places. A considerable part of 

these mountains is more than 5,000 feet above sea level, and Kingston 

Peak and Clark Mountain rise to a height of more than 7,000 feet. 

A large part of these mountains is composed of Paleozoic rocks.95 

Spurr states that the Kingston Eange consists of a central core of 

granite, which on the north and northeast is overlain by beds of 

Cambrian age. Along the Silver Lake-Goodsprings road, where it 

descends a canyon hi about sec. 33, T. 19 N., R. 12 E., the rock is a 

blue limestone which strikes a little west of north and dips about 

15°-25° NE. The mountain southeast of that place is apparently 

composed principally of limestone, but in the lower part of the pass, 

in the southwestern part of T. 18 N., R. 13 E., cross-bedded red sandstone is exposed. The age relations of these rocks have not been 

established, but they are presumably Paleozoic. The northwestern 

slope of Clark Mountain, on the road up to the Green mine, is composed of limestone, but southeast of the mine the rocks are granite.

On the Silver Lake-Nipton road the eastern part of the Ivanpah 

Mountains about as far west as Mexican Well is composed of gneiss 

and garnetiferous schist cut by granite. Farther west stands 

Mohawk Hill, which is composed of sedimentary rocks.

Southwest of the Ivanpah Range the divide is formed by a large 

rounded mountain. The slopes of this mountain are so gentle and 

so uniform that from a distance of a few miles it appears to be formed 

of typical alluvial slopes that rise to the summit. As the summit is 

approached, however, numerous knobs^of weathered granite are seen. 

It is quite evident that the slopes within a radius of 5 miles of the 

summit are not depositional alluvial slopes but consist of a smoothly 

eroded rock surface. Probably the granite actually lies within ^ 

few feet of the surface over even a much larger area^than is shown 

on the geologic map (pi. 8).

The western border of the valley is formed mostly by granite hills 

and mountains. However, lava flows, probably of Tertiary age, 

occur hi the northeastern part of T. 14 N., R. 11 E., and southeastern 

part of T. 15 N., R. 11 E., extending into the adjoining townships on 

the east. Limestone covers a small area in the vicinity of Francis 

Spring (T. 16 N., R. 11 E. unsurveyed) and may occur elsewhere 

in the Turquoise and Shadow Mountains.

A peculiar topographic feature is Shadow Mountain, in T. 17 N., 

R. 11 E. (unsurveyed). This mountain doubtless receives its name 

from the fact that the mountain culminates in two peaks that have 

about the same outline, one of them light colored, and the other 

dark, as if it were the shadow of the lighter peak. The "shadow" 

is especially noticeable from the southwest.

M Spurr, J. E., Dasarlptive geology of Nevada south of the fortieth parallel and adjacent portions of 

California: U. 8. Oeol. Survey Boll. 208, pp. 195-200,1908.
AMABGOSA DRAINAGE BASIN 601

There is a distinct contrast between tjie east and west borders of 

the valley. The western divide, as seen from the valley, is composed 

of a relatively low and narrow ridge, in many places eroded into 

numerous more or less isolated knobs, which form the summit of an 

mtricately dissected area of pre-Tertiary rocks that descends towar4 

the west. (See pp. 557-558.) The eastern border of the valley is 

formed by an almost continuous mountain mass that rises from a few 

hundred to 3,000 or 4,000 feet above the highest points on the western 

border.

In many of the desert basins in the Great Basin, where one mountain border rises much above the opposite mountain border, so much 

more alluvium is carried into the valley from the higher mountains 

that the lowest part of the valley lies nearer the lower mountains. 

This condition does not exist in Kingston Valley, but the longest 

valley slope in general is on the west side. Apparently comparatively 

little alluvium has been washed in from the mountains on the east 

side of the valley. Furthermore, the small rock hills that rise from 

the valley floor at many places suggest that in the entire valley itie 

alluvium is relatively thin. Apparently in this valley erosion has 

predominated, even in its lowest part.

Upper Kingston Valley is not a closed basin, but it drains through 

Kingston Wash, at its northwest corner, into Lower Kingston Valley, 

which is part of the Amargosa drainage basin. An apparently continuous wash extends northward from a place several miles south of 

Valley Wells to the head of Kingston Wash. However, about 5 

miles north of Valley Wells there is a clay flat that may have a low 

divide at its north end. This flat was not visited, but if it is a 

true playa it is undoubtedly of the dry type, for the water table fa 

known to be far below the surface.

The central part of Upper Kingston Valley is from 500 to 1,JMND 

feet above the bottom of Mesquite Valley and Ivanpah Valley, wfeich 

lie east of it. The eastern border of the mountains that separate Upper 

Kingston Valley from these valleys is much more sharply outlined 

than the western border, and the slopes are generally steeper. The 

features suggest that the mountain mass is bordered on the east by 

a great fault.

VEGETATION

All of Upper Kingston Valley is more than 3,000 feet above sea level. 

In consequence giant yuccas are more or less abundant throughout 

the valley. There is also some cholla present, but it is not abundant. 

Creosote bush is rare, Clark Mountain and Kingston Peak rise 

more than 7,000 feet above sea level, and on the highest parts of tbepe 

mountains grow pine and pmon. On the higher slopes of tiue Mescal 

and Ivanpah Mountains and Teutoaia Peak juniper is found.
602 THE MOHAVK DESBBT ItEGION, CALIFORNIA

SOILS

At a number of places in the valley, particularly in the vicinity of 

Talley Wells, considerable caliche is exposed in the washes. It 

appears to be more abundant than in most parts of the Mohave 

Desert region. The reason for its abundance is not clear, unless 

perhaps it is due in some way to the presence of so much limestone 

in the adjoining mountains, which would supply the cementing material for the caliche. In the southern part of the valley, where the 

rocks are granite, the soil is the typical arkose that is so widespread 

In the Mohave Desert region.

PRECIPITATION

No records of precipitation have been kept in the valley. The 

character of the vegetation is evidence that the precipitation in most 

of the valley is greater than that in a large part of the Mohave Desert 

region. This heavier precipitation is due to the high altitude of the 

valley and to the high mountains on its east side, which act as a 

barrier to the rain-producing winds. The average annual precipitation on the valley slopes probably is between 5 and 10 inches, and in 

the higher parts of the Kingston, Clark, and Ivanpah Mountains it 

may exceed 10 inches. Because of the high altitude a large percentage of the precipitation in the mountains.comes in the form of snow.

No perennial streams are known in the valley. The high mountains may contain seepages of water for several days after rains. 

The water supply for travelers is obtained from a few shallow wells 

and springs.

At Valley Wells water is obtained from dug wells. One well, 

owned by Sam E. Yates, is situated on the east side of the main wash 

a. short distance north of the Silver Lake-Nipton road. This well is 

about 13 feet deep, and the depth to water in October, 1917, was 

11 feet. The well was equipped with a force pump. A pipe line to 

a trough a few hundred feet away is arranged to carry water without 

the necessity of pumping. The water is used for domestic supplies 

and for watering cattle.

At the Valley Wells smelter of the Ivanpah Copper Co., there are 

five dug wells, which range in depth from 15 to 30 feet and are all 

connected by tunnels. The wells are dug in gravel, and a material 

described as limerock, which is probably caliche, lies at the bottom. 

The depth of the water in the sump is only 6 feet. When the wells 

are pumped at the rate of 50 gallons a minute there is practically no 

drawdown, but when the rate of pumping is increased to 100 gallons 

a minute the wells can be pumped dry.
AMABGOSA DRAINAGE BASI^f

The* analysis of a sample from the Yates well (analysis-2, p. below 

indicates that the water in this locality is not very good. The sample 

contained 904 parts per million of total solids, and calcium sulphate 

predominates. The water is only fair for domestic, use and bad for 

boilers because of the large quantity of scale-forming constituents. 

It is good for irrigation.

Analyses of ground water from Upper Kingston Valley, Calif., collected Oct. ®4~

£7, 1917

1C. H. Kid well, analyst. Parts per million]

Silica (SiOi) ...... _.. .................._.......____......_... .. .. ...... 

Iron(Fe) .. ........ __ __ __ ........ .........

Calcium (Ca) .... .. _ _ ..... ......

Magnesium (Mg). ___ .... ________________________ ...

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated) _ - ________ ___ ...

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOa) .....................................................

Sulphate radicle (8O«)..... . ____ .. _____________ . ____ ... ...

Chloride radicle (Cl)....................._............._..._....................

Nitrate radicle (NO»). ............................... .........................

Total dissolved solids at 180° C. ......... .......................................

1

65

.42

27

32

123

0

* 395

88

39

.72

536

199

2

87

' 2.1

151

53

30

0

208

438

23

.62

904

595

1. Francis Spring, approximately in sec. 5 or 8, T. 16 N., B. 11E. San Bernardino meridian. See below 

for description.

2. Valley Wells, in sec. 22, T. 16 N., E. 12 E. San Bernardino meridian. Sam Yates, owner. See p. 608 

% description.

The only other well that is known in the valley is one dug by Mr. 

Yates about 2 miles south of Valley Wells and half a mile west of the 

road to Cima. The total depth is about 63 feet and the depth to 

water about 45 feet. This well yields 6 gallons a minute. It is used 

for watering cattle.

Mr. Yates states that he dug a well to a depth of 154 feet" at the 

north'end of the clay flat several miles north of Valley Wells but 

found no water. It would seem likely that water might occur close 

to the surface at places in Kingston Wash, where it cuts between the 

Shadow Mountains and the Kingston Kange. This locality was not 

visited, however, and the wash may be filled with alluvium to so 

great a depth that water does not occur close to the surface.

So little information is available that it is impossible to make any 

prediction as to the occurrence of ground water in the valley. The 

conditions that cause the water to lie so near the surface at Valley 

Wells and so deep several miles farther north are unknown. Low 

hills west and north of Valley Wells suggest that a rock dam may 

extend across the valley at that place and bring the water close to the 

surface. On the other hand, the so-called limerock or caliche may 

act as an impervious bed above which the water is perched.

SPRINGS

Frmtis Spring. Francis Spring is on the Silver Lake-Goodsprings 

road in about sec, 7 or 8, T. 16 N., R. 11 E. (unsurveyed). The 

spring is on the north side of the road along a wash about 0.7 mile
$04 THE MOHAVE DE6EKT EIKHON, GMJFOBNIA

west of the place where the road passes between low hills onto a long 

slope. The spring, when visited in 1917, was covered level with'the 

ground and might easily be overlooked. However, an iron water 

trough about 100 yards down the wash called the traveler's attention 

to the nearness of water. The spring is really a well dug in gravel to 

a depth of 10 feet and partly walled. The depth to water is about 

7 feet, so that a short rope and bucket were necessary to reach it. 

The trough near by was full of water, apparently fed by a pipe from 

the spring. The spring is used by travelers and as a watering place 

for cattle.

The water is moderately mineralized and contains .536 parts per 

million of total solids, in which sodium bicarbonate predominates. 

It is good for domestic use and fair for irrigation. (See analysis 1, 

p. 603.)

On the Ivanpah topographic map several springs are shown in 

the Clark and Ivanpah Mountains, but with one exception they occur 

on the east side of the mountains. Pachalka Spring is at the west 

base of Clark Mountain, about 5 miles northeast of Valley Wells, 

from which a secondary road leads to the spring. It is used only by 

prospectors and cattlemen, and no information is available in regard 

to it. This is probably the same as Pachanca Springs, which are 

mentioned in Water-Supply Paper 224 as situated above the northwest base of Clark Mountain.

POSSIBILITIES FOB FABMOTS

Conditions in Kingston Valley are unfavorable for other branches 

of agriculture than cattle raising. In a large part of the valley the 

depth of water is too great for economical pumping. Where water is 

closer to the surface the supply seems to be small.

Although the precipitation in the valley is slightly greater than in 

most of the Mohave Desert region, it is hardly sufficient for dry farming. It is sufficient, however, to provide some forage for cattle. 

Summer grazing is found in the high mountains that border the 

valley. Nevertheless the number of cattle that the valley will support is rather small, and it is probably already grazed to capacity.

LOWER KINGSTON VALLEY

Lower Kingston Valley lies west of the northern part of Upper 

Kingston Valley. (See pis. 7, 11, and 12.) It is separated from the 

upper valley by the Shadow Mountains and the Kingston Eange but 

is connected with it by a pass through which Kingston Wash carries 

drainage from the upper to the lower valley. The lower valley consists almost wholly of a great alluvial slope that descends in a westerly direction from the base of the Shadow Mountains, the Kingston 

Range, and unnamed low mountains farther northwest. A small part
AMARGOSA DRAINAGE BASIN 605

of the basin consists of the alluvial slope on the northeast side of the 

Avawata Mountains. The drainage from these alluvial slopes w concentrated into a channel that passes westward from the valley between low rock hills in the western part of T. 18 N., R. 7 E., and a 

short distance farther west joins Amargosa River. Thus the drainage 

of both the Upper and Lower Kingston Valleys is tributary to the 

Amargosa Basin. A large alluvial fan has been built out by Kingston 

Wash west of the Kingston Range and the Shadow Mountains. This 

wash, as well as other parts of the alluvial slope, is very sandy. 

Probably any surface flow that may be carried into the wash is absorbed on the alluvial slope, except perhaps after unusually heavy 

rams, so that surface ruh-off from either valley seldom reaches Amargosa River.

So far as the writer is aware, the valley is uninhabited. Some 

prospecting has been done in the mountains bordering the valley. 

The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad lies along the east side of the 

valley. The only important road is that leading from Silver Lake to 

South Death Valley and to Randsburg by way of Owl Holes, which 

lies along the west side of the valley. Roads lead from the railroad, 

at Valjean and between that place and Riggs, northeastward to the 

west side of the Shadow Mountains and up Kingston Wash into the 

northern part of Upper Kingston Valley, where they connect with 

roads to Ivanpah and Mesquite Valley. A road also leads in a northerly direction to Rabbit Holes, and thence to Tecopa by way of the 

Tecopa smelter. It is reported that thefe roads are sandy and difficult to travel, and they are seldom used. In order to avoid these bad 

roads, persons going to Tecopa, Zabriskie, and Shoshone generally 

follow much more roundabout routes, either by way of Saratoga 

Spring and the old Confidence mill in Death Valley, or by way of 

Mesquite and Ivanpah Valleys. (See pp. 574, 577-578.)

The watering places in the valley known to the writer are the socalled Rabbit Holes, in the southwestern part of T. 19 N., R. 9 E. 

(unsurveyed), and springs in the southwestern part of T. 18 N., 

R. 7 E. (See pi. 11.) The Rabbit Holes are reported to* consist of a 

small seepage. The supply is not reliable, and the water is usually 

contaminated by animals. The holes are reached by a branch from 

the road from Riggs to the Tecopa smelter, which is seldom traveled.

In January, 1918, water was flowing in a channel of the'so-called 

South Branch of Amargosa River, about two-tenths of a mile east of 

low rock hills about 12 miles southeast of Saratoga Springs and 20 

miles northwest of Silver Lake. This place is sometimes called Salt 

Spring. The spring is about 250 yards north of the Silver Lake-Owl 

Holes road and is marked by tules and other vegetation that indicate, 

the presence of water near the surface. The water appears as a very 

small 'stream coming from clay and fine gravel. As shown by afiaiy» 

sis 5 (p. 588), the water is highly mineralized, containing 5,385 parts
606 THE MOSAV1S BBSERl* 3H3GI0N, OMJtFOENIA

per million of total solids, principally sodium chloride. It is 

for domestic use. Other springs of better quality are reported to 

exist in low rock hills less than half a mile north of the springs just 

described.98 The occurrence of springs in this locality is doubtless 

due to the extension of bedrock almost continuously across the valley 

in such a way as to hinder the westward movement of ground water 

and cause the water to rise near to the surface where it passes over 

the rock.

No water was found in a well drilled to a depth of 425 feet at Valjean, on the Tonopah & Tidewater Kailroad. The material penetrated was all cemented gravel. It is probable that beneath most of 

the alluvial slope the water table does not rise much above the water 

level at Salt Spring. An uncompleted topographic map, made by the 

United States Geological Survey, shows that the spring lies a little 

more than 500 feet above sea level and that Valjean is a little more 

than 1,000 feet above sea level. Perhaps water would have been 

found if the well had been drilled 100 feet deeper. Doubtless water 

can be reached in other parts of the valley by drilling to a depth below the altitude of Salt Spring. In the lower part of the valley the 

water may be expected to be salty, but it is possible, although not 

certain, that water of better quality may be obtained from wells on 

the upper part of the alluvial slopes. It is believed that no large 

supply for continuous use, as for irrigation, can be obtained, for 

there is ample opportunity for the ground water to drain into the lower 

Amaigosa Valley. In fact, tjie flow of water at Salt Spring may represent almost the entire quantity that is added continuously to the 

ground-water reservoir. However, a large quantity of water is doubtless stored in the alluvium, and enough water for mining could be 

obtained if occasion for such use ever arises.

PAHRTJMP, MESQUITE, IVANPAH, AND ROACH VALLEYS

Pahrump, Mesquite, Ivanpah, and Roach Valleys lie in the extreme 

northeastern^part of the Mohave Desert region. (See pis. 7 and 12.) 

Roach Valley lies wholly in Nevada, but the other three lie partly 

in Nevada and partly in California. The geology and water resources 

of these valleys have been described briefly by Waring.97 The 

geology of most of the region has been studied hi some detail by 

Hewett.98 A few essential data are given below, and the reader is 

referred to reports of these men for more details.

* Mendenball, W. C., Some desert watering places in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, pp. 48-49,1909.

« Waring, O. A., Ground water in Pabrump, Mesquite, and Ivanpah Valleys, Nov. and Calif.: U. S. 

@eol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 460, pp. 61-81,1921.

'* Hewett, D. F., Structure of the Spring Mountain range, southern Nevada (abstract): Oeol. Soc. 

America Boll., vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 89-90,1923; Two Tertiary epochs of thrust faulting in the Mojave Desert, 

Calif, (abstract): Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 39, p. 178, 1928; report forU. S. Qeol. Survey cm th* 

geology of the Ivanpah quadrangle, in preparation.
PAHRITMP, MESQUITB, IVANPAHV AND ROAGH VALLEYS

Only a small part of Pahrump Valley is included in the * 

covered by this report. The valley is a closed basin bordeiifi Tby 

the high Spring Mountains on the northeast and lower mountains' 

on the southwest. On the northwest it is bordered by small mountain" 

masses through which there are several passes only a few hundred 

feet above the bottom of the valley. The great trough of which 

Pahrump Valley is a part continues southeastward, where it constitutes Mesquite Valley. The two valleys are separated by a rather 

low and gentle divide which appears to be underlain largely by 

alluvium.

Several large springs with recorded discharges during some months . 

of a few to 35 cubic feet a second " rise in the Spring Mountains ami 

in the valley, but none of them are within the area covered by this 

report. A dozen or more wells have been drilled or dug in tbe 

valley. The wells range in depth from a few feet to 535 feet and yield 

from a few to 560 gallons a minute. At two localities flowing welfe 

have been obtained. A few hundred acres has been irrigated.

MESQUITE VALLEY

Mesquite Valley lies in the same large trough as Pahrump Valley, 

to the northwest, and Is separated from it only by a low divide. On 

the other three sides it is surrounded by mountains that rise 2 $00 

feet or more above the bottom of the valley. The valley slopes 

southeastward to Mesquite Dry Lake, a playa that lies near tb» 

mountains that form the southeastern border of the valley. The 

playa is of the wet type and in places has a salt crust.

More than 25 weHs nave been drilled or dug in the valley. Near 

the playa the depth to water is less than 10 feet, but it increases in 

all directions away from the playa. At the old Sandy mill, in see. &, 

T. 25 S., R. 57 E. Mount Diablo meridian, the depth to water is 

about 50 feet. In sec. 30, T. 20 N., R. 12 E. San Bernardino meridian, 

the depth to water is at least 90 feet. Little definite information w 

available in regard to the yield of wells. No large yields have been 

reported, but this may be because the wells have not been fully tested, 

The water near the playa is rather mineralized, but that farther away 

is of better quality.

Some irrigation has been attempted in the valley, but when the 

writer visited it in 1917 the indications were that no great success 

had been attained. Near the playa the soil is alkaline, and in other 

parts of the valley where the depth to water is not excessive for 

economical pumping the soil is probably too clayey to permit successful cultivation. Some irrigation may be practicable in areas sofiie

* Waring, Q. A., op. dt., pp. 81-62.
THE MOHATE BESflRT REGION, CAUPOKNtA,

distance from the playa if water can be obtained at a reasonable 

depth.

There has been considerable mining in the mountains around the 

valley, but it has been more or less sporadic. In 1914 a tawn named 

Platina was established in T. 25 S., R. 57 E., but in the fatt of 1917 

it was abandoned except for a few persons. Water for travelers was 

obtainable from a dug well at the Sandy mill, mentioned above, or 

from a well at the town site of Platina,, a short distance south of the 

mill.

IVANPAH AND ROACH VALLEYS

Ivanpah and Roach Valleys occupy a large trough that trends 

north. The trough is almost entirely surrounded by mountains the 

Spring Mountains, Clark Mountain, the Ivanpah Mountains, the 

New York Mountains, the McCullough Range, and other mountains 

that are unnamed but there are rather broad passes at several 

points at altitudes of several hundred feet above the bottom of the 

valleys. The lowest parts of the valleys aare occupied by playas, 

which may be designated Ivanpah and Roach Dry Lakes. Roach 

Dry Lake is only 10 or 15 feet higher than Ivanpah Dry Lake and is 

separated from it only by a low divide about a mile wide. This 

divide is formed by a large alluvial fan that has been built out from 

mountains on the east side of the trough. It seems likely that the 

two playas were parts of the same drainage basin until comparatively 

recent geologic time. The playas are of the dry type, with hard, 

smooth surfaces. In consistence with this type of surface the water 

table, as shown by the well data given below, lies at a depth of 75 

feet or more. This fact is believed to indicate that water finds an 

underground outlet to some one of the adjoining basins. Apparently 

the only direction in which seepage could take place is northward into 

Mesquite Valley, where the water table is at about the same altitude 

as in Ivanpah Valley, or northeastward into Las Vegas Valley, where 

the water table is much lower. The divide between Mesquite and 

Ivanpah Valleys is composed of bedrock, but D. F. Hewett l states 

that the rocks are much faulted, and conceivably water might move 

along the fractures. Hewett states that the divide between Roach 

Valley and Las Vegas Valley is formed of Tertiary volcanic rocks, 

which may be underlain by older alluvium. These roeks might 

a«Uk>w percolation of water into the lower valley.

Food supplies, gasoline, etc., may be obtained at several places, 

including Goodsprings, Jean, Roach, Nipton, IvanpaJi, and Cima. 

The Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad crosses the center of Roach 

Valley and follows around the eastern and southeastern border of 

Ivanpah Valley. Numerous roads lead to all parts of the valleys.

t Personal communication.
609

The new Arrowhead Trail between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City 

(aee p. 143) enters Ivanpah Valley through a pass in the Ivanpah 

Mountains and turns northward along the west side of Iranpah Dry 

Lake. It goes northerly through Roach Valley to Jeaa and thence 

continues dose to the Los Angeles & Salt Lake Railroad to Las Vegas. 

From the Ajri?0whead Trail near Valley Wells a road leads southeastward to Cima. From that place roads lead northeastward to Ivanpah 

and Ivanpah Dry Lake and to the Arrowhead Trail on the east side 

of the Ivanpah Mountains. Where the Arrowhead Trail leaves tibe 

mountains a road continues eastward across the valley to Nipton and 

thence to Searchlight.

Several wells have been drilled in Ivanpah Valley and at least two 

in Roach Valley. In the lowest part of Ivanpah Valley, near the 

playa, the depth to water is 75 feet or more. The water table rises 

but slightly toward the mountains, whereas the alluvial slopes rise 

with gradients of 50 to 100 feet to the mile or more. As a result at 

points higher and higher on the alluvial slope the depth to water 

becomes increasingly great. At the Murphy well, in sec. 3, T. 15% 

N., R. 15 E. San Bernardino meridian (see pi. 12), the depth to water 

in October, 1917, was 100 feet. In a well of the Los Angeles & Salt 

Lake Railroad in sec. 13, T. 15 N., R. 15 E., about 3J^ miles north of 

Ivanpah, about 300 feet higher, the depth to water is about 370 feet. 

In another well of the railroad at Lyons station the depth to water is 

275 feet. In. Roach Valley the depth to water in a well at Roach is 

about 90 feet and in a railroad well at Borax siding it is 200 feet. 

Available data indicate that the yield of the wells is not great. In 

January, 1918, the Murphy well could be pumped dry in about four 

hours at a rate of about 20 gallons a minute. This amount of water 

was derived from a 12-foot tunnel at the bottom of the well, which is 

hi adobe or clay.

The quality of water in the lower part of the valleys is very bad. 

A sample from one well in sec. 8, T. 27 S., R. 59 E. Mount Diablo 

meridian, between the two playas, contained 27,501 parts per million 

of total solids, and a sample from the Murphy well contained'7,702 

parts per million. In other wells farther from the playas the mineral 

content is much less, and the water is good for domestic use.

Some attempts have been made to irrigate land in Ivanpah Valley, 

but when the writer visited the valley in October, 1917, these, had 

apparently all been abandoned. The depth to water is so great that 

water could be puinped for irrigation only under the most favorable 

circumstances. The soil in the lowest part of the valley, where the 

pumping lift is least, is too clayey to raise good crops, and the water 

is likely to be of poor quality. Farther from the playas, where th$ 

soil is more suitable for crops, the depth to water is excessive, and 

water eonld not be pumped economieftily. A few huM-dred imnd of
4H.O THE MGHAVB BBSEKTBEGKEON,

cattle were being grazed in the valley in 1018. The number of cattle 

that can be raised, however,, is dependent upon the supply of wild 

grass, for the soil and water conditions will not permit the cultivation 

of grazing crops. .

A number of springs and wells are situated in the mountains that 

surround the two valleys. Many of them are not near any roads 

and are known only to prospectors. Those most important to 

travelers are Mexican Well, Koseberry Spring, Wheatstone Spring, 

Kessler Spring, Cut Spring, and White Eock Spring, in the Ivanpah 

Mountains; Slaughterhouse Spring, in the New York Mountains; 

and Crescent Wells, at the south end of the McCullough Range. 

(See pi. 12.) All of these are believed to be reliable watering places.

LAS VEGAS AND SUTOB VALLEYS

In the extreme northeast corner of the region covered on Plate 7 

a small area is shown as being in Las Vegas Valley, and a small basin, 

to which the name Sutor Valley may be given, lies between it and 

Roach Valley. The writer did not see either of these valleys and 

therefore no information is given here in regard to them. The water 

resources of Las Vegas Valley have been described by Carpenter.2

LUCERNE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Lucerne Valley lies in the southwestern part of San Bernardmu 

County, about 20 miles east of Victorville. The name has been 

given to the valley in recent years because of its supposed suitability 

for growing alfalfa, for which the European name is lucerne.

The nearest railroad town is Victorville, about 20 miles distant, 

which is reached by a good desert road. Just before it enters the 

valley the road forks. The left branch leads to Lucerne Valley post 

office and ranches in the central part of the valley. The right 

"branch lea'ds a little farther south to the Box S ranch. At this 

ranch the main road leads southeastward to Baldwin Lake and Bear 

Valley by way of the Cushenbury ranch and Cactus Flat. This 

road is used by many travelers in going to resorts along Bear Lake. 

On this road water can be obtained at a number of ranches. From 

the Box S ranch a road continues eastward to Old Woman Springs 

and points farther east. In the days of wagon transportation this 

was a much traveled route to prospects hi the eastern part of the 

long trough that reaches eastward to Dale. However, east of 

Lucerne Valley there are several sandy stretches, which in 1918 

were impassable for automobiles a few miles beyond Old Woman 

Springs.2* (See p. 625.)__________________________

* Carpenter, Everett, Ground water in southeaatara Nevada: IT. 8. (tool. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

868,1918.

** In 1928 Alien S. Baker, of Lucerne Valley, reported that this road was passable.
Lucerne Valley may be reached from Barstow* w& Pa^^t. 

following the road that leads to Victorrille by way^of Stoddard 

and by turning southeast from that road 2 miles south of, th& well. 

This road is used by persons who are going from tfaie nojrtlwpft pafefe 

of the county to Bear Valley. The distance from 'Batstow t© the 

Box S ranch is about 41 miles and from Daggett about 2 miles 

farther. The valley also probably can be reached from Daggett by ra 

road that leads southward across Ord Mountain. The writer traveled 

this road only as far as Sweetwater Spring. The route beyond that 

spring, as shown on Plate 11, was taken from township plats of ttie 

General Land Office. It is reported that there is another road east 

of Ord Mountain. No definite information could be obtained in 

regard to either of these roads, and possibly they ai?e no longer passable. In addition to the principal roads mentioned numerous roads 

lead to ranches and to mine prospects in the mountains that border 

the valley.

In 1928 there were two stores in the valley. Mail is received at 

Lucerne Valley post office. The principal activity in the valley 

is agriculture. Although there are a number of mine prospects in 

the bordering mountains, in recent years there has been no active 

mining,

No climatic records are available for the valley. At the Bear 

Valley Dam, in the San Bernardino Mountains just beyond the 

southern border of the valley, the average annual precipitation is 

about 35 inches. However, the precipitation is less and less at 

points progressively northward from the summit of the mountains 

and at lower altitudes. A comparison of the topographic conditions 

in Lucerne Valley with those in the upper Mohave and Antelope 

Valleys where records are available indicates that the annual rainfall 

in the irrigable part of Lucerne Valley is probably not more than 6 

or 7 inches, and it may be less. Much of the winter precipitation in 

the San Bernardino Mountains falls in the form of snow.

The temperature in the lower part of the valley is probably comparable with that at such places as Victorville and Palmdale. Doubt-? 

less in summer such high extremes are not reached as those that occur 

in some of the desert valleys at lower altitudes. Because of the great 

altitude on the slopes of the bordering San Bernardino Mountains 

the temperature reaches rather low marks in winter.

The vegetation is dominantly the creosote bush and the species 

commonly associated with it. A few small yuccas are scattered on 

the higher slopes. The sides of the San Bernardino Mountains are 

coyered with large pine trees, but there are no trees on the ; other 

mountains. At the Cushenbury ranch there are about 20 large 

poplars, some of them 2^ feet in diameter. Salt grass covers an 

area of several acies at Babbit Springs and at Box S Springs^ but
612 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

elsewhere in the lower part of the valley salt grass or other vegetation that draws moisture from the ground water is generally absent. 

In the lowest part of the valley the water table is apparently below 

the depth to which these plants reach.

The soils of the southern half of Lucerne Valley have been described 

in a reconnaissance report of the United States Bureau of Soils.* 

The soil of the alluvial slopes is an arkose similar to that in most of 

the desert region. On the upper part of the slopes that descend from 

the San Bernardino Mountains large boulders are more abundant 

than in most of the other valleys of the region. The soil in the lowest 

part of the valley is finer and clayey. This area of clayey soil extends for some distance away from the playa in the bottom of the 

valley. There is some alkali in the soil around the playa, but it is 

not sufficiently abundant to appear on the surface.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Lucerne Valley is part of a great trough that extends in a southeasterly direction from the west end of this valley to the east end of 

Dale Valley, a distance of about 75 miles. (See p. 120 and pis. 11 

and 12.) This trough is separated into several valleys by low rock 

hills and alluvial divides. The southern border of the valley is 

formed by the San Bernardino Mountains, which, in the part tributary to Lucerne Valley, reach an altitude of 8,300 feet. The northern 

border of the valley is formed by Ord Mountain, which reaches an 

altitude of about 5,000 feet, and a lower ridge that extends westward 

from it for about 10 miles. Practically continuous with this ridge 

rise the Granite Mountains, which extend southward for about 15 

miles and form most of the western border of the valley. The' south 

end of these mountains is separated from the San Bernardino Mountains by an alluvium-filled valley from 2 to 5 miles wide that connects 

Lucerne Valley with the Upper Mohave Valley. An alluvial fan 

built out from the San Bernardino Mountains to the southeast end 

of the Granite Mountains has formed a low divide that separates 

Lucerne Valley from Fifteenmile Valley on the west. The eastern 

border of the valley is formed by a number of rock hills separated 

by areas of alluvium. Although at several places the divide is formed 

of alluvium the rock hills extend along so much of the border that 

bedrock doubtless lies at no great depth beneath the alluviumcovered portions of the divide.

The geology of the southern half of Lucerne Valley has been mapped 

in considerable 'detail by Vaughan.4 The west end of the area that 

is tributary to the valley is underlain by granitic rocks of undeter-

> Dunn, J. E., and others, Reconnaissance soil surrey of the central southern California area: 17. 8, 

Dept. Agr., Bur. Soils Field Operations, 1917, advance sheets (with map), 1021.

< Vaugfcam, F. E., Geology of the San Beraardiao Mountains north of San Gorgonio Pass: California 

Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 319-411,1921
VALLEY 61S

mined age. Farther east occur sedimentary rocks of Paleozoic age 

eat by a granite {to which Vaughan has applied the name 

granite), regarded 

tion that it is of

as probably of late Jurassic age, on the

the same age as granites in the Sierra Nevada,

which he believes i to be Jurassic. The sedimentary rocks indbde 

mostly limestone e)f Upper Cambrian and Ordoviciam age, but there 

is one large area of Silurian or Devonian quartzi&e. No fossils w«re 

found in any of these rocks, and the age determinations are based on 

lithologic resemblances to rocks in other regions and their relation to 

the intrusive rock$. In the mountains and on their northern slope 

Vaughan has distinguished alluvial deposits (fanglomerate and other 

types) of two ages in addition to the recent deposits.

The Granite Mountains, Ord Mountain, and hills on the east side 

of the valley have not been studied in detail. At several places 

where they were observed close at hand by the writer, they are composed of granitic rocks, and parts seen from a distance appear to 

consist largely of these rocks. Patches of limestone or other rocks 

are reported to occAir in several places.

. The recent alhnjium that fills a large part of the valley consists of 

alternating layers bf gravel, sand, and clay. According to well logs, 

gravel and boulders seem to be more abundant in this valley than 

in many of the ot(ier desert valleys, notably the lower part of Antelope Valley and a large part of the Mohave Valley. This abundance 

of gravel is doubtless due to the proximity of the high San Bernardino 

Mountains, which have a great precipitation and thus offer good opportunity for coarse material to be washed into the valley. The character of the alluvium is shown by the log of the well of Thomas F. 

Porter,4* given on page 614. This well is the deepest well in the valley 

for which data w^re obtained. In this well granite, believed to be 

bedrock and not merely a boulder, was struck at a depth of 776 feet. 

Although a total of 167 feet of gravel was penetrated, nearly all of 

the first 200 feet and the last 100 feet was clay or clay and sand. 

The logs of several other wells in the lower part of the valley show 

that the alluvium] to depths of 100 feet or more is composed principally of clay.

The lowest part of the valley is occupied by a playa known as 

Lucerne Dry Lake. It was not visited by the writer, and the true

relations between the playa deposits and ground-water conditions

were not ascertained. The water table in several wells is within at 

least 10 or 15 feet of the surface. Alkali was not noticeable from a 

distance of a few miles in December, 1917, and February, 1918, but 

a soil map of the area shows that the area occupied by the playa con-

*» In »28 wportwl to be owned \rr Julian S. Gobsr. 

fi6Sl 29 40
THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALKFOBNIA

tains some alkali.6 There is no salt grass or mesquite around the 

borders of the playa, Apparently the playa is one of the dry type, 

but near the border line between the dry and wet types, with the 

water table just far enough below the surface to prevent the forma- 

"tion of the features that characterize playas of the wet type. The 

outline of the playa as shown in Plate 11 was taken from a recent 

township plat of the United States General Land Office, and it is 

much larger than that shown on the San Gorgonio topographic map. 

The outline on the township plat agrees approximately with the area 

in which alkali exists, as shown on the soil map of the area. However, 

the fact that a number of wells have been drilled on the playa suggests that true playa conditions do not exist hi the entire area 

outlined.

Log of well of Thomas F. Porter (No. 6 Jig. 17), in SE. ?4 NE. 

R. 1 W. San Bernardino meridian

[Furnished to Q. A. Waring by Julian 8. Qobar]

sec. 2, T. 4 N.,

White clay vith hard cement layw

White clay with gravel.. _____________________________

Cemented sand ________________________________

Clay. _ .... . . ...-_--.._-.. .--.. . -. ... 

Gravel, sand, and day _______________________________

Sand and clay .

Sand and gravel __________________________________

Clay ... .

Gravel. __ .. . __ . ____________________________

Clay- ... - ........... ................................ ......... .............

Cement _______ . ______________________________

Clay... .......-.-.. _-..-...- .-.-.-..._..._.- .-. -. . . 

Gravel and boulders __________________________ : .........

Boulders

Clay.................. ....... .. -..-....... ..-...... .................

Clay........ .......... .......................................................

Band and gravel. .

Clay.......... .__ .- ..--.--................-..--_-......- .-..-.

Sand and clay. .

Clay........... ..............................................................

Clay. .....

Cemented sand. . .

Thickness 

(feet)

65

22

12

21

12

17

8

73

22

26

16

8

16

60

54

19

4

12

5

23

11

46

5

16

17

10

12

4

11

13

8

3

11

10

13

20

7

15

43

6

1«

Depth 

(feet).

65

87

90

120

132

149

LS7

230

252

278

204

302

318

37S

432

tKt

466

467

472

495

506

552

567

573

590

600

612

616

627

640

648.

651

662

672

685

705

712

727

770

776

777*^

About 9 miles east of Box S Springs, near the eastern border of the 

valley, lies a small unnamed playa. The surface drainage from this

t Dunn, J. E., and others, Reconnaissance soil survey of the central southern California area: U. S. 

Dept. Agr. Bur. Soils Field Operations, 1917, California advance sheets, 1021.
 VALLEY , n ...; .

playa is prevented from reaching Lucerne Dry Lake by a low divide 

forme4 by an alluvial deposit that has been built out from the San 

Bernardino Mountains. Actually the playa occupies a small separate 

closed basin, but as the water table beneath it is undoubtedly continuoijis with that in Lucerne Valley proper the area is considered a 

part of the large valley.

GROUND WATER

No perennial streams are known to exist in any of the mountains 

that border Lucerne Valley. In several short canyons on the north 

slope of the San Bernardino Mountains streams probably persist for 

several days after heavy rains. In the other mountains the run-off 

persists for only a few hours at the most, after heavy rains.

Th^re are several springs in the valley, and 40 to 50 wells have 

been drilled. Data in regard to the wells are given in the table on 

page 619 and their location is shown on Figure 17. Most of the data 

on the wells were collected by G. A. Waring, of the United States 

Geological Survey, in the fall of 1916. The writer obtained information in regard to a few additional wells in December, 1917.

WELLS

Most of the wells for which definite data were obtained are more 

than 100 feet deep, and many of them are from 200 to 500 feet deep. 

One well is 531 feet deep and one is 778 feet deep. The few logs 

obtained indicate that it is necessary to drill to a depth of more than 

100 feet and in some places more than 200 feet in order to strike waterbearing gravel. This condition is shown by the well of Thomas F. 

Porter, the log of which is given on page 614. In other wells the first 

gravel encountered does not lie at so great a depth.

The depth at which water is struck ranges from 7 feet to more 

than 200 feet in the wells for which data were obtained. In general 

the depth to water is least in wells near Lucerne Dry Lake and is 

increasingly greater in wells farther and farther from the playa. 

The depth to water differs approximately as the altitude of the different wells above the playa. This relation is not everywhere maintained, however, for in wells near the Box S ranch certain local conditions cause the water to stand higher than in wells on lower land 

between the ranch and the playa. These conditions are discussed 

below.

The depth to water beneath the playa is about 10 feet, as shown 

by well 12. Over a considerable area, including approximately the 

southeast quarter of T. 5 N., R. 1 W., and sees. 19,20,29,30, and 31, 

T. 5 N., R. 1 E., the depth is not more than 25 or 30 feet. In this 

area the land slopes rather gently. Beyond it the land rig » more 

rapidly toward the mountains and the depth to water increases more
616 THE MOHAVE DESEBT EB0I0N, CALIFOBNIA

Boundary ('of drainage basin Spring

FIGURE 17. Map of Lucerne Valley, Calif., showing boundary of drainage basin and location of wells
LUCERNE VALLEY *

in short distances. Thus in well 33, in the NE. }i aec. 7, T. 4 N., 

B. IE., the depth to water is 50 feet, and in well 34, a little more 

than a mile southwest of No. 33, it is 104 feet. As nearly as can be 

determined by estimating the altitude of the surface from the topographic map the water table rises from th« playa with a very low 

grade, probably not more than 10 feet to the mile. Tli® difference in 

the depth to water is therefore due largely to the rise of the alluvial 

slopes toward the mountains. The alluvial slopes at the base of tike 

San Bernardino Mountains rise more steeply than those on the north 

side of the valley, and accordingly the increase hi the depth to water 

away from the playa is doubtless somewhat greater on the south side 

of the valley. The maximum depth reported on the north side of 

the valley is 72 feet in well 1. This well is about 5 miles northeast of 

well 10, in which the depth to water is less than in any other weH 

on or near the playa. In well 32, about an equal distance south of 

well 12, the depth to water is 215 feet.

In the vicinity of the Box S ranch the water table stands abnormally 

high as compared to the condition farther east and north. At the 

ranch there are several flowing wells, and in well 28, about a mile 

farther southwest, the depth to water is only 7 feet. In wells 29 

and 31, south of the Box S ranch, the depth to water is 30 and 60 

feet, respectively. In contrast to these wells the depth to water hi 

well 26, about half a mile north of the Box S ranch, is 70 feet and hi 

well 34, a little more than a mile east of the ranch, it is 104 feet. 

Obviously there is some underground condition that holds the water 

near the surface in the neighborhood of the Box S ranch.

The zone in which the water table is close to the surface has been 

shown by wells to lie southwest of a line that passes eastward from 

Rabbit Springs to the Box S ranch. Residents of the valley have 

advanced the theory that a buried rock ridge cuts across the valley 

hi this direction and holds back of it the ground water that waa moving 

beneath the alluvial slope from the San Bernardino Mountains. An 

elongated hill between the Box S ranch and Box S Spring tends to 

confirm this theory. However, so far as the writer is aware, bedrock 

has not been struck in any wells near the Box S ranch. It does not 

seem that a rock barrier could hold back the water unless it reached 

close enough to the surface either to crop out or to be struck in shallow wells-.

Vaughan * on his geologic map of the region shows a fault that 

extends from Box S Spring northwestward through Box S ranch 

and Rabbit Spring. The fault has affected the Quaternary alluvium. 

The position of this fault is shown in Figure 17. At several places

 Vaughan, F. E., Geology of San Bernardino Mountains north of San Qorgonio Pass: California Bahr, 

Dept, Ckology Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, p. 397 and geologic map, 1922.
THE MOHAVE DESEBT BEGtdft, CALIFORNIA

along this line, notably at Mabbit Spring and Box S Spring, there is a 

slight rise on the southwest side of this line. According to Vaughan's 

statement, the actual fault is nowhere to be seen, but the topography 

and the location of the springs mentioned and the flowing wells at 

the Box S ranch afford evidence in favor of a fault. A fault that has 

a downthrow on the northeast might very easily bring the clay beds 

in the lower part of the valley against water-bearing beds on the 

upper side and form so effective a dam that the water would stand 

higher on the southwest or upthrown side. All the conditions are more 

indicative of a fault than of a buried rock barrier.

The artesian conditions that result from this fault are apparently 

confined to a small zone at the Box S ranch. At this ranch flowing 

water has been obtained in several wells at depths of 130 to 140 feet. 

Water under no appreciable pressure was struck at 20 feet and 80 

feet. In a well 533 feet deep no greatly increased supply was obtained 

below the main artesian bed at about 140 feet. The flowing water 

was encountered hi a "honeycomb cement," which is probably a 

slightly cemented sand.

There seems to be no prospect of obtaining artesian flows from wells 

in the other parts of the valley, except perhaps in a narrow zone on 

the southwest side of the fault between the Box S ranch and the southeast end of the Granite Mountains. In this area the surface altitude 

is about the same as at the Box S ranch or lower. On the upthrown 

side of the fault, between the Box S ranch and Box S Spring, the 

surface is so much higher than at the ranch that the depth to water 

stands some distance below the surface. Enough deep wells have 

been drilled in different parts of the area northeast of the fault 

that is, in the greater part of the valley to prove that artesian flows 

will not be obtained there.

Definite information was obtained in regard to the yield of only 

two wells. One of these wells produced about 450 gallons a minute, and 

the othet between 180 and 270 gallons a minute.6* It is probable 

that properly constructed wells will yield at least 250 to 450 gallons a 

minute. A study of well logs shows that in order to obtain such 

yields it is advisable to drill wells to a depth of at least 200 or 300 

feet in order to penetrate good water-bearing beds.

* In November, 1928, while this report was in press, information was received that there were in the 

valley 11 wells with yields said to range from 360 to 1,150 gallons a minute, all but two of them more than 

800 gallons a minute. These wells are all in the lower part of the valley, within 2 or 3 mites of Lucerne 

Dry Lake. 
; -' '/'-,... I, ; WJd&NE rt£UQBr '-; -,',V*If 

|. . . , Records <$ wells in Luoeme VaU$y,, Colt/.

No. 

on 

flg.17

1 

2 

3 

4 

5

 6 

7 

8 

9

10

11 

12 

13 

14 

15 

16 

17

I7a 

18 

19 

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27

28

29 

30 

31 

32 

33 

34 

35 

36 

37 

39 

40 

41 

42 

43

Location

: 1 . ' " 1

Quajrter

aw,..

NE...

SW ... 

NW... 

SE....

SE.t"

 sw:::

::::£:

NV 

NI 

SE

NE 

NV 

SMV 

SE 

S^

NV 

SE

Nl

Sfl

NI

N\ 

SE

SE

NT

?..

...

...

Sec.

6 

7 

7 

12 

12

2 

19 

20 

20

24

28 

27 

34 

35 

35 

35 

30 

30 

30 

29 

32 

34 

31 

32 

33 

3 

12 

11

15

14 

22 

14 

26

7 

18 

8

10 

13 

14 

14 

18 

14

T.N.

4 

5 

5 

5 

5

4

5 

5 

5

5

5

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

5 

4 

4 

4

4

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4 

4

R.

1 W _

1 E. 

1 E.... 

IW 

1 W 

1 W 

1 E 

1 E 

1 E..._

1 W...

IW... 

IW 

IW...

IW...

IW 

1 W._.

1 E.... 

1 E....

1 E.... 

1 E . 

1 E....

1 E....

1 E.__.

1 E.... 

1 E 

1 E 

1 W...

1 W... 

IW 

IW 

1 W 

IW... 

1 E.... 

1 E.-.. 

1 E....

1 E . 

1 E.... 

1 E.... 

1 E.... 

1 E.... 

2 E.... 

1 W...

Name of owner or , 

entryman

A.R.Scott--- .

Thomas F. Porter. _ . 

W. F. Lee ... .......

F. H. Fewell- ........ 

B. Pocker ____ .. ...

Carrie E. Qribben .....

V. A. Porter.... ......

Georgia R. Hodges. ...

W. A. White 

F. H. Lee ..... ....

H. J. Clubb.- ....

H. W. Priester .. ...

J. M. Ross .... .....

J. A. Wilferth ... ...

J. S. Miller 

C. A. Thatcher--. .

P. P. Painter... .

C. H. Von Breton..... 

P. E. Weigle. .........

W. M. Mulholland ...

Depth 

of 

weH

(feet)

150

100 

150

75

778

282

300 

185

»220+

........

262

242

457

531 

491 

300+

205

(?)

«117

(»)

250

Depth 

to 

water

(feet)

72 

45 

30 

42 

31

20 

17 

25 

17

36

20 

10 

16 

14 16' 

25 

20 

17 

34 

30 

25 

42 

24 

42 

60 

70 

70 

Flows.

7

30 

100 

60 

215 

50 

104 

«109.8 

110 

136 

120 

160 

175 

180

Remarks

Yields 180 to 270 gallons a 

minute. 

See p. 614 for log. 

Dug. 

See p. 623 for analysis. 

Dug. See p. 623 for analysis. 

Reported to yield 1,485 

gallons a minute.

Dug.

Yields 450 gallons a minute. 

Dug.

See p. 617 for data in regard to several wells at 

this place, and p. 623 for 

analysis. 

See p. 617 for additional information.

See p. 623 for analysis.

Considerable blue day 

struck below a depth of 

30 feet.

* The location of well 6, in 1928 owned by Julian S. Qobar, was erroneously given to the writer as in the 

NE. X SI!. H sec. 22, T. 5 N., R. 1 E., and it is incorrectly shown in that location on Figure 17.

* Drilling not completed when data were obtained. 

«Measured by D. Q. Thompson Dec. 6,1917.

POSSIBLE

Part

MOVEMENT OF GROUND WATER BETWEEN ADJACENT 

VALLEYS

of the divide at both the east and west ends of Lucerne Valley 

is underlain by alluvium, and the question arises whether there is 

movement of ground water into or out of the valley at these places. 

In the eastern part of Old Woman Springs Valley or Johnson Valley, 

which lies east of Lucerne Valley, the altitude of the water'table fa 

between 2,750 and 2,775 feet, as determined from the topogripMc. 

map. (See p. 628.) In the lowest part of Lucerne Valley the altitude
620 THE MOHAVE D&SBRT REGION, CALIFORNIA

of the watepr table is about 2,840 feet. Although apparently it is a 

little higher there than in Old Woman Springs Valley, the gradient is 

not great. There may be some movement from the western valley. 

However, the divide between the valleys at several places is formed 

by rock hills, and it appears probable that these may form a continuous 

buried barrier above the water table, even where the surface is covered with alluvium.

In Fifteenmile Valley, which adjoins Lucerne Valley on the west, 

as nearly as can be determined from the topographic map, the altitude of the water table is about 2,890 feet. At the Box S ranch it 

may be a few feet higher, possibly as much as 2,910 feet. In the 

absence of accurate leveling to determine the altitude of the wells the 

difference is so little that it is impossible to assert that there is movement in one direction or the other. Even if there is movement from 

the vicinity of the Box S ranch westward to Fifteenmile Valley this 

movement affects only the zone southwest of the Rabbit SpringsBox S fault, for the water table northeast of the fault lies at an altitude 

of about 2,850 feet that is, considerably lower than hi Fifteenmile 

Valley.

SPRINGS

Oushenbury Springs. The largest springs in Lucerne Valley are 

Cushenbury Springs, in the NE. M sec. 10, T. 3 N., R. 1 E. Several 

springs rise in a small cie*naga or swampy area on the upper part of 

the alluvial slope, near the base of the San Bernardino Mountains. 

There are one or two distinct streams, but much of the water seeps 

out over an area of about 3 acres. The total minimum flow is estimated to be about 200 to 300 gallons a minute. In the whiter and 

spring this is increased somewhat. The water comes from gravel, 

and it is said that there is no bedrock near the surface. The exact 

cause of the seepage over a considerable area, so high on the alluvial 

slope, is not clear. The springs are situated almost in line with Box 

S Spring, the Box S ranch, and Rabbit Springs, and the explanation is 

immediately suggested that the fault which causes shallow water at 

those places also produces Cushenbury Springs. However, Vaughan 

does not continue the fault line as far southeast as Cushenbury 

Springs, and the surface features at the springs do not give evidence 

of faulting. There is some evidence of a fault along an east-west line 

on the alluvial slope, although not very near the springs. Possibly 

this fault has hi some way produced conditions that cause the springs, 

or perhaps bedrock is nearer to the surface than is believed.

Analysis 9 (p. 623) shows the water from the springs to be moderately 

mineralized, containing 400 parts per million of total dissolved solids. 

The predominant mineral matter is calcium bicarbonate. The water 

is similar in composition to that from well 33, and except for concentration is like that from well 27. (See analyses 6 and 3, p. 623.) It is
good for both domestic use and irrigation. The temperature of water 

from one of the main springs was 66.5° F. when measured on December 8, 1917.

The Cushenbury ranch is a favorite stopping place for travelers 

between Victorville and Bear Valley. The ranch house is surrounded 

by about 20 large poplar trees, some of them 2^ feet in diameter, 

whose shade is very inviting after the 30-mile drive across the desert 

from Victorville. About 30 to 40 acres of pasture and a few acres of 

fruit trees are irrigated from the springs.

Box S Springs. The Box S Springs are in sec. 4, T. 3 N., R. 1 E., 

about a hundred feet south of the Victorville-Bear Valley road. They 

issue Jrom the side of a steep northeastward-facing slope 25 feet or 

more jiigh that rises to a gentler terrace-like slope. The main spring 

is at tjhe base of the slope, and most of the water seeps from the roof 

and s^des of a short tunnel, but some water seeps out within a few 

feet of the top of the slope. No bedrock is visible either in the tunnel 

or on the side slope. The terrace is composed of a powdery soil that 

is evidently hi part a deposit formed by the evaporation of the spring 

water, White alkali covers part of the terrace, and salt grass is 

abunc ant on it. Although no bedrock is exposed at the springs, 

granite occurs a short distance to the northwest. The scarp at tie 

springs continues northwestward for 2 or 3 miles. This scarp undoubtpdly marks a fault that continues northwestward through the 

Box SJj ranch and Rabbit Springs, where water stands close to the 

surfacta. There is little doubt that the Box S Springs are also the 

result of the faulting, perhaps merely through the exposurerof & waterbearing bed. However, as the springs are located rather far up on 

the alluvial slope, where the water table normally would be expected 

to lie far below the surface, it seems likely that the faulting must

have

along

produced a damming effect to raise the water to the surface.

This effect may be due either to the formation of an impervious gouge

the fault or to the displacement of the water-bearing beds.

The water from the main spring is piped to a trough by the roadside 

for tie use of travelers. Analysis 8 (p. 623) shows that the water, 

except for its hardness, is good for domestic use. It is also good for 

irrigation. The water is hi general similar to that from Cushenbury 

Spring and wells 27 and 33, except that it is a little more highly 

mineralized. The temperature of the water on a cold December 

afternoon was 55° F.

Raobit Springs. Rabbit Springs are in the northeast corner of 

sec. 10 and the northwest corner of sec. 11, T. 4 N., R. 1 W. The 

water issues as seepages near the top of a low terrace that is about 

5 fee; above the nearly level land to the east. The terrace rises 

gradually westward to the southeast end of the Granite Mountains. 

The s bort, steep slope at the eastern edge of the terrace continues In &
622 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

southeasterly direction toward the Box S ranch, for about a quarter 

of ft mile, but on the northwest it continues only a few hundred feet. 

The soil of the terrace is rather silty but contains small pebbles. 

Some of this soil has probably resulted from the deposition of calcium 

carbonate and other salts on the evaporation of the spring water. 

Crusts of both white and black alkali are present around the spring. 

Salt grass covers an area of several acres on the terrace, showing that 

the water table lies within a few feet of the surface. East of the base 

of the steep slope, however, there is no salt grass, and the records of 

the nearest wells to the northeast, more than a mile distant, indicate 

that the depth to water is probably at least between 25 and 50 feet 

and may be more.

The springs are on a line that passes southeastward through the 

Box S ranch and Box S Springs, on the upper or southwest side of 

which the water table is near the surface. It is believed that this 

line marks a fault. No bedrock crops out at Rabbit Springs, and the 

only evidence of faulting is the slight escarpment.

Analysis 7 (p. 623) shows that the water is a calcium bicarbonate 

water of moderate mineral content, suitable for .all ordinary uses. 

For many years Rabbit Springs was a much used watering place on the 

road from Victorville to Old Woman Springs and mines to the east as 

far as Dale. However, with the development of ranches in Lucerne 

Valley and between that valley and Victorville, it is less utilized.

Other springs. On township plats of the General Land Office two 

springs are shown in canyons on the south slope of the granite ridge 

that forms the northern border of Lucerne Valley. One of these 

springs, called Taylor Spring, is in sec. 36, T. 7 N., R. 1 W., and the 

other is about 2^ miles farther east, in sec. 4 or 5, T. 7 N., R. 1 W. 

Taylor Spring is reached by roads that branch from the road between 

Stoddard Well and Lucerne Valley. The other spring is reached by a 

branch of a road that leads from Lucerne Valley to Ord Mountain. 

No information was obtained in regard to either of these springs.

QUALITY OP WATER

The results of the analyses of nine samples of water from wells and 

springs in Lucerne Valley are given in the table on page 623. The 

mineral content of all these samples is moderate except two (from 

wells 8 and 9), which show 5,510 and 2,898 parts per million, respectively. The mineral matter in the two highly mineralized waters 

consists largely of sodium chloride, but the water from well 9 also 

contains a considerable proportion of calcium and magnesium. 

These two waters are bad, if not unfit, for nearly all purposes, although 

doubtless they could be used in an emergency. The water from wells 

27 and 33 is good for domestic use and irrigation, but only fair for 

boiler use because it contains a considerable quantity of scale-forming 

constituents.
LUCERNE VALLEY 623

The two wells In which the water is so highly mineralized lie witMn 

the area of alkali soil in the lowest part of the valley. The highet 

mineral content is thus doubtless due to the evaporation of rain water 

that ccllected in the 'basin or to ground water that is carried t© -the 

surface by capillary action. Well 9 is only 20 feet deep, but the 

depth bf the other well is not known. It is uncertain whether water 

from deep wells would be of better quality. Water of bad quality 

has been struck in other wells near the two mentioned, but in most 

of the *valley water of good or fair quality may be obtained,

Analyses of ground waters from Lucerne Valley, Calif. 

[Parts per million]

Iron(Fe)..._.. ..... .... . ... 

Calcium (Ca>_.._...._......_._.

Magnesium (Mg). . 

Sodium a£d potassium (Na+K) (calculated). 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj)________. 

Sulphate radicle (SOi)_....._._...__.

Chloride radicle (Cl)....._____.__...

Nitrate radicle (NOi)__._______.........

Total dissolved solids.___________.. 

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated)___. 

Date of collection . .. ...___.___.

43

267

31

1,663

139

862

2,405

0

5,510

795

.10

24

24l'

113

545

105

396

1,236

10

.30

1,070

32

Trace.

41

19

24

222

34

6.9

6.0

269

180

36

65

41

57

288

168

.34

537 

331 

CO

30

Trace, 

48 

24 

42 

210 

104 

20

Trace. 

867 

218 

W

Sfflca (SiOa).................................

Iron (Fe)'....... ................... ....

Calcium (Ca)____________.__... 

Magnesiijun (Mg)............___.........

Sodium and potassium (NaH-K) (calculated). 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj)..................

Bulphateiradicle (SOi).......................

Chloride radicle (Cl).._._....._....___.......

Nitrate radicle (NO»).._......................

Total dissolved solids........................

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated)........

Date of collection............................

27

.33

36

24

33

222

40

7.4

30

.25

20

22

55

222

44

6.5

250

188

262

140

60 

.10

76

35

72 

289 

198

33

Trace. 

624 

334

56

17

47 in

135

19

400

210,

1.2

 Aug. 14,1916. 

/Jan. 13,1909.

»Aug. 14,1916. 

«Jan. 12,1909.

' Aug. 12,1916. 

* Dec. 8,1917.

* Jan 12,1909. 

< Dec. 7,1917.

 Aug. 12,1916.

Analysts: 1, 2, 3, 5, S. C. Dinsmore; 4, 6, 7, Walton Van Winkle; 8, 9, Addie T. Geiger, U. S. Geological 

Survey.

1 Well 8, fig. 17 and table on p. 619; P. W. Petheram, owner.

2. Well 9, fig. 17 and table on p. 619; F. H. Fewell, ownei.

3. Well 27, fig. 17 and table on p. 619; at Box S ranch, J: E. Goulding, owner.

4. Shallow well 24 feet deep near No. 27; J. E. Goulding", owner.

5. Wen 33, fig. 17 and table on p. 619; John Koehly, owner.

6 Well 43, fig. 17 and table on p. 619; W. M. Mulholland, owner. : 7. Babbit Springs, sees. 10 and 11, T. 4 N ., R. 1 W. San Bernardino meridian. See p. 621 for description.

8. Box1 8 Springs, sec. 4, T. 3 N., B. 1 E. See p. 621 tor description.

9. Cusfcenbury Springs, sec. 15, T. 3 N., K. 1 E.; John McFee, owner. See p. 620 for description.

the exception of the water from wells 8 and 9, all the 

samples analyzed are good or fair for domestic use and irrigation, 

although the samples from the Goulding shallow well and Cusheabury (Springs may be hard for washing. They are also fair for boiler 

use, tyut the two samples just mentioned might give some trouble 

because of the quantity of scale-forming constituents present. The 

rathe]? uniform predominance of calcium and magnesium carbonate in
624 THE MOHAVE DESERT BJSQION, CALIFORNIA

all the samples except those from wells 8 and 9 may be attributed to 

the fact that a considerable part. of the San Bernardino Mountain 

nearest these wells and springs is composed of limestone.

There is a remarkable similarity between the waters from Rafebst 

Springs, the Goulding deep well (No. 27), and (he Mulholland well 

(No. 43). The water hi these two wells and the spring doubtless 

comes from the same source. The water from a shallow well at the 

Goulding ranch is more mineralized than that from the deep well, 

doubtless because a small quantity of salts left by the evaporation of 

water near the surface has later been carried downward by percolating

water.

FRY VALLEY

Fry Valley lies in the southwestern part of San Bernardino County, 

between Lucerne Valley and Johnson or Old Woman Springs Valley. 

(See pi. 7.) The name is derived from Fry Mountain, which forms 

part of its eastern border. The valley is small and of little prospective 

use. The following brief description is inserted only to point out 

certain physiographic features which illustrate the development of 

closed basins in the desert.

The valley is a part of the great trough that extends from Lucerne 

Valley eastward to Dale Valley. Its extent parallel to the trough is 

very short, but at right angles to the trough it is much longer. It is 

really a short section of the trough that at one time was a part of 

Johnson Valley, but it has been cut off from that valley by an alluvial 

fan built out from the San Bernardino Mountains. A large part of 

the valley consists of an alluvial slope on the north side of the trough 

bordered by low rock hills. The part of the valley that forms the 

south side of the trough is mostly part of the north slope of the San 

Bernardino Mountains and consists of a long, narrow area that is 

tributary to one or two minor streams in the mountains. The drainage area may actually be larger than that shown on Plate 7, including 

the area tributary to Arrastre Creek, for distributary channels on 

the fan built by this creek appear to discharge some drainage into 

Fry Valley. The main channels, however, appear to discharge into 

Johnson Valley.

The lowest part of the valley is occupied by two playas one 

which covers about half a square mile and west of it a smaller one 

which covers only a few acres. The western one probably lies at a 

little higher altitude than the other. Water that reaches the larger," 

eastern playa is prevented from moving eastward into Johnson Valley 

by a low divide formed by alluvium washed out from the San 

Bernardino Mountains. The divide between the two playas has 

probably been formed in the same way. The divide is not very 

high, and it has apparently been only a relatively short time geologically since the drainage of Fry Valley reached Johnson Valley,
! JOHHSON VALLEY

No information is available in regard to ground water in the valley. 

There is no indication of any rock barrier between the valley and 

Johnson Valley, and the water table is probably continuous between 

the tiwf. In Johnson Valley, in the eastern part of T. 4 N., E. 3 E., 

the watjer table is estimated to be between 2,750 and 2,775 feet above 

sjea level, and doubtless it rises slightly toward Fry Valley. The 

altitude of the large plays in Fry Valley is 2,874 feet. The depth to 

 v^ater in the lowest part of the basin may be as much as 50 or 75 feet 

Unless the grade of the water* in this valley is greater than in most of 

the desert valleys of the region. The playas in the valley were not 

seen, and therefore any evidence that they might furnish as to whether 

the water table is within 8 or 10 feet of the surface is lacking. Away 

fjrom the playas the land surface rises so steeply that on most of the 

alluvial slope the depth to water is likely to be 100 feet or more. If 

ground water is available for irrigation in the valley the area in which 

ijb can be used is not large.

JOHNSON VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Johnson Valley, sometimes called Old Woman Springs Valley, is 

Somewhat west of the south-central part of San Bernardino County. 

(See pi. 7.) The name of the valley used in this report is that given 

o|n the soil survey map of the region.7 The nearest railroad town is 

Victorville, about 35 miles west of the valley. It is reached by a 

rjoad that leads westward and joins the Victorville-Bear Valley road 

at the Box S ranch. (See pi. 11.) This road as a whole is good, but 

at the western border of Johnson Valley a short stretch of it is sandy. 

At the: western border of the valley the main road branches, and one 

load leads southeastward past Old Woman Springs and Rock Corral 

Around the base of the San Bernardino Mountains to Pipe Wash 

and the Banning-Dale road at Warrens Well. In 1918 the road 

beyond Rock Corral was reported to be in bad condition for automobiles, but it was traveled by wagons. Another branch of the main 

road Iqads directly eastward across the valley to several ranches. At 

the eastern border of the valley it crosses low hills into Means Valley 

and continues in a southeasterly direction. This road is reported to 

be very sandy in the hills and to be practically impassable for automobiles. It is said that the worst sand is encountered on the east 

of the hills and that even if an automobile descends into Means 

j it can not ascend the sandy grade on the return journey. 

.AJQ ol road goes around the north end of the hills, and possibly Means 

^afley may be reached by it without difficulty. Little-used roads that 

sross t^e valley in a northeasterly direction are said to lead to Dmggett 

:>y wa,Y of Ord Mountain.

1 Dona, 

Dept. Agi

J. E., and others, Reconnaissance soil survey of the central southern area, California: XTv ftr 

. Bar. Soils Field Operations, 1917, advance sheets, 1321.
626 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

No mineral deposits of value axe known to occur in the valley. 

Land has been cleared and wells drilled at several ranches, but in 

February, 1918, all of them were deserted. A number of cattle ajr6 

grazed in the valley by a cattle company which has headquarters 

at Old Woman Springs.

The soil of the valley is largely an arkose similar to that in most of 

the desert valleys. Along the road that leads due east from the main 

road from Victorville considerable wind-blown sand was observed, 

and on the east side of the valley stand low sand dunes. Much sand 

has been blown from newly cleared land. Around the playa in the 

eastern part of the valley the soil is more clayey and there is some 

alkali.

The vegetation of the greater part of the valley, outside of- the 

mountains, is creosote bush and species commonly associated with it. 

Some mesquite grow around the playa in the eastern part of the 

valley. - No climatic records are available for the valley. The annual 

precipitation is probably no greater than that at Victorville and 

may be even less.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Johnson Valley is a part of the great trough that extends from 

Lucerne Valley. The San Bernardino Mountains constitute its 

southern border, and the northern border is formed by low hills. 

As nearly as can be determined from township plats of the General 

Land Office the drainage area does not extend northward to the 

great ridge that forms the north side of the Lucerne-Dale trough. 

On the west the valley is separated from Fry Valley in part by low 

hills but in part by a divide formed by an alluvial fan built out 

from the San Bernardino Mountains. The eastern border consists 

in part of low rock hills, but in several places the divide is underlain 

by alluvium.

According to Vaughan,8 the hills that border the valley on the west, 

north, and east, as well as a part of the San Bernardino Mountains 

tributary to the basin, are composed of granitic rocks of two different 

ages. In these rocks occur small patches of schist. A large part of 

the area in the San Bernardino Mountains that is within the drainage, 

basin is underlain by rocks to which Vaughan has given the names 

Sargossa quartzite, of supposed Silurian or Devonian age; Furnace 

Umestone, of supposed Upper Cambrian and Ordovician age; and 

Arrastre quartzite, which he believes to be of Lower Cambrian age. 

A prominent hill at Old Woman Springs from which the springs 

issue and a small hill 3 miles north of the springs are composed of

* Vaughan, F. E., Geology of San Bernardino Mountains north of San Qorgofiio Fw. California tTnftf. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 0,1922.
 '; , .- JOHNSON VAtUSY' Mt^ &}$ "

basalt, |which is probably of early Quaternary age.* At the northwest 

and southeast ends of the basalt area at Old Woman Springs stand 

low hiljs composed of alluvium that is older than .the recent deposits 

but yoiinger than the basalt.10

Faulting has occurred at several places in the valley. The northeastern border of the basalt area at Old Woman Springs and the 

areas of older alluvium that adjoin it on the northwest and southeast 

is marked by a steep slope which appears to be a fault scarp of Qua-; 

ternary origin. The north base of the San Bernardino Mountains 

between the southeastern area of older alluvium and Rock. Corral 

is marked by a scarp, and Vaughan believes that the Old Woman. 

Springs fault continues southeastward to a point beyond Rock 

Corral,11 He also states that a fault approximately parallel to the 

Old Woman Springs fault lies along the northeast side of the granite 

hills in sees. 26, 34, and 35, T. 5 N., R. 3 E., and sees. 20, 21, 27, 

and 28^ T. 4 N., R. 4 E. A third fault, also parallel to the Old Woman. 

Springs fault, marks the southwestern border of Fry Mountain, which 

forms the northwestern border of Johnson Valley. These faults are 

also approximately parallel to the Box S-Rabbit Springs fault in 

Lucerne Valley.

The lowest part of the basin is occupied by a playa. All the information available indicates that it is a playa of the wet type, for the 

water table is near the surface and mesquite grows 2 or 3 miles southwest of it. The playa lies in an embayment between rock hills which 

form the eastern border of the valley and which nearly surround ife 

except) on the north and northwest. It is on the east side of the basin, 

farthest from the San Bernardino Mountains, from which the greatest 

amount of alluvium is washed, because the building of the alluvial 

slope has pushed the playa eastward.

A sitaall playa or clay flat lies in the SW. }i sec. 33, T. 4 N., R. 4 E. 

This ftat is on the alluvial slope, and apparently when it is flooded 

there is some flow northward from it to the main playa. It is therefore not a true playa.

WATER RESOURCES 

1 GENERAL FEATURES

No perennial streams are known anywhere in the drainage basin 

of Jolmson Valley. After heavy rains streams probably persist for 

several,days in some of the canyons in the San Bernardino Mountains. 

A number of springs occur in these mountains. Several wells have 

been drilled at ranches in the alluvium-filled valley northeast of Old, 

Wom$n Springs. When the writer visited the valley no one was 

living! at these ranches, and no definite information as to logs of the 

wells, yield, or quality of water could be obtained.

i Vaughan, F. X!., op., cit., p. 384. » Idem, p. 38fi. »Idem, p, 897.
628 THE MOHAVE DffiSERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

WATER IS THE ALLUVIUM: .

Fire or six wells have been drilled in sees. 22, 23r und 24, T. 4 N., 

R. 3 E., and sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 4 E. On February 22,1918, the depth 

to water in a well near the southwest cornet of sec. 24, T. 4 N., 

R. 3 E., measured 50.7 feet below the top of the casing, 3 feet above 

the surface. This well is reported to be 250 feet deep. On the same 

day the depth to water in a cattle well that is probably in the 

NE. K sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 4 E., measured 40.8 feet. This well apparently was only 41 feet deep, but there may have been a deeper drilled 

well inside the dug hole that was measured. In a well in the SE. J^ 

sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 4 E., the depth to water is reported to be 36 feet. 

v lt is reported that in the 250-foot well water was struck at depths 

of 96 and 198 feet. Apparently this water is under some artesian 

pressure. The depth to water is greater in the western part of the 

valley than in the eastern part. No information could be obtained 

in regard to the materials penetrated or the yield of the wells. A considerable acreage has been cleared around the different wells, but 

when the writer visited the valley, there was no evidence of successful 

irrigation. It is not known whether this condition is due to lack of 

sufficient water supply or to some of the other numerous difficulties 

that beset homesteaders. However, unless the alluvium in this 

part of the valley is unusually fine, properly constructed wells should 

yield enough water for irrigation. The area in which irrigation would 

be feasible is limited by the fact that the depth to water in a large

part of the valley is too great for profitable pumping, and on the

other hand a considerable area around the playa, where the depth to 

water is not so great, is probably spoiled by alkali.

It is uncertain whether the quantity of water available for reacharge 

of the ground-water supply is sufficient to irrigate the total area where 

conditions are favorable. This problem is affected by the relation of 

ground-water conditions in Johnson Valley and those in the valleys 

that adjoin it on the east and west. The San Gorgonio topographic 

map shows that the altitude of the playa in Means Valley, on the 

east, is less than 2,600 feet above sea level and fully 100 feet below the 

playa in Johnson Valley. The altitude of the water table in the well 

in sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 4 E., is estimated to be between 2,750 and 

2,775 feet, or at least 150 or 175 feet above Means Dry Lake. The 

divide between the two basins is formed of alluvium at several 

places, and if the alluvium extends below the water table there 

undoubtedly would be movement of ground water from Johnson 

Valley to Means Valley. The difference in the water level between 

the two valleys is great, in view of the relatively short distance 

between the wells in sec. 19, T. 4 N., R. 4 E., and Means Dry Lake, 

and this fact suggests that there may be a complete rock barrier 

which holds the water at a higher level in Johnson Valley. As shown 

on page 619, the water table in Lucerne Valley, on the west, is possibly
; JOHNSON VALLEY 629

somewhat higher than it is in Johnson Valley, and there may be 

some underground movement eastward from it. However, more

detailed data are necessary before this problem can be solved.

SPRINGS

The location of several springs (Terrace Springs, Two Hole Springs, 

Viscera Spring, and Mound Spring) in the part of the San Bernardino 

Mountains tributary to Johnson Valley is shown on Plate 11. These 

springs are either not near roads or else are reached only by secondary 

roads that are seldom traveled. None of them were visited by the 

writer, and no information is available in regard to them.

Three springs (Cottonwood Spring, Old Woman Springs, and a 

spring at Kock Corral) are situated along the northern border of the 

San Bernardino Mountains or a short distance north of them.

Cottonwood, Spring. Cottonwood Spring is in the SE. 34 sec. 25, 

T. 4 N., R. 2 E., about half a mile southeast of the forks of the road 

from Victorville, where one branch turns southeast to Old Woman 

Springs and another goes due east across Johnson Valley. (See pi. 

11.) An old ranch house and several trees are near the spring, 

which is easily found. The water comes from a tunnel that is driven 

into a hill that rises steeply 15 or 20 feet to the southwest. The 

water-bearing material is alluvium. The rather steep scarp continues southeastward for several miles and is believed to be due to 

faulting. (See p. 627.) When the spring was visited, in December, 

1917, water was flowing from the tunnel into a small pond at the rate 

of about 2 gallons a minute. The water has been used to irrigate a 

small patch of alfalfa, but no one was living at the spring when it was 

visited.

Analysis 1 (p. 630) shows that the water is a moderately mineralized 

sulphate water, in which the sodium is equivalent to the calcium 

and magnesium. It is good for both domestic use and irrigation. 

The temperature of the water was 61° F.

Old Woman Springs. Old Woman Springs are in the NW. 34 sec. 

31, T. 4 N., R. 3 E., along the road from Victorville to Rock Corral. 

A cattle camp which belongs to A. R. Swarthout is situated at the 

spring, and it is very easily found. The water issues from a tunnel 

that is driven into the steep side of a long ridge of lava which strikes 

northwest. The scarp of this ridge is continuous with that at Cottonwood Spring and is doubtless due to faulting.

The water in the tunnel apparently comes entirely from cracks in 

the lava, which is much broken. When the place was visited in 

December, 1917, the flow of the springs was about 125 gallons a 

minute. In wet years the yield is said to increase to as much as 

175 gallons a minute. The water is conducted to a reservoir about 

40 feet in diameter and 4 feet deep. The water is used to irrigate 

about 9 acres of alfalfa and to water 30 to 40 head of cattle. 

5631 29 41
630 THE MOBAVE DE8EBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

As shown by analysis 2 (below), the water from the spring is 

similar to that from Cottonwood Spring, except that it contains a 

little more magnesium and a little less calcium. It is good for 

domestic use and irrigation. The temperature of the water when 

tested in December, 1917, was 73°. The temperature was tested at 

the mouth of the tunnel, and it is possibly a little higher where the 

water issues from the rock. The temperature of the water is several 

degrees above the mean annual temperature and more than 10° 

above that of the water at Cottonwood Spring. The temperature 

may be high because the water is of deep-seated origin and rises 

along a fault line, though this is doubtful, or it may be related to the 

presence of volcanic rocks in the region.

Old Woman Springs should not be confused with a spring at the 

northeast end of the Old Woman Mountains, about 75 miles to the 

east, which is sometimes called Old Woman Spring. That spring, 

however, now is generally called Sunshine Spring.

Bock Corral. Rock Corral is the name given to a cattle corral in 

sec. 21, T. 3 N., R. 4 E. (unsurveyed), near the mouth of a canyon 

near the east end of the San Bernardino Mountains. Water is piped 

to a trough in the corral from two springs about half a mile up the 

canyon. In winter one of these springs is shut off to prevent the 

freezing of the pipe line, which can not be buried. In December, 

1917, with only one spring feeding the pipe line, the flow was only 1 

gallon a minute. The spring was not visited, but the water probably 

comes from granite. As noted on page 627, a fault line is believed to 

lie near the spring, but it is not known whether the spring is related 

in any way to this line.

The water is somewhat less mineralized than that from Cottonwood Spring or Old Woman Springs. (See analysis 3, below.) It is 

good for both domestic use and irrigation. In contrast to the water 

from the other two springs, it is a calcium carbonate waiter.

Analyses of waters from springs in Johnson Valley, Calif. 

[Parts per million]

Silica (SiOs)....- .-..__-..._.-._-........__.__._._____..____.-.._

Iron (Fe) _________ . _______ . _______ .... ......

Calcium (Ca) ... _ ...... _______________ . .........

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated) ____________

Carbonate radicle (COs) ............................................

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs).. _ .... ________ . ___ ...

Sulphate radicle (SO().. .................................... _ ..

Chloride radicle (CD... ............................................

Nitrate radicle (NOs) . .--.- ....-. . ... .

Total dissolved solids at 180° C... ....................... ....... _ .

Total hardness as CaCOj (calculated).. ... _____ . __ ...

Date of collection _ ...... ___________________ .: _

1

33 

.03

72 

1.9 

83 

0 

139 

230 

9.6 

1.6 

646 

188 ( )

2

38 

.42 

52 

21 

94 

0 

157 

234 

32 

2.3 

569 

216 (»)

3

41 

.06 

42 

23 

61 

& 

187 

96 

46 

.61 

417 

199 («)

 Dec. 7,1917. & Dec. 6,1917. Dec. 6,1917.

Analysts: 1, Addie T. Qeiger and C. H. Kidwell, U. S. Geological Survey; 2, Addie T. Geiger, U. S. 

Oeologlcal Survey: 3, Margaret D. Foster, Addie T. Geiger, and H. B. Rifienburg, U. S. Geological Survey.

1. Cottonwood Spring, BE. Msec. 25, T. 4 N., B. 2 £. San Bernardino meridian. See p. 629 for description.

2. Old Woman Springs, NW. M sec. 31, T. 4 N., B. 3 E. See p. 629 for description.

3. Bock Corral Spring, sec. 21 (unsurveyed), T. 3 N B. 4 E See above for description.
I THE MOHA.VE DE6EBT REGION, CALIFORNIA 631 

BESSEMER VALLEY

In this report the name Bessemer Valley is given to a valley that 

is about 15 miles south of Newbeny Spring. (See pi. 7.) On the 

south it adjoins Johnson Valley. The name is taken from the 

Bessemer mine, in sec. 28, T. 6 N., R. 4 E. San Bernardino meridian. 

The valley was not visited by the writer, and the information here 

given was obtained from township plats of the United States General 

Land Office and statements in publications of the California Bureau 

of Mines.

According to township plats completed since the relief map (pi. 11) 

was drawn, the valley is reached by a road that goes south from Daggett to Ord Mountain and thence southeastward. The road leads 

across the southeastern part of T. 7 N., R. 3 E., and the northeastern, 

part of T. 6 N., R. 3 E. In sec. 14 or 15, T. 6 N., R. 3 E., it branches; 

the left branch leads southeastward to the Bessemer mine and the 

right branch leads in a more southerly direction to Means Valley and 

Johnsori Valley.

Bessemer Valley is a part of the great Lucerne-Dale trough (p. 612) 

and appears to lie mostly north of the axis of the trough. The 

north border is formed by the range that constitutes the north wall 

of the trough. The range in this locality appears to form a more or 

less isolated mountain, which in different reports and maps has been 

called Iron Mountain and the Bessemer Mountains. Crossman u 

states that the northern part of the range, at least in this vicinity, is 

covered partly by volcanic rocks, tuff, and sandstone derived from 

volcanic materials. Farther south the rocks are mostly granitic. At 

the Bessemer mine and near-by prospects some dolomitic limestone 

occurs. In these prospects iron ore, both hematite and magnetite, is 

found in a contact zone between limestone and syenite. Although 

these deposits have been known for many years, apparently there has 

been no production from them. Some gold ore has been mined in 

the valley.

The south border of the valley is formed in part by low* hills, but 

in part, according to the township plats, it is formed by alluvium. 

Most of the valley slopes in a southerly or southeasterly direction to 

a playa in the northwestern part of T. 5 N., R. 5 E. The general 

southward slope probably continues in Ames Valley, but the drainage 

from Bessemer Valley has been stopped by low alluvial fans built out 

from the near-by hills.

The only information in regard to ground water is a statement by 

DeGroot 13 that moderate quantities of water can be obtained at a

a Crossman, J. H., San Bemardino County: California State Mineralogist, Ninth Ann. Eept., pp. 236- 

236,1890. 1 Jso quoted in Mines and mineral resources of San Bernardino County: California State Mineralogist Rept. for 1915-16, p. 45,1917.

u DeGroo;, Henry, San Bernardino County its mountains, plains, and valleys: California State Mia. 

eralogist Te ith Ann. Kept., p. 529,1890.
632 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

depth of 20 to 30 feet around the playa in the lowest part of the 

valley. DeGroot's statement is made in a description of gold deposits 

in or near Eagle Mountain, in T. 6 N., R. 4 E. However, the township plat shows no playa in that township, and undoubtedly the one 

referred to is that in T. 5 N., R. 5 E., mentioned above.

Although water is obtainable at a relatively shallow depth it is not 

likely that a supply for irrigation is available. The drainage area is 

not large, and the quantity available for recharge is probably small. 

Furthermore, the fact that the depth to water is 20 feet or more suggests that there is some leakage from the basin. If the depth to 

water is as stated, the playa is undoubtedly of the dry type.

MEANS VALLEY

Means Valley is a small valley that lies a little west of the southcentral part of San Bernardino County and adjoins Johnson Valley 

on the west. (See pi. 7.) The name is taken from Means Wells. 

The valley was not visited, and very little information is available in 

regard to it.

The valley is reached by a road that leads eastward from Victorville 

across Johnson Valley, through a low pass in the hills that separate 

the two valleys. (See pi. 11.) The road is said to be very sandy in 

these hills and to be almost if not wholly impassable for automobiles. 

The road is especially difficult for automobiles in ascending the hills 

from Means to Dry Lake. Another road leads to the valley around 

the north end of the hills, and it is probable that Means Wells may 

be more easily reached by this road.

There are no permanent habitations in the valley, but cattle are 

grazed there part of the year. Several mine prospects are situated 

hi low mountains at the north end of the valley.

The valley lies in the great Lucerne-Dale trough. (See p. 612.) It 

does not receive any drainage from the range that forms the north 

border of the trough, and only a very small part of the San Bernardino 

Mountain's is tributary to it. The basin apparently has been formed 

by alluvial fans, which have been built out from the surrounding hills 

and mountains and which have cut-off connections with adjoining 

drainage systems. The lowest part of the basin is occupied by a 

small playa, commonly called Means Dry Lake.

The Means wells are situated on the border of Means Dry Lake. 

The depth to water in them is said to be about 15 feet, and water can 

not be obtained from them without a rope and bucket. In addition 

to the wells a sloping pit has been dug so that cattle may descend to 

water. No information is available in regard to the quality of the 

water.
'AMES AND SUBPBISE VALLEYS 633 

AMES VALLEY

The name Ames Valley, from Ames Well, is given to a hitherto 

unnamed valley that lies a little west of the south-central part of San 

Bernarc ino County. (See pi. 7.) The valley was not visited, and 

the only'information available relates to two Or three wells.

The valley is reached by a road that leads from Victorville by way 

of the Box S ranch and crosses the north end of Johnson Valley and 

Means Valley. According to information received since the preparation of the relief map (pi. 11) this road leads across the northern part 

of T. 4 N., R. 5 E., to a well at the northwest corner of the playa in 

Ames Valley. Thence a road leads southeastward across the playa 

to Ames Well. A road also probably leads to the playa from Means 

Dry Lake, as shown on Plate 11.

The valley is one of several that lie in the great'Lucerne-Dale 

trough. Its northern and southern borders are the Lava Bed and 

San Bernardino Mountains, respectively. The divides that separate 

it from the adjoining valleys on the east and west are composed in 

part of small mountains and in part of alluvium. A playa, which 

may be called Ames Dry Lake, lies in the northwestern part of T. 

4 N., R. 6 E.

In addition to the drainage area shown on Plate 7, Ames Dry Lake 

may possibly receive the drainage from Pipes Wash, in the San 

Bernardiino Mountains, southwest of the southern border of the valley, 

as indicated. However, this area probably drains to Surprise Valley, 

and it is thus shown on Plate 7 and described on pages 636-637.

Three wells are reported to exist in Ames Valley. Blair Well, in 

sec. 31, T. 5 N., R. 6 E., at the northwest corner of the playa, is said 

to be about 58 feet deep and the depth to water about 40 feet. The 

water is highly mineralized and contains nearly 6,000 parts per million 

of total solids. Another well is situated at an old stamp mill in the 

SE. K sec. 13, T. 4 N., R. 5 E. This well is marked "location 

uncertain" on Plate 11 and, according to information received since 

the map was prepared, is situated about a mile southeast of the position shown. Ames Well is about 2J^ miles farther southeast than it 

is shown on Plate 11. No information is available in regard to these 

wells except that they are used as watering places for cattle.

SURPRISE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Surprise Valley is in the south-central part of San Bernardino 

County, about 15 or 20 miles south of Ludlow. In the eastern part 

of the valley lies a playa called Mesquite Dry Lake, and the valley 

is sometimes called Mesquite Valley. However, as that name is 

used foif a valley in the northeastern part of the Mohave Desert
634 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

region, to prevent confusion the name Surprise Valley is used in this 

report. On Plate 7 Surprise Valley is shown as including a .considerable area drained by Pipes Wash, in the San Bernardino Mountains. 

It is not certain whether this area is tributary to Surprise Valley or 

to one of the adjoining valleys, but in the absence of more definite 

information, it is described in this place.

The valley was not visited by the writer. Pipes Wash was visited 

by John S. Brown, of the United States Geological Survey, in connection with a survey of desert watering places in the Salton Sea region, 

and the description of that area and of Surprise Spring has been 

furnished by him.

The valley is most easily reached by a road that leads from Banning 

or Palm Springs, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, to Warrens Well, 

in the southeastern part of T. 1 N., R. 5 E. (See p. 643.) From this 

ranch a road leads northeastward about 15 or 20 miles to Surprise 

Spring. Another road from Victorville. and Means Wells crosses the 

valley in an east-southeast direction. This road is believed to pass 

Surprise Spring and to strike Mesquite Dry Lake in the southern 

part of T. 3 N., R. 8 E., and thence to lead to Mesquite Spring and 

Twenty-nine Palms. This road is reported to be sandy in places. 

It probably can be traveled by automobiles from west to east, as it 

descends in that direction, but it is very difficult if not impossible for 

automobiles to go in the opposite direction. This road was formerly 

a much traveled route between Victorville and Dale Valley, but in 

recent years it is seldom used. 13a A road leads along the east base of 

the San Bernardino Mountains from Warrens Well to Rock Corral 

and Old Woman Springs in Johnson Valley and thence to Victorville. 

This road can be traveled by automobiles as far as Pipes Wash, but 

from that place to a point a few miles east of Rock Corral it is said 

that the road is passable only for wagons. Pipes Wash may be 

traveled by automobiles as far as The Pipes. A road continues west 

and northwest from there to the Rose mine and to roads that lead to 

Bear Valley, but it is believed to be impassable for automobiles.

So far as is known, the only activity of any note in the Pipes Wash 

area is the raising of cattle. A number of mineral prospects have 

been opened up in the mountains east of Mesquite Dry Lake, but 

they have not been shown to be valuable.

No information is available in regard to precipitation in the valley. 

On the basis of records in other parts of the region it may be assumed 

that in the part of the area that lies in the San Bernardino Mountains the precipitation is somewhat higher than in the rest of the 

valley and may be comparable to that in the vicinity of the Forks of 

Mohave River. The high Bullion Mountains, on the northeast side

u» See footnote 2a, p. 610, in regard to this road.
I

! StJBPBISB VAIXEY 635

of the 'vfi^Uey, may have some influence in causing the preeipifcfttioa 

in the ejastern part of the valley to be a little higher than in other 

basins ifr the Mohave Desert region at the same altitude,

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Surprise Valley occupies part of the great trough that extend* 

from Lueerne Valley to Dale Valley. Its northeast side is formed by 

the high; Bullion Mountains, which reach an altitude of about 5,000 

feet. On the north it is separated from Lavic Valley by much lower 

mountains. On the west, according to the General Land Office, 

township plats, it is separated from Ames Valley partly by low, 

small isolated mountains between which the divide is underlain by 

alluviumi. The extreme southwest corner of the valley is believed 

to include the drainage area of Pipes Wash, but this area may be 

in another basin. On the southeast, the valley is separated from 

Twenty-jnine Palms Valley by a low alluvial divide, which continues 

westward and separates it from Copper Mountain Valley.

Little i is known in regard to the rocks of the surrounding mountains. Those of the Bullion Mountains are believed to be granite. 

A large part of the area tributary to Pipes Wash is underlain by 

granite. Both north and south of Pipes Wash occur two small 

areas of basalt which Vaughan 14 believes to be Pliocene. The 

southern of these areas is underlain by coarse fanglonierate. Several square miles of the area tributary to Pipes Wash is underlain 

by fanglomerate younger than the basalt but older thanv the feecent 

alluvium.15 These beds are considerably dissected.

Mesqmite Dry Lake is at the far east side of the valley as shown on 

Plate 7. Definite data in regard to the altitude of the playa are 

lacking, ;but it is believed to be lower than that of the playas in the 

valleys farther northwest that is, there seems to be a gradual 

decrease in the altitude of the lower parts of the several basins from 

Lucerne Valley eastward to Surprise Valley. The water table is 

near the surface beneath both Mesquite Dry Lake and the playa a 

few miles southeast, in Twenty-nine Palms Valley, and the divide 

between the basins is composed of alluvium, so that there is free 

movement of ground water, which favors the belief that the two 

playas lie at about the same altitude.

GROUND WATER

Data jin regard to ground-water conditions in Surprise Valley are 

meager fcnd relate to three or four watering places.

Surprise Spring. Surprise Spring, so named because it is situated 

in the olpen desert, where one would not expect to find water, is

" Vaughafl, F. E., Geology of San Bernardino Mountains north of San Oorgonio Pate: California TJnlv. 

Dept. GeolOfcy Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, pp. 380-382,1922. 

«Idem, p.1892.
636 TEE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

variously reported by different persons to be about 18 miles northeast of Warrens Well, 16 miles east or southeast of Means Wells, 

and 6 miles west of Mesquite Dry Lake. Thus it is either in the 

center or northeastern part of T. 3 N., R. 7 E. It is probably reached 

most easily by a road that leads northeast from Warrens Well. The 

road at Warrens Well nay be obliterated by cattle tracks but can 

be found by scouting northeast of the well. The spring is situated 

in or near a wash. A few years ago a mining company drilled a 

well near the spring and struck flowing water. Since the well was 

drilled the spring has dried up. The water from the well is reported 

to be of good quality.

Dead Man Hole. Metidenhall 16 reports a watering place called 

Dead Man Hole on the west side of Mesquite Dry Lake and east of 

the road between Mesquite Spring and Surprise Spring. He states 

that it is little more tljan a mudhole in the playa deposits. The 

water is highly mineralised and very laxative, but it can be used by 

animals.

It appears from Mendenhall's description that the water table is 

very close to the surface around Mesquite Dry Lake. The name 

of the playa suggests ttyat mesquite grow around it, and this is an 

additional indication that water is near the surface. The occurrence 

of water under pressure at Surprise Spring adds further corroboration. Apparently there is a considerable supply of ground water in 

the valley. The data available are insufficient, however, to show 

whether in most of the Valley the water table lies at a reasonable 

depth for pumping, whether the quantity is sufficient to irrigate a 

large area, or whether th0 quality is generally good.

The Windmill or Pipes Wash Well. A well, which is sometimes 

called Pipes Wash Well but which, because it is equipped with a good 

windmill, is more commonly called The Windmill, is situated in the 

lower end of Pipes Wash, about a quarter of a mile northeast of the 

point where the road from Warrens Well to The Pipes turns up Pipes 

Wash, 4.8 miles from Warrens Well. A trail leads to the well, but it 

is probably too poor for automobiles. The well is owned by Shay & 

Barker, who use it as a watering place for cattle.

The well is 10 inches in

Water was struck at a c epth of 70 feet and rose to a level 55 feet

below the surface. The

water entering the gravel some distance up the wash. At the well 

is a masonry reservoir 20 feet square and about 5 feet deep, from

which water is carried tc

diameter and is drilled to a depth of 72 feet.

artesian pressure is undoubtedly due to the

a near-by watering trough. The water is

of good quality for general use.

Water supply of The Pipes area. There is a high desert area east 

of The Pipes through which flows the run-off of Pipes Canyon, Burns

»<>Mendenhall,W.O., 

U. S. Oeol. Survey Water-Supply Pap

Some desert wittering places in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

ir 224, p. 74 (No. 201), 1909.
VALLEY 637

Canyon, and other drainage ways on the northeast San Bemardino 

slope. Abundant supplies of good water are probably obtainable in 

nearly all the larger washes in this area at depths of! 100 feet or less. 

*pie rolling hillsides of this upland area are floored by granite at most 

places, which is not particularly favorable for water; although water 

at a depth of 60 feet was observed in a prospect shaft on the north side 

of the road 8% miles from Warrens Well. The area contains no very 

good agricultural land, but it has a good growth of grass at places, 

which adapts it for grazing. The vegetation includes juniper, yucca, 

and Mormon tea.

The Pipes. The watering place known as The Pipes is in sec. 13, 

T. 1 N., K. 4 E. (unsurveyed). The place is said to have received its 

peculiar name from a great quantity of iron pipe that was hauled 

there many years ago and left to rust after the abandonment of an 

ill-conceived irrigation project. The place is reached by a road from 

Warrens Well that turns up Pipes Wash about 5 miles north of the 

well. A mile up the wash the road bends to the left up a side wash 

and over low hills. About 5 miles up the wash the road forks; the 

right branch continues westward to Burns Spring, and the left turns 

southwest to The Pipes. On this road, 2 miles from the fork, another 

road leads from The Pipes northwestward to the Burns Spring road 

and the mam road leads southward 0.4 mile to The Pipes. The water 

is brought hi an open conduit from Pipes Canyon, half a mile farther 

west. It is said that in the canyon the flow is 2 second-feet or more, 

but* the water usually sinks into the gravel farther downstream. 

The water is sometimes used to irrigate an acre or two of alfalfa. 

It is of good quality for domestic use.

Burns Spring. Burns Spring is in sec. 5, T. 1 N., K. 4 E. (unsurveyed), well up in Burns Canyon, on the eastern slope of the San 

Bernardino Mountains. It is reached by a branch of the road that 

leads to The Pipes. This road continues westward to the Rose mine, 

but is said to be impassable for automobiles. It is said that the water 

is of good quality and that the flow is perennial.

Ohaparrosa Spring. Chaparrosa Spring, in sec. 25, T. 1 N., R. 4 E. 

(unsurveyed), is apparently in the drainage area of Surprise Valley. 

It is about 2J^ miles southeast of The Pipes, from which it is reached 

by a trail. Another trail leads southwestward to Little Morongo 

Creek and southeastward down to the Banning-Dale road. The 

spring was not visited. According to the San Gorgonio topographic 

map there are two springs about a quarter of a nlile apart on the 

northeast and southwest sides of a low divide. The name Chaparrosa is probably applied only to the southwest spring. According to 

Vaughan,17 the country rock is granite, and the water is accordingly 

probably of good quality.

17 Vaugbas, F. E., Qeology of San Bernardino Mountains north of Baa OorgoQlo Pass: California Univ. 

Dept. Qeology Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, geologic map, 1922.
638 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Saddlerock Spring. Saddlerock Spring, in see. 15, T. 2 N., R. 4 E. 

(unsurveyed), is believed to emerge in the drainage basin of Surprise 

Valley. It is several miles from any road and was not visited. As 

shown on the San Gorgonio topographic map it is about 6 miles due 

north of The Pipes. It is a short distance above the mouth of a 

canyon that drains southward into a broader and larger canyon or 

wash that drains eastward. According to -Vaughan,17 the rock is 

granite, and the water is therefore probably of good quality.

MORONGO, WARREN, COPPER MOUNTAIN, TWENTYNINE PALMS, AND DALE VALLEYS

By JOHN S. BHOWN 

GENERAL FEATURES

A great area of desert country near the southern edge of San Bernardino County, east of the San Bernardino Mountains, is best 

reached by way of a long road that leads from Banning or Whitewater, on the Southern Pacific Railroad, in northern Riverside 

County. It comprises several closed drainage basins, including 

Morongo Valley, Warren or Yucca Valley, Twenty-nine Palms Valley, 

Copper Mountain Valley, and Dale Valley. These valleys are connected by very poor and little traveled roads with Bear Valley and 

with stations on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, especially 

Victorville and Amboy. The roads to Victorville and Amboy are 

rarely used at present and for automobile travel are regarded as nearly 

impassable.

The road from Banning or Whitewater is a fair desert road, many 

miles of it excellent, some parts rather sandy and difficult, but all 

"passable for automobiles or other vehicles. In 1918 gasoline and 

supplies could be ob.tained at the Covington ranch, also known as the 

Warren ranch, which is in Morongo Valley, 27 miles from Banning. 

(See pi. 11.) Miners and cattlemen are occasionally found at Warrens Well, Twenty-nine Palms, and Dale, but in 1918 there were no 

permanent habitations in this long stretch of desert. Water is fairly 

well provided along the way, but one must take sufficient food and 

other supplies at the start to last both on the outgoing and the return 

trip.

COUNTRY BETWEEN WHITEWATER RIVER AND MORONGO

CANYON

The Dale road leaves the main highway along the Southern Pacific 

Railroad at a point about 13 miles east of Banning and 1 mile west of 

Whitewater station. This point is marked by road signs erected by 

the United States Geological Survey and the Automobile Club of;

Southern California. The Auto Club sign gives 71 miles as the dis-1

. . -

» Vaughan, F. E., Oeology of San Bernardino Mountains north of San Oorgonlo Pass: California Univ. 

Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 9, geologic map, 1922.
MOEONGO VALLEY 639

tance to Dale and the Geological Survey sign givesj 02 miles. The 

distance on the Geological Survey sign is measured to the old camp 

of Virginia Dale, and that of the Auto Club probably to New Dale, a 

mining camp about 6 miles southeast of Old Dale. Both places were 

deserted in 1918. The distance to Old Dale is given on the Geological 

Survey sign in conformity with the rule to mark only watering places. 

No water is obtainable at the more distant place called Dale.

After leaving the main highway the road to Dale ascends the sandy 

alluvial fan of Whitewater River. There are several ranches on this 

slope, upon most of which water is diverted for irrigation by small 

ditches led directly from the river. Several of these ditches are 

crossed by the road. The soil becomes increasingly rocky, and near 

the river the surface is covered with huge rounded boulders carried 

there by the stream in times of flood. A small wooden bridge affords 

a crossing over the river. At this place the stream ordinarily flows 

clear and swift and is about 6 feet wide and 1 foot deep. In times of 

flood, however, its discharge is very much greater, as is witnessed by 

the many acres of land covered by smooth, white rounded boulders, 

many of them 1 to 3 feet in diameter.

Just east of Whitewater River the road forks. The road to Dale 

is the left fork, which ascends a cut along a steep hillside. This 

peculiar hill, which is well shown on the San Jacinto topographic 

map, rises abruptly to a height of more than 300 feet above the lower 

valley. On the west it is cut off by the gorge of Whitewater River, 

on the south it extends as a gradually diminishing bench several 

miles eastward, and on the north it rises gradually to the base of the 

mountains. It thus has the nature of a mesa or terrace and has been 

described as the Whitewater Mesa. 18 The material that composes 

the hill is a very coarse conglomerate which contains boulders of 

granite and gneiss as much as 3 feet in diameter, similar to those 

that are strewn along the stream. The material is poorly assorted 

and only roughly stratified. The constituent particles comprise all 

sizes, and the large boulders are mingled with fine sand and clay. 

An excellent section is observable on the north side of the road, which 

is a cut wall 10 to 20 feet high. The material stands poorly and often 

rolls down and litters the roadway.

The climb is not more than 500 or 600 feet long, and at the top the 

road turns sharply to the left and goes north but farther on turns 

northeastward across the bench, which is rather sandy. There is a 

good view of the surrounding country, and the bench underlain by 

conglomerate is seen to cover several square miles. Doubtless 

Whitewater River once deposited the material of this conglomerate 

and later cut away some of the material deposited and intrenched 

itself at its present level. The conglomerate is certainly of Recent

» Hill, B. T., unpublished manuscript on the geology of southern California.
640 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

age, and the erosion probably almost within historic time.' The writer 

believes that the bench was formed during the existence of the ancient 

Lake Cahuila,19 whose well-preserved shore lines are found more than 

300 feet above the bottom of the Salton Basin, and that the erosion 

was due to a lowering of the base-level when the lake level went down. 

For several miles the road runs northeastward across a broad valley 

or plain. It eventually leads into Morongo Canyon, at the base of 

some low mountains. This broad plain between Whitewater River 

and Morongo Canyon is called Conchilla Desert. It is thickly covered 

with many varieties of cactus, especially the large picturesque barrel 

cactus, and for this reason it is sometimes called the Devil's Garden. 

Probably more cactuses and more species of cactus are observable 

here than anywhere else on the Colorado Desert. Creosote bush and 

ironwood trees are also abundant.

MORONGO CANYON

At 22.6 miles from Banning the road enters a narrow canyon and 

passes northwestward between low mountains for 2 or 3 miles. The 

road for the next 12 miles or more runs between the San Bernardino 

and Little San Bernardino Mountains. About 1 mile from the entrance to the canyon there is usually running water in a stream known 

as West Morongo Creek. The road ascends Dry Morongo Creek 

and farther north are Big Morongo and Little Morongo Creeks. 

(See pi. 11.)

The walls of the canyon are about 300 feet high, nearly vertical, 

and close together, but the wash at the bottom is wide enough to 

afford a good road except that it is rather sandy and has a steep 

grade. The rock walls are composed of granitic gneiss, beautifully 

laminated and very much distorted and twisted as if it had been 

extraordinarily folded and contorted after the banding appeared. 

It is full of dark biotite mica and at places contains stringers of pure 

quartz. Willows in considerable number and mountain brush of 

different kinds grow in the bed of the wash. The mountain sides are 

nearly bare at the base, but farther up, where they are less precipitous, 

they support considerable growths of juniper.

At a sharp bend of Dry Morongo Creek, 2J^ miles from the entrance 

to the canyon and near the San Bernardino County line, the road 

leaves the creek and climbs a very steep hill. On the side of the hill 

an Auto Club sign points west along a dim foot trail to Hole in the 

Wall Spring. There is said to be a tunnel that contains good water 

in the hillside about 100 yards away, but the writer has not seen it. 

On the summit Morongo Valley comes into view a long, narrow depression that extends northeastward and is nfearly inclosed by mountains. The rocks in the vicinity of the summit are not gneissic like

w Blake, W. D., Report of a geological reconnaissance in California, pp. 235-240, New York. 1858.
MORONGO VALLEY 641

those farther down but are pink granite, which weathers out in smooth 

rounded hills with residual soil in which grow different bushes, particularly the juniper.

MORONGO VALLEY

ROAD THROUGH THE VALLEY

The road descends a moderate slope into Morongo Valley and goes

north and east along land-survey lines for a mile or two. At 

miles from Banning there is a house on the south side of the road, 

A well near the place provides water for domestic use, but no detailed 

information about it was obtained. At 26.8 miles from Banning is 

the Covington ranch, formerly called Warren's ranch, where good 

water can be obtained from an artesian well.

Just east of the Covington ranch the road crosses Big Morongo 

Creek, in which 0.6 to 0.8 second-foot of good water was flowing at 

the time the ranch was visited. This creek leaves the valley through 

a gorge in the southern mountain wall only a short distance away.

The road ascends a considerable alluvial filling, which divides the 

valley into two parts. Beyond the divide, at 29.7 miles from Banning, the road passes an unoccupied house and a well that contains 

water, but in February, 1918, it had no equipment for drawing the 

water. The road continues northeastward through the middle of the 

valley and crosses the dry wash of Little Morongo Creek. A mile 

south of the road a stream of water is said to rise and flow through the 

canyon southward to the Conchilla Desert.

From the channel of the stream the road rises rapidly and crosses a 

granite divide at the east end of Morongo Valley. From the summit, 

at 34.0 miles, an excellent view of Morongo Valley is obtained, and 

San Gorgonio Peak to the west and San Jacinto to the south tower up 

far above all surrounding outlines on the horizon.

WATER SUPPLY

The water of Morongo Valley is nearly all contributed by Big and 

Little Morongo Creeks, which drain the lower slopes of the San Bernardino Mountains. The valley is about 7 miles long and averages 

2 miles or more in width. Big and Little Morongo Creeks take a 

course directly across the axis of the valley, and the divide between 

them separates the valley into two drainage basins.

The valley is a debris-covered depression that is highest on the 

northwest, at the heads of the great alluvial fans, and lowest on the 

southeast, where the creeks issue from it through narrow rock gorges. 

The surface water from the mountains to the northwest sinks into the 

alluvium, reappears at the lower side of the valley, and flows over the 

rock-bottomed gorges into the Colorado Desert. This rising water 

produces marshy areas of several acres around each creek on the lower
642 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

side of the valley and supports a grove of trees at the Covington ranch. 

A flow of probably more than 1 second-foot rises at that place in all 

the wet area and goes down the gorge. The amount is probably a 

little smaller hi the eastern creek.

In 1918 a number of homesteaders in the valley were attempting 

to find means of irrigating the land, and several- wells had been sunk. 

The one along the road at the south end of the valley is ft dug well of 

no great depth. Its supply is probably small. Just north of the road, 

on the summit of the divide between Big and Little Morongo Creeks, 

is a dry hole 12 inches in diameter and 140 feet deep. It is on land 

about 300 feet above the water table at Big or Little Morongo Creeks, 

on the south side of the valley. In the well at the house east of the 

divide water stood 103 feet below the surface in December, 1917, and 

is said to be abundant and of good quality. Artesian wells with very 

weak flows have been obtained in the marshy area of Big Morongo 

Creek near the Covington ranch. Some other wells west of the ranch 

are reported to obtain water at increasing depths. A body of ground 

water of good quality evidently is present beneath the valley. It is 

valuable for domestic supply and may be recovered through wells in 

sufficient quantities to irrigate small areas near Big and Little Morongo Creeks in the south side of the valley. Some of this water which 

issues from springs is at present utilized at the Covington ranch. The 

most .promising way of utilizing the water supply of the valley, however,-is to divert the two creeks at the west side of the valley and to 

lea.d the water to desirable lands by gravity.

ORIGIN OF THE VALLEY

According to Hill,20 Morongo Valley was produced by faulting 

transverse to a preexisting drainage system whereby a block on the 

southeast side of the valley was raised to form a long scarp across 

the course of Big and Little Morongo Creeks. This movement can 

not have been more rapid than the rate at which the creeks could 

cut their canyons, for otherwise a lake would have been formed 

which would have overflowed the low divide at the southwest end of 

the valley, or a closed basin with playa lakes would have resulted.

WARREN VALLEY

GENEKAL FEATURES

From the summit east of Morongo Valley the road descends into 

a long valley called Warren Valley in this report. Yucca trees are 

very prominent hi this valley, and for this reason it is sometimes called 

Yucca Valley.

At 35.4 miles from Banning the main road crosses a north-south 

road. About 2 miles to the south on this road is a little-used water

» Hill, R. T., op. cit.
WABREN VALLEY 643

hole called^ Warrens Tank. It is really a tunnel ito the mountains 

and is said to contain good water the year round, ^'oward the north 

the road once led to Pipes Canyon. In 1918 this road was impassable 

for any vehicle, and a road from Warrens Well wfis used to reach 

The Pipes.

The Dale road continues east over a nearly level valley that drains 

eastward. For 30 miles east of Morongo Valley it is one of the best 

desert roads known and crosses mainly valleys floored with fine 

granitic sand. The dominant vegetation passes from juniper, yucca, 

and Mormon tea (Ephedra californica,) in the areas at the west to 

creosote, cactus, and mesquite in the desert at the east.

Warrens Well is reached at 38.3 miles from Banning. It is at the 

north edge of a small playa that covers an area of several acres. 

The well is provided with a windmill, which delivers water to a 

masonry reservoir for use by stock. It is about 160 feet deep, and 

water is reported to stand 130 feet below the surface. As shown by 

analysis 1 (p. 644), the water is fair for domestic purposes and suitable for irrigation. The well is at the lowest point hi the valley and 

is the only successful well in the valley. Unsuccessful holes of varying depths are reported to have been sunk in different parts of the 

valley. Much of the land has been filed upon for agricultural use, 

although there appears to be no possible source of water for extensive 

irrigation. The depth to water at Warrens Well is 130 feet, and 

unquestionably it is much'more in most other parts of the valley. 

Not a single perennial stream discharges into the valley, and the 

drainage basin is small and receives little precipitation. Certainly 

a more auspicious place might be chosen to take up farm lands than 

this pretty but unpromising little valley.

South of the narrow depression along the axis of Warren Valley 

steep alluvial slopes rise to the base of the Little San Bernardino 

Mountains, 2 or 3 miles away. So far as known, these mountains 

are composed of pink granite or granitic gneiss like that around 

Morongo Valley and in the San Bernardino Mountains. The crest of 

the range is only 3,000 or 4,000 feet above sea level and has no pronounced peaks, although it is uneven. Its north wall extends generally 

eastward but is greatly broken by canyons, up which extend large 

alluvial fans.

On the north side of the valley, about a mile from the road, is a 

long, low ridge of pink granite that terminates about 3 miles east of 

Warrens Well. It is composed largely of massive blocks of granite 

rounded to smooth outlines and projecting 100 to 200 feet above the 

residuum in which they are nearly buried. East of this ridge for 2 

or 3 miles and in line with it are several isolated rock hills.
644 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA.

Analyses of water from wells and springs on the Banning-Dale road 

[Parts per million]

Silica (SiOs). ..................................................

Iron(Fe). _____________________________ Calcium (Ca) ________________ .. _______

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated) __ _______

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOs) _ . _ . __ . __ . _______

Sulphate radicle (SOO- _ ..-...... .-.... ..

Chloride radicle (Cl) ...........................................

Nitrate radicle (NOs). _ . _ . .. .....-... ... .

Total dissolved solids.. _____________________

Total hardness as CaCOj (calculated) ......... ....... .......

1

28

.40

108

20

14

116

41

47

220

534

352 («)

2

22

5.5

9.2

2.4

44

130

13

3.6

5.0

180

33 (»)

3

29

.07

20

3.6

42

156

14

8.4

1.7

164

65(«)

4

12

7.1

35

7.9

607

140

734

396

1.4

1866

120 (<)

 Dec. 14,1917. ' Dec. 15,1917. ' Dec. 16,1917. Dec. 18,1917.

Analysts: 1 and 4, Margaret D. Foster; 2 and 3, Margaret D. Foster and Addie T. Geiger, U. S. Geological Survey.

1. Warrens Well, Shay & Barker, owners; SE. M sec. 25, T. 1N., R. 5 E. San Bernardino meridian. See 

p. 643.

2. Coyote Well, Shay & Barker, owners; sec. 28, T. 1 N., R. 7 E. See p. 645.

3. Twenty-nine Palms Springs, NE. M sec. 33, T. 1 N., R. 9 E. See p. 646.

4. Cattle Well, sec. 25, T. 1 N., R. 11 E. See p. 649.

ROAD FROM WARRENS WELL TO THE WINDMILL, THE PIPES, BURNS 

CANYON, AND BEAR VALLEY

Just west of the house at Warrens Well a United States Geological 

Survey sign points north along a branch road to Pipes Canyon. 

This road is the one at present used to reach that place, and it also 

connects with Bear Valley by a very poor wagon road. From Warrens Well to The Pipes the road is rather difficult for automobile travel 

and is little used, though generally passable. In the so-called Pipes 

Wash, a quarter of a mile northeast of the road, at a point 4.8 miles 

from Warrens Well, is a well owned by Shay & Barker, of Banning. 

(See p. 636.)

WARRENS WELL TO COYOTE WELL

East of Warrens Well the road ascends rather high on the alluvial 

slope that has been built out from the mountains to the south. Not 

far from Warrens Well the axis of the valley again slopes eastward, 

and the playa at that place forms but a small break in the continuity 

of a long valley sloping east.

A large well casing protrudes above the ground 2 miles east of Warrens Well on the north side of the road. The hole is reported by 

O. S. McKinney, of Palm Springs, the driller, to be 333 feet deep and 

dry. It is several hundred feet above the dry valley bottom north 

of it, and hence water could be expected only at great depth.

A good branch road turns south at 43.0 miles. It leads to Quail 

Spring, Key's ranch, and Pinon Well, and, by an intricate series of 

branch roads, gives access to a very large area north of the Little 

San Bernardino Mountains, in northern Riverside County.21

81 Brown, J. S., Routes to desert watering places in the Salton Sea region, Calif.: IT. S. Geol. Survey 

Water-Supply Paper 490-A, pp. 74-76, 1920; The Salton Sea region, a geographic, geologic, and 

hydrologic reconnaissance, with a guide to desert watering places: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply 

Paper 497, pp. 190-192, 266-268, 1923.
COPPEB MOTJNTAIN VALLEY 645

The Dale road continues east from the fork marked with a sign 

and descends into the rather deep valley of a wash that heads from 

the south. A mile or less up this wash is the old watering place 

called Coyote Holes. It was never more than a sligjht seep of water 

over a rock barrier hi the stream bed and has long been unused and 

is almost forgotten. Just east of this valley rises a jutting spur of 

granite mountains, not of great height but very rough, which approach near the road. Farther east the mountain front retreats 

southward a mile or two, and the road lies about midway up the 

alluvial slope. About 1 mile north of the road a long wash drains 

eastward toward a large playa, which is not shown on Plate 11 but 

is shown on Plate 7.

COPPER MOUNTAIN VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

The large playa just mentioned occupies the lowest part of a large 

irainage basin, which is shown in Plate 7 as Copper Mountain Valey. On the east the basin is cut off from a further slope eastward 

:>y a low, transverse range of mountains. The playa lies almost 

>n the very foot of this range, on its west side.

The name of this mountain has been given as Copper Mountain 

>n account of a copper prospect once opened there. The rounded 

lat-topped summit of the south end gives a strong suggestion of 

>eing a lava flow. The ridge that trends northward consists of a 

series of jagged peaks of diminishhig height and may be composed 

different material. The mountains south of the road approach 

within nearly a mile of this mass at its southern point, and a high 

alluvial divide across this narrow constriction separates the Copper 

Mountain Basin from the next basins to the east.

COYOTE WELL

At 47.2 miles from Banning a branch road leads northeast to a 

well a quarter of a mile away, over which a windmill is visible. The 

well is used to water cattle that range hi the desert and was made 

>y Shay & Barker, of Banning, about 1915. Because of its proximity to the abandoned water hole called Coyote Holes, it is usually 

mown as Coyote Well. At the well there is a large concrete trough 

about 6 feet wide, 3 feet deep, and 36 feet long. In il917, hi addition 

10 the windmill, a gasoline engine was housed in a little sheet-iron 

ihed and used to pump water when necessary.

Coyote Well is the only water supply known in this basin. Its 

depth of 170 feet to water indicates that water probably lies considerably nearer the surface near,the central part of the basin. There 

5681 29 42
646 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

is, however, no fringe of vegetation around the playa to indicate that 

water is near the surface or that any discharge takes place by 

evaporation. It is probable that ground water drains eastward 

through the alluvium on the south side of Copper Mountain. The 

supply is afforded by the tributary drainage basin and is doubtless 

considerable. It is probable also that ground water enters this basin 

from Warren Valley. The water from Coyote Well is of good quality, except for rather high iron content, as shown by analysis 2, on 

page 644. This well should not be confused with one of the same name 

situated in Coyote Valley, about 16 miles northeast of Daggett. (See 

p. 283.)

TWENTY-NINE PALMS VALLEY

COYOTE WELL TO TWENTY-NINE PALMS

East of Coyote Well the road climbs a steep alluvial grade to the 

divide south.of Copper Mountain, where it touches a jutting point 

of the granite mountains south of the road. It then continues eastward, with a valley on the north and a mountain wall at different 

distances on the south. It is an excellent road all the way to Twentynine Palms. The valley may be called Twenty-nine Palms Valley, 

from the name of a well-known watering place in the valley.

The mountains south of the road form a long irregular wall in 

general parallel to the east-west direction of the road. This front, 

however, is deeply scalloped, and great lobate embayments 2 to 5 

miles in depth alternate with jutting rocky points all along its northern 

face. The country north of the road is a broad, broken plain with 

rather even southeast slope, and along the line of junction of these 

features a great valley, broken here and there by minor obstructions, 

slopes eastward.

TWENTY-NINE PALMS

Twenty-nine Palms is a well-known watering place that has long 

been an oasis to which roads lead from all parts of the adjacent 

desert. A large group of springs, nearly all of which furnish fairly 

good water, is alined over a distance of nearly a mile from east to west. 

This line of springs is distinguished by a very prominent line of 

vegetation mesquite, arrow weed, salt grass, cottonwood trees, 

willows, and palms. At its west end, on the north side of the road, 

in a grove of large cottonwood 3 and willows, three or four large pools 

discharge a considerable quantity of water, which runs for a half

mile or more into the desert.

its name. They grow in some

Farther east the spring line crosses the

road and forms a pronounced >ank 15 to 30 feet high, covered with a 

growth of arrow weed, mesquite, and other vegetation. Near the 

east end of the spring line staad the palms, which gave the locality

places singly, in other places in clumps

of two or three in a long east-west line. Some of them are young
TWENTY-NINE PALMS YAXJOT- 647 i i

and small, others are 70 or 80 feet in height. The (larger palms are

 clustered near the east end and number at present about 15. Along 

all this line of vegetation there are pools or seeps of water, few of 

which run any distance from the source. At the extreme east end 

of the spring line stands a large adobe house (unoccupied in 1917) 

surrounded by a grove of big cottonwoods. Near it issue two springs, 

one of which supplies a horse trough and the other, about 200 feet 

west, is covered and its water is used for domestic supply. The 

water is of good quality. (See analysis 3, p. 644.)

About a quarter of a mile west of the large pools, on the north side 

of the road, stands a small house that was occupied in December, 1917, 

by P. T. Sullivan, who operated a small gold mine in the mountains to 

the south. On both sides of the road Mr. Sullivan has dug wells, in 

one of which the water stands 17 feet and in another 28 feet below 

the surface. The former is equipped with a hand pump, the latter 

"with a 3-inch pump driven by an engine. No effect is said to be 

produced by this outfit on the head of the water. The quality of the 

"water is good.-

The springs apparently issue along the line of a very recent fault 

which had a displacement of probably not more than 50 feet and of 

"which the upthrown side is the bank mentioned south of the spring 

line. Water occurs near the surface in a large basin north of Twentynine Palms, as is shown by the large areas of mesquite and salt grass 

And by Mesquite Spring. (See pi. 11.) Mr. Sullivan reported water 

.at a depth of 40 feet in a well he dug half a mile north of Twenty-nine 

Palms.

To the south of Twenty-nine Palms there is a large reentrant in the 

mountains which is occupied by an alluvial slope 5 or 6 miles long and 

:3 or 4 miles wide, at the foot of which the springs emerge. The

 ground water that percolates down this slope apparently encounters 

a barrier in the fault line and rises there. It is also possible that

-deeper water from a more distant source issues along the fault.

MESQUITE SPRING

From Twenty-nine Palms a branch road leads north to Mesquite 

:Spring, 7 miles away, and continues to Surprise Spring and beyond, 

although that part of the road is said to be nearly impassable for 

.automobiles.

Mesquite Spring issues on the west edge of a playa about 2 miles 

long and nearly a mile wide. East of the playa stands the end of a 

long tapering point of sharp-crested mountains which protrude into 

the desert. Water rises from the level surface of the desert at two 

pools 3 or 4 feet across and about 2 feet deep and flows about 200 feet 

on the desert. In 1917 the springs were badly polluted by the

-carcasses of cattle, but the place is said to have been repaired since
648 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The water when not polluted is reported to be good. The springs are 

surrounded by an extensive growth of salt grass and mesquite; the 

latter usually grows over small sand dunes. The soil shows a strong 

coating of white alkali, denoting evaporation of ground water. Discharge of ground water appears to be taking place over an area of 

several square miles that extends west and south. Parts of this area 

are very sandy. A great ridge of sand 50 feet high parallels the road 

on the west about 2 miles north of Mesquite Spring.

WATER SUPPLY OF THE VALLEY

It seems certain that a large area in this basin contains ground 

water at depths of 50 feet or less. Moreover, deep billing might

reasonably be expected to produce flowing wells, par

of Mesquite Springs, where the vegetation mentioned is rankest. 

Unfortunately much of the soil where the water is neir the surface

is covered with sand hummocks, although there are

;icularly west

ome areas of

good soil. Northwest of Mesquite Springs there is a tract of worthless 

land covered by large dunes. The water at Twenty-nine Palms was 

once used for irrigation hi a small way by Indians who ived there on 

a reservation but who have since joined the Cabezcn Indians hi 

Coachella Valley. This valley appears to be one of the most promising 

areas for agricultural development in this part of the 'desert, where 

there are no perennial streams.

TWENTY-NINE PALMS TO DALE

From Twenty-nine Palms the main road continues eastward to 

Dale. About one-tenth mile east of the house at the east end of the 

springs, on a little elevation is an abandoned pumping plant. From 

this point a road leads south to the El Dorado mine and other places. 

At 61.9 to 62.9 miles from Banning a small ridge of granite and gneiss 

is crossed. This ridge extends northwestward 3 or 4 miles but is 

nowhere more than 200 feet high. It approaches within about 3 miles 

of a long, sharp range east of Mesquite Spring. The drainage divide 

between the Twenty-nine Palms and Dale Basins passes through 

these protruding rocks. Probably some ground water is contributed 

by the western to the eastern basin.

East of this ridge the road takes a course very similar to that which 

it took across the other basins. A few miles south of the road rise 

high mountains; a similar distance to the north lies a dry wash that 

drains eastward. Beyond the wash lies a great southeasterly slope 

that is tributary to a dry lake east of Dale. Far to the northeast 

can be seen a range of mountains several thousand feet high which 

trends northeastward. Beyond a point 67.0 miles from Banning the 

sand becomes very deep and at places is difficult for automobile 

travel, especially after a sand storm. The sand is shifted slightly 

by the wind but shows no great tendency to form dunes.
THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA . 649 

OLD VIRGINIA DALE

At 73.8 miles from Banning is Old Virginia Dale, the original 

settlement of the basin, made in early mining days. (See pi. 12.) 

Ncsar this place two small hills rise from the surface of the desert 

to a height of less than 100 feet, and on the one farthest east stands 

a sheet-iron building that houses an unused pumping plant. Several 

walls of adobe block 1 to 3 feet high are all that is left of the houses 

in which once lived a considerable settlement of people. A windmill 

stands over a well which formerly supplied water to the place. In 

December, 1917, the well had caved badly at the bottom, so that the 

suction pipe no longer drew water and the windmill was useless. 

The well curb of boards was in bad condition. Near the well stood 

a concrete trough and a small sheet-iron shed that housed a gasoline 

engine. Water stood in the well 74.5 feet below the surface and could 

probably be obtained with a bucket and a long rope.

Three roads lead beyond Old Dale one north-northeastward across 

the desert to Amboy (pp. 650, 689), one eastward to the Dale pumping plant (p. 650), and one southeastward to New Dale. On the road 

that leads north-northeastward about 2 miles from Old Virginia 

Dale there is a well at which water was obtainable in 1918. It was 

the property of Shay & Barker and was maintained to supply range 

cattle. The road is safely passable the first half of the way to the 

well but almost impassable for automobiles the rest of the way. The 

well is easily found, as there is a large windmill over it. In 1917 it 

was equipped with an engine, housed in a sheet-iron shed like those 

previously described. A concrete water trough 36 feet long, 6 feet 

wide, and 3 feet deep divided into four compartments is kept full for 

cattle. The water is somewhat bitter but usable. As shown by 

analysis 4 (p. 644), the water is highly mineralized. The well casing 

is 10 inches in diameter, and the well measured 59.5 feet deep and 

35.8 feet to water on December 18, 1917.

NEW DALE

The road going southeast from Old Dale leads to New Dale, a 

raining camp on the edge of the mountains 6 miles away. A severe 

sand storm had rendered this road practically impassable at the time 

o| the writer's visit to the region, and the trip was not attempted. 

From the most reliable information obtainable New Dale was in 1917 

entirely uninhabited. Near the place are a number of mines, including the Brooklyn and Supply mines, all of which were closed down 

at the tune. The Supply mine is said to have a mill which cost 

$250,000, and a watchman has been kept at the property. From these 

places roads lead south to Cottonwood Spring, but they were variously 

reported as bad, passable, and impassable.
650 . THE 'MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA 

DALE PUMPING PLANT

Four miles or more north of New Dale, at the south edge of Dale 

Dry Lake, in the lowest part of the Dale Basin, there is a well, 400 

feet deep, that is reported to furnish good water.22 Water has been 

pumped from this well to New Dale and to the mines mentioned.

ROAD TO AMBOY

The road from Old Dale to the Shay & Barker cattle well leads to 

a pass between the Bullion and Sheephole Mountains and continues 

to Amboy, a station on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, 

The distance from Old Dale to Amboy is about 40 miles. Because 

this road is shorter than the Banning road it is usually kept in condition for travel when the mines are in operation, but it becomes very 

bad when long untraveled. In fact, the sand is nearly impassable in 

the bottom of the Dale Basin, where for 3 or 4 miles it is drifted into 

dunes several feet in height. Possibly a better road goes from the 

Dale pumping plant to the Sheephole Pass, but of this no information was obtained.

BALE VALLEY

Dale Valley is the easternmost of a series of valleys just described 

that lie at successively lower altitudes toward the east. North of 

the lowest parts of these valleys is a large plain with few interruptions that slopes in general southeastward. On the south sides of 

the valleys the alluvial slopes are shorter and steeper and the mountains are not far away. The topography of this general region is 

attributed by Hill 22 to two great faults one trending east along the 

mountain front south of the road from Morongo Valley to Dale, the 

other trending northwest along the north side of the Sheephole and 

Bullion Ranges. He regards the Sheephole and Bullion Ranges and 

the plain south of them as a great block tilted down on the south, 

and the mountain wall on the south side of these valleys as a fault 

scarp produced by the upthrust of these mountains. There seems to 

be good general evidence of an eastward-trending fault along the 

south side of these valleys, although the scalloped front of the mountain ranges does not suggest a fault scarp. Behind this escarpment 

stands a great triangular plateau of granitic rocks, bordered by lower 

valleys. This plateau may very well be a great upthrown block,, 

bordered mainly by areas of subsidence. The theory of a major fault 

is supported by the apparently recent fault scarp at Twenty-nine 

Palms.

The basin of Dale Valley is a large area with high mountains on 

the northeast and south sides and a large alluvial slope on the norths' Hill, R. T., op. cit.
LAVIC VALLEY 651

west. It is bounded on the north and northeast by the Bullion and 

Sheephole Mountains, which trend northwestward and 'are 3,000 

to 5,000 feet above sea level. (See pi. 12.) It is bounded on the 

south by the Pinto Mountains, an irregular range that rises at least 

4,000 feet above sea level. To the east it is shut off by the Coxcomb 

and other ranges, which probably reach altitudes of more than 3,000 

feet. The altitude of the lowest part of the basin is given by Hill 

as 1,250 feet.

The precipitation is Very light, however, as is shown by the extreme 

barrenness of the mountains, unlike the mountains farther west around 

Warren Valley, which have a fair growth of* vegetation. The basin, 

too, is covered with only a meager growth of creosote bush.

The known watering places are the well at Old Dale, the Shay & 

Barker well, and a well at the Dale pumping plant. The Shay & 

Barker well is at a lower altitude than that of Old Dale and reaches 

water at about half the depth of the well there. The depth to the 

water table at the Dale pumping plant is not known. Evidently a 

permanent body of ground water lies beneath the basin. Whether 

ground water is discharged by evaporation in the vicinity of the 

Dale Dry Lake was not ascertained. No indications of heavy plant 

growth were visible, but the lower part of the basin was not reached. 

There is a possibility of underground drainage out of the Dale Basin 

on the east and north sides, where the inclosing mountains are at 

places interrupted by alluvial divides. Some ground water is 

probably contributed to Dale Valley by Twenty-nine Palms Valley 

through the low alluvial divide, although solid rock probably lies 

at no great depth under this divide, and there is a large area of 

ground-water discharge in Twenty-nine Palms Valley.

LAVIC VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Lavic Valley is situated a few miles west of Ludlow, somewhat 

southwest of the center of San Bernardino County. (See pi. 7.) 

The name is derived from Lavic station, on the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway, which crosses the north side of the valley. The 

only permanent habitation in the valley is at Lavic, where the railroad 

maintains telegraph operators and a section crew. Water can be 

obtained there, but no other supplies are available. Some mining is 

carried on more or less spasmodically in the mountains 8 or 10 miles 

southwest of Lavic.

The National Old Trails Road crosses the north side of the valley 

near the railroad. (See pi. 11.) From Lavic a road leads southward 

to Lavic Dry Lake, a playa about 3J^ miles from Lavic. The road 

forks on the playa. One branch leads west and northwest along the 

south side of the Mount Pisgah lava flow to the main road about 15
652 THE MOHAVE DESEST BECKON, CALIFOENIA

miles west of Lavic. This road is practically abandoned. A breach 

from it leads southward up a very steep grade across another lava 

flow to the Imperial Lode mine, near the summit of the mountains. 

At the forks on the playa the left branch leads southward to the 

Sunshine mine camp 7 miles from Lavic. Thence it goes southwestward, and beyond it swings back northward to the Sunshine mine, 

near the summit, on the south side of the mountain. Both the 

Sunshine and Imperial Lode mines were being worked in 1917.

Certain old maps show a road leading south and southwest from 

the Sunshine mine road to Means Wells and other points in the long 

trough that extends eastward from Victorville to Dale. So far as 

could be ascertained this road no longer exists, or at least it is very 

seldom traveled. Nothing could be learned of the existence of a spring 

which was marked Peacock Spring on old maps of this road.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Lavic Valley lies in the great trough that extends from Barstow 

southeastward almost to Colorado River. (See p. 120.) The 

mountainous area of the basin is relatively small. It includes a very 

small part of the Cady Mountains on the northeast and of the Lava 

Bed Mountains on the southwest. The Lava Bed Mountains are 

composed mainly of intrusive rocks. The geology in the vicinity of 

the Imperial Lode and Sunshine mines has been described by Storms.24 

The country rock at the mines is quartz porphyry. On the northern 

flank of the mountains lie beds of "tufa" [tuff?] and flows of basaltic lava. Apparently the Lavic Mountains form a continuation of 

the Bullion Mountains, but a break between them affords a pass 

to the region farther south. The eastern border of the valley is 

formed largely of Tertiary volcanic hills south of the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. North of the railway the divide a 

short distance east of Lavic station appears to be composed of 

alluvium, but it is likely that bedrock, probably Tertiary volcanic 

rocks, lies not far below the surface

The western border of the valley is formed in part of alluvium and 

in part of a lava flow poured out from a crater known as Mount 

Pisgah, in the southwestern part of T. 8 N., R. 6 E. This crater 

and flow lie in the bottom of the trough between the Lava Bed 

Mountains and the Cady Mountains. Lavic Valley appears originally to have been part of a large valley that drained northwestward 

to the Lower Mohave Valley near Newberry Spring (see p. 443), but 

the lava flow cut off the upper part of the valley and formed a closed 

basin.

The Mount Pisgah crater and flow afford good examples of the 

volcanic features that are found in many parts of the Great Basin,

* Storms, W. H., California State Mineralogist Eleventh Kept., pp. 349-359, X893.
tT. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 32

A. MOUNT PISGAH CINDER CONE AND LAVA FLOW FROM THE NORTHWEST 

Photograph by N. H. Darton

B. INTERIOR OF MOUNT PISGAH CINDER CONE 

Photograph by N. H. Darton

LAVIC VALLEY 6SS

and a trip to the cone is well worth while. It is most easily reached 

by leaving the main road about 3J^ miles northwest of ^avie. The 

distance to the crater is 1% or 2 miles. The visitor should wear 

good shoes and carry a canteen unless the day is cool, for the lava 

surface is rough and the walk arduous.

The lava is composed of black basalt. The surface is very rough, 

exhibiting blistered and ropy texture to such a marked degree that 

one needs little imagination to see the lava pouring dow£ the valley. 

(See pi. 32, A.) Numerous caverns or tunnels were fornled when the 

upper surface cooled and the still liquid lava beneath flowed out from 

under the crust thus formed. Mount Pisgah is a cone composed of 

loose cinderlike material that rests on the lava flow. It rises about 

160 feet above the lava flow, and the top of the cone isj about 1,000 

feet across. (See pi. 32, B.) An inner wall extends across the west 

side of the crater, showing that a second outburst followed the one 

that built up the main cone. Part of this inner rim is ^hown in the 

lower left corner of Plate 32, B. \

The surface of the lava flow is scarcely weathered, jand there is 

so little soil on it that it is almost bare of vegetation; The loose 

materials of the cinder cone likewise have hardly been| affected by 

erosion. It is obvious that the eruption occurred in comparatively 

recent geologic time, probably during the Pleistocene eppch.

The lava flow extends only about 2J^ miles southeastward from 

Mount Pisgah, and it is broadest hi this part. On ttye northwest 

it reaches hi a narrow belt for 5 miles from the crater to the edge of 

Troy Dry Lake. The recent alluvium laps up onto it, ajnd doubtless 

it is underlain by older alluvium onto which it was poured.

In the depression southeast of the flow formed by th0 blocking of 

the valley a playa, Lavic Dry Lake, has formed. The playa has 

partly buried the lava at the borders of the flow. Tike surface of 

this playa in dry seasons is hard and smooth, and it is ill all respects 

one of the dry type.

GROUND WATER

There is a well dug at the Sunshine mill, 7 miles feouthwest of 

Lavie, approximately hi sec. 4, T. 6 N., R. 6 E. (See pi. 11.) It is 

a short distance south of the point of a lava flow tha$ fonns the southeast end of the Lavic Mountains. The well is used to supply the 

Sunshine mine and mill. The water for the mine is hauled by wagon 

a distance of about 8 miles, but the mill is near the well.i In November, 1917, the well was inclosed in a pump house, whic|h was locked 

except when the pump was being operated. No one Twas living at 

the mill, but water could be obtained from a large tank that was

pumped full every few days for use at the mine. The 

well is reported to be between 120 and 130 feet, and 

water about 85 feet. The well is said to yield 25 or 

minute without any appreciable drawdown.

depth of the 

the depth to 

30 gallons a
654 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The water is highly mineralized. (See analysis below.) A sample 

from the tank, which had been pumped the preceding day, contained 

1,679 parts per million of total solids. The principal constituents 

are sodium sulphate and chloride. The water is poor for domestic 

use or for irrigation. The water has been reported to contain arsenic 

and for that reason to be unfit for drinking. A qualitative test in 

the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey, however, 

failed to show any arsenic. There seems to be no reason why the 

water can not be used, although it is not very good.

Analysis of water from well at Sunshine mill, in sec. 4 W> T. 6 N., R. 6 E. San

Bernardino meridian

[Sample collected Nov. 27,1917. C. H. Kidwell, analyst]

Parts per 

million

Silica (SiOj)-~ 48

Iron (Fe)__________.__....______________ .33

Calcium (Ca).________________________ 50

Magnesium (Mg)_____________________ 7. 4

Sodium (Na)._________.______________ 494

Potassium (K).___________________._ 17

Carbonate radicle (COs)______________________. 0

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3)________________ 88

Sulphate radicle (SO4)_____________________ 547

Chloride radicle (Cl)_______________________ 349

Nitrate radicle (NO3)._____________________ 9. 0

Total dissolved solids at 180° C____________ __ _ 1, 679

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated)_________________ 155

An old drilled well is situated on the west side of the dry lake, 

approximately in sec. 20, T. 7 N., R. 6 E., 6 miles from Lavic. It is 

near the place where the road to the Imperial Lode mine leaves the 

playa. The well is 59 feet deep, and on February 9, 1918, the depth 

to water measured 53 feet from the level of the ground, which is 

about 5 feet above the surface of the playa. The well did not have 

any pump or other means of obtaining water.

According to information furnished by the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway, a dug well known as the Sutter well is situated 

about 4^4 miles southeast of Lavic. The well is 72 feet deep, and 

the depth to wat^r is 64 feet. The well is said to have yielded 200,000 

gallons in 24 hours, or about 140 gallons a minute. No other information is available in regard to this well, but from the location given it 

is probably in the rocky hills southeast of Lavic and not in the alluvium-filled valley.
LAVIC VALLEY

No other wells are known in the valley. 

Water for the railroad employees at La vie is 

brought by train from Water station (Newberry Spring). Water for the Imperial 

Lode mine is hauled by wagon from Lavic. 

If an additional water supply were needed 

in the valley doubtless it could be obtained 

from the alluvium elsewhere in the lower 

part of the valley. The principal consideration hi locating wells would be to 

dig or drill far enough away from the rock 

hills to avoid striking bedrock before water 

was reached. The quantity of water from 

any one well would probably not be large. 

The natural conditions in the valley are 

unsuitable for irrigation or grazing, and 

the only possible need for a large supply 

would arise in the event that the mineral 

deposits in the surrounding mountains 

prove valuable.

The water table hi Lavic Valley lies 

about 50 feet below the playa, which is 

clearly of the dry type. As the water 

table is so far below the surface there may 

be underground drainage from the valley, 

most probably toward the northwest, 

beneath the lava flow. If, as seems likely, 

the lava flow is underlain by alluvium 

deposited before the volcanic eruption, the 

water would find free passage through the 

alluvium. This condition is illustrated in 

Figure 18. Even if the flow lies on bedrock, 

the lava is broken so much by cracks and 

tunnels that the water would pass through 

it easily. According to barometric observations the water level in the well on the 

west side of Lavic Dry Lake is about 80 

leet above the water level beneath Troy 

Dry Lake, northwest of the lava flow. 

The gradient of the water level between 

the two places is only about 6 feet to the 

mile. Such a gentle gradient is common 

in' the desert basins where the recharge is 

not great.

I .'.Vo
656 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

BROADWELL, VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Broadwell Valley lies a little south of the central part of San Bernardino County. (See pi. 7.) The name is derived from a railroad 

siding on the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad on the border of a playa 

in the bottom of the basin. The valley may also be called Ludlow 

Valley, from the name of the only town in it.

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway crosses the south side 

of the valley. The Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad goes northward 

across the center of the valley from its southern terminal at Ludlow. 

The Ludlow & Southern Railroad goes south from Ludlow to the 

mining town of Stedman, about 8 miles distant, just beyond the 

border of Broadwell Valley.

The National Old Trails Road parallels the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway. From Ludlow a road goes northward along the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad. (See pi. 11.) In 1917 this road 

was in good condition about as far as the northern divide of the 

basin. Beyond that point it was in poor condition because of washouts and farther north because of sand. It is practically impossible 

to reach Crucero by automobile over this road. A road leads south 

from Ludlow to Stedman and to prospects in the Bullion Mountains.

Ludlow, or Stagg post office, the only town in the valley, has a 

population of two or three hundred. Its existence depends largely on 

railroad and tourist trade. It is the southern terminus of the Tonopah 

& Tidewater Railroad. In the town are good general stores and garages and several small hotels for tourists.

Argos is a section headquarters on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway, and water can be obtained there in an emergency. 

Broadwell is merely a railroad stop, without any facilities for obtaining 

water.

Besides the activities related to the railroad and automobile traffic 

the only industry in the valley is mining, which is done on a small 

scale. Celestite, a strontium ore, was mined during the war on the 

south side of the Cady Mountains, about 3 miles northwest of Argos, 

The production has not been great, as the demand for this mineral is 

relatively small, and since the war the mine has not been operated. 

The mines at Stedman are a short distance outside the drainage 

basin. (See p. 691.)

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The alluvium-filled valley area of the Broadwell Basin is relatively 

small. It consists mainly of a long valley that slopes from the 

vicinity of Ludlow northward to a place a mile or two north of Broadwell. There is also a slope from the mountains on either side. An 

arm of the valley extends westward from Ludlow for several miles.
BROADWELL VALLEY 657

The western, southern, and southeastern borders of the valley 

are composed largely of volcanic rocks. These lavas are of Tertiary 

age except in the area east of Ludlow, where the rock consists of 

Quaternary basalt.

At the extreme southwest corner of the basin, near Lavic station, 

the divide, where it is crossed by the road, appears to be composed 

of alluvium. At the divide there is a rather abrupt ascent westward 

of about 40 feet. This abrupt slope continues northward to the 

base of the mountains and is suggestive of a fault scarp, but no definite 

evidence of a fault was seen.

The southeastern part of the Cady Mountains, which border the 

valley on the west, is made up largely of Tertiary volcanic rocks. 

Limestone occurs at the celestite deposits in the southwestern part 

ofT.8N.,R.7E. A large part of the Cady Mountains is composed 

of granite or metamorphic rocks. The General Land Office plats of 

Tps. 9 and 10 N., Rs. 5 and 6 E., show broad valleys high up in the 

Cady Mountains and a dry lake or playa in the southwestern part of 

T. 10 N., R. 6 E.

The northern part of the mountains east of Broadwell, like the 

adjoining Cady Mountains, is composed of granitic rocks. For convenience these mountains may be called the Broadwell Mountains.

The northern border of the valley is an almost continuous mountain 

mass, but there is a narrow pass just north of Broadwell, which is 

filled with coarse subangular gravel and sand. This alluvium has 

been washed in from the mountains on each side hi such a way as to 

completely block the drainage from Broadwell Valley, which otherwise would flow northward into the much lower Soda Lake Basin. 

About 3 miles south of the divide thus formed is a narrow, elongated 

playa. According to altitudes along the Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad the playa is at least 90 feet below the divide hi the pass. On the 

basis of the data on ground water it is believed that the alluvium in 

the pass reaches 100 feet or more below the playa. (See p. 658.) The 

playa is of the dry type, hard and mud cracked. On its surface lie 

many small boulders of volcanic rocks that have been washed in from 

the near-by slopes.

The relation of Broadwell Valley to the adjoining valley presents 

some interesting features. A marked depression filled with alluvium 

extends from the vicinity of Barstow southeastward almost to Colorado River, but it is broken at several places by low divides. The 

divides at the southeast and southwest corners of Broadwell Valley 

constitute two of the breaks in this depression. The divide at the 

southwest corner is apparently formed of alluvium, although the 

conditions there could, not be determined in the short time spent in 

that locality. The divide at the southeast corner of the basin is composed hi part of Quaternary lava. It therefore appears entirely
658 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

possible that as recently as early Quaternary time the depression may 

have been continuous across this area.

A glance at the geologic map (pi. 8) offers an alternative explanation. Although information is lacking for some areas the main 

mountain masses on each side of the depression are composed mainly 

of pre-Tertiary rocks. The large area of. Tertiary volcanic rocks 

that borders Broadwell Valley lies between the older rocks as if filling 

part of an older depression. It is possible that the great Barstow1 Bristol trough, whether it is an erosion valley or a fault trough, is 

older than the Tertiary lavas.

The break in the northern wall of the valley between the Cady 

Mountains and the Broadwell Mountains raises a question as to the 

former possible drainage of the valley through the pass into the Soda 

Lake Basin. As the water table is about 100 feet below the play a 

in the valley there is possibly underground drainage from the valley 

at some place, and it may be at Broadwell Pass. On the other hand, 

the drainage may flow to the southeast beneath or through the 

lavas east of Ludlow.

PRECIPITATION

The place nearest to the valley at which precipitation records have 

been kept is Bagdad, 22 miles southeast of Ludlow. The average 

annual rainfall there for a period of 16 years is only about 2.28 inches. 

The Broadwell Basin is a little higher than Bagdad, and the precipitation is doubtless a little greater. However, most of the valley is 

lower than Barstow, where the average annual precipitation is about 

4.25 inches, and at Ludlow it is probably no greater.

GROUND WATER

WELLS

No springs are known in Broadwell Valley, and there are no wells 

in the valley at present that yield potable water. All the water used 

at Ludlow is hauled in.

Near Broadwell station, on the east side of the railroad about a 

quarter of a mile north of the edge of the playa, there is a dug well 

115 feet deep. On November 27, 1917, the depth to water was 10& 

feet. There was no pump or other means of obtaining water from 

the well. The water is said to be very salty.

A small amount of water was obtained nearer the edge of the playa 

in a dug well 65 feet deep. In 1917 this well was dry. The water 

was brackish. On the west side of the playa, near milepost 7 on the 

Tonopah & Tidewater Railroad (approximately in sec. 8, T. 8 N., 

K. 8 E.), a well has been drilled to a depth of 400 feet by the Pacific 

Mines Corporation. It is said that salty wafctr was struck, but the 

depth to water is not known. This company has drilled a number of
BROADWELL VALLEY 659

holes around Ludlow and Stedman in connection with the develop- i 

ment of its mines, but no definite information could be obtained other 

than that no good water was found.

In 1883, about the time of the completion of the railroad then 

owned by the Southern Pacific Co., a deep well was drilled at Ludlow. 

This well was never used. It was generally reported that the well 

was abandoned because the water was salty, but information recently 

furnished by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Kailway Co. disproves 

this belief.

Sandstone was struck in the well at 760 feet and water at 785 feet. 

This water was cased off, and a second water-bearing bed, the nature 

of which is unknown, was struck at 1,084 feet. This water also was 

cased off, and drilling continued to a depth of 1,600 feet.. No data 

are available as to the yield of the well. Approximate analyses of 

the water from the depths of 785 and 1,084 feet give about 435 and 

550 parts per million of total solids respectively (recomputed from 

grains per gallon). Roughly, two-thirds of each sample consisted of 

carbonate and sulphate of lime. Unfortunately, several of the radicles 

are recorded together, so that it is not possible to determine the exact 

character of the water. The results show, however, that both the 

waters are fairly good both for domestic use and for boilers. The 

water could be improved for boiler use by treatment. Apparently 

the well was abandoned not because of the poor quality of the water 

but because when it was drilled it was not believed to be economical 

to pump from so great a depth. In recent years, with the increased 

cost of hauling water from Newberry Springs, it might now be more 

economical to pump from such a depth, and the railroad has contemplated a new well at Ludlow.

INTEKPKETATION OF GKOUND-WATEK CONDITIONS

As stated previously, the playa near Broadwell is of the dry type. 

The great depth to water near the playa shows that undoubtedly 

there is underground drainage from the valley. The conditions in 

the pass to Crucero Valley north of Broadwell appear to be entirely 

favorable for underground drainage to occur at that place, but this is 

not certain.

According to approximate altitudes obtained from railroad profiles 

the water table in the dug well near Broadwell is about 1,200 feet 

above sea level. The first water-bearing bed in the deep well at 

Ludlow is about 1,000 feet above sea level. If the formations between 

the two wells are so permeable that water can move freely between 

them the difference in altitude would indicate that the underground 

drainage occurred at some place in the southern part of the basin. 

The water table in Lavic Valley, west of Broadwell Valley, is considerably higher, so that leakage can not occur in that direction. South-
660 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

f east of Ludlow, however, in Bristol Valley, the water table is much 

lower. The divide along the railroad at Ash Hill, east of Ludlow, is 

composed of Quaternary volcanic rocks that may be underlain by 

alluvium or permeable Tertiary volcanic rocks. It thus seems entirely 

possible that drainage flows in this direction.

The apparent fact that the water in the well at Broadwell is salty 

and that the water in the well at Ludlow is not salty would indicate 

that there is not free movement between the two wells. However, 

no analyses of the water from the well at Broadwell are available to 

prove the supposed difference in quality. In view of the meagerness 

of data concerning the Ludlow well and other wells in the valley these 

suggestions in regard to ground-water conditions must be considered 

as mere conjectures. They should be considered, however, if further 

prospecting for water is carried on in the valley.

Further prospecting for water in Broadwell Valley will be warranted 

only for projects that can afford a considerable initial expense, with 

possibility of failure, and high pumping cost for relatively small 

quantities of water if successful. Development of water for irrigation 

is impracticable. In the lower part of the valley the lift is so great 

that only high-priced crops could be raised, and according to available information the water is too poor in quality for irrigation. Elsewhere in the valley, even if water of good quality can be obtained, 

the lift will be too great for profitable pumping.

WATEK SUPPLY FOE LUDLOW

As a supply of potable water is lacking in the valley, water for all 

purposes at Ludlow, including use in locomotives and at the mines 

at Stedman, is hauled by train from Newberry Springs, a distance of 

32 miles. According to information furnished by the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, in 1919 about 16 cars, or nearly 170,000 

gallons, were hauled to Ludlow daily. The water is emptied into a 

cistern and thence pumped into storage tanks from which it is distributed to the railroad yards and to the town. The rate for domestic 

use in 1917 was $2.50 a month for each house. The Tonopah & 

Tidewater Railroad obtained water for its engines at the rate of $1.55 

for 1,000 gallons. When the mines at Stedman are running about 

two cars or 20,000 gallons a day are hauled to that place for domestic 

use and for a concentration mill.

BBISTOL-LANFAIB BASIN

GENERAL FEATURES

The Bristol-Lanfair drainage basin covers a large area in the 

eastern and southeastern parts of San Bernardino County. (See 

pi. 7.) The basin is roughly triangular in outline, and the apexes 

of the triangle are near Ludlow, near Barnwell, and on the extreme 

southern border of the Mohave Desert region in T. 1 S., R. 17 E.
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER.57B PLATE 33

EXPLANATION

J ^(|\Z> | 

/ \< '

LA N-F7 A I'R

l~ BlacMwMT^f^

H SummitSf pQ. 1

Part of U. S. G. S. topographic 

map of Ivanpah quadrangle

TOPOGRAPHIC MAP OF LANFAIR VALLEY AND VICINITY, SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY, CALIF.

Showing location of wells and springs

Scale 250000

810 2 4 6 8 IpMiles

Contour interval 1OO feet.

m&on. sefL level.

U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 578 PLATE 34

^. "SELF-RISING GROUND" ON SURFACE OF CADIZ DRY LAKE 

Looking northeast toward Ship Mountain at left. Photograph by L. F. Noble

B. VIEW LOOKING SOUTH ACROSS DANBY DRY LAKE FROM A POINT 

ON PARKER ROAD ABOUT A MILE WEST OF WARD

Shows small channels crossing the playa. Iron Mountain at right. Photograph by L. F. Noble

C. LARGE EROSION CHANNEL CUTTING SURFACE OF DANBY DRY LAKE

BRI&TQI/-LANFAIR BASIN 661

The basin is broken into three units, each almost completely 

separated from the others and each more or less physiograpMcally 

and geologically different. (See pis. 7 and 12.) These three uiiits, 

with their approximate locations, are Lanfair Valley, which covets & 

small area in the northeast corner of the triangle; a somewhat larger 

valley, which extends almost north and south, for which the name 

Fenner Valley is proposed; and a much larger valley at the base of 

the triangle, extending from northwest to southeast, which constitutes what has been called the Bristol trough. As shown below, the 

Bristol trough is apparently divided into two valleys by a low alluvial divide. Each of these two valleys contains a playa, the northwestern one called Bristol Dry Lake and the southeastern called 

Cadiz Dry Lake. The two valleys may be designated by these names.

The total area of the drainage basin is about 3,045 square miles, 

of which Bristol Valley contains 1,170 square miles, Cadiz Valley 

540 square miles, Fenner Valley 1,000 square miles, and Lanfair 

Valley 335 square miles.

A drainage line extends continuously from the summit of the 

New York Mountains in Lanfair Valley to the lowest |>art of the 

basin near Cadiz, about 600 feet above sea level. Whether the surface drainage from this great area goes to Cadiz Dry Lake or to 

Bristol Dry Lake is uncertain, but it is believed to reach Cadiz Dry 

Lake. However, the ground-water body is undoubtedly continuous 

between the two playas. The total length of this drainage line is 

about 70 miles, but seldom, if ever, does water flow the entire distance. 

Indeed, the traveler in crossing the wash in most places would scarcely recognize it as the main drainage line of so large an area. A less 

prominent drainage line extends from the northwest corner of the 

basin to Bristol Dry Lake, a distance of about 20 miles.

Of all the basins in the region covered by this report the Bristolin is exceeded in size only by the Mohave River drainage 

including the large area east of the Soda and Silver Lake 

Playas that is not directly tributary to Mohave River. The Amargosa drainage basin, including Death Valley, is much larger, but 

most of it is outside the area covered by this report. The total area 

of the Mohave River drainage basin is only about 600 square miles 

more than the area of the Bristol-Lanfair basin. It may seem strange 

that there is no stream in the Bristol-Lanfair basin comparable to 

Mohave River, but a comparison of the two basins shows dissimilar 

conditions. The run-off which really makes Mohave River originates 

in the San Bernardino Mountains. The maximum altitude of this 

part of the basin is about the same as that of the New York Mountains in Lanfair Valley. However, because of its location farther in 

the interior of the desert, the precipitation in the BriatoL-Lanfair 

5631 29 43
662 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

basin is undoubtedly less than that at equal altitudes in the San 

Bernardino Mountains. In addition there is this difference, which 

is perhaps fully as significant: In the San Bernardino Mountains 

the drainage from an area of about 215 square miles underlain by 

bedrock is concentrated into a single stream before it leaves the 

mountains. In the Bristol-Lanfair basin there is no such concentration of drainage, but the run-off is poured out onto the alluvial 

slopes by many' small channels, where it is quickly absorbed. In 

Lanfair Valley several washes that drain most of the valley unite 

before reaching a pass about 10 miles north of Goffs, but these washes 

have passed over alluvium in which the run-off is mostly absorbed. 

The valleys that comprise the Bristol-Lanfair drainage basin are 

described separately below, beginning with Lanfair Valley, the highest; 

then Fenner Valley; and finally Bristol and Cadiz Valleys, the lowest

in the basin.

LANFAIR VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Lanfair Valley lies .in the east-central part of San Bernardino 

County. (See pis. 7 and 12.) The valley has been called Barnwell 

Sink,25 but that name is not appropriate, for it is not a "sink," as 

that term is commonly used in the desert region to designate the 

bottom of a closed basin occupied by a playa in which a stream 

disappears because the water is evaporated or sinks into the ground. 

In an earlier more detailed report by the writer, which described 

ground-water conditions in the valley, the name Lanfair Valley is. 

proposed because most of the settlement has been near Lanfair, and 

that town is not far from its center.26

Some years ago many settlers took up homesteads in this valley, 

most of them near Lanfair, and attempted to raise , crops by dry 

farming. In the fall of 1917 more than 130 registered voters were 

living here. When the writer visited the valley in November, 1917, 

very few wells had been drilled in the valley, and very few data 

were available concerning the water supply.

Lanfair Valley was formerly traversed from north to south by the 

Barnwell and Searchlight branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway, which connected with the main transcontinental line at. 

Goffs, 9 miles southeast of Vontrigger, but in 1927 service on this, 

road had been discontinued. In 1917 there were small sefctletaents. 

at Lanfair, Ledge (Maruba post office), and Barnwell, and post 

offices at the first two places.27 There was a small store at Lanfair,.

»s Tait, C. E., Irrigation resources of southern California: California Conssrvation Comm. Kept., p. 

324,1912.

* Thompson, D. Q., Qrouad water in Lanfair Valley, Calif.: U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 

4SO, pp. 29-50,1920.

» In 1927 neither of the post offices was listed in the U. S. Postal Guide, and presumably they had been 

discontinued.
BKISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN 663

at which groceries and gasoline could be obtained. Purdy, Blackburn, and Vontrigger were merely railroad sidings, not settlentents. 

Fair automobile roads connect the valley with the siurounding 

country. The Ivanpah and adjoining valleys may be reached by 

way of Barnwell. From Lanfair a road leads to Cima and the 

Valley Wells mining region by way of Rock Springs, Government 

Holes, and Cedar Canyon. A road leads southward, parallel to the 

railroad for part of the distance, to the much traveled National 

Old Trails Road at Goffs. Another road leads southwestward and 

then southward from Government Holes to the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway and the National Old Trails Road at Fenner.

PHYSICAL FEATUKES

The essential physical features of Lanfair Valley are shown on 

Plate 33. The valley is mostly a large alluvial plain that slopes 

southeastward with a nearly uniform grade of about 100 feet to the 

mile, though its continuity is at several places broken by small buttes 

of lava or by granite knobs. This plain is bordered on the west and 

north by the Mid Hills and the New York Mountains and on the 

south and east by several more or less detached mountain masses. 

The largest of these detached mountains are the Piute Range on the 

east and Hackberry Mountain on' the south.

Most of the valley stands 3,500 to 5,000 feet above sea level, .and 

two extensions of it west and northwest of Rock Springs rise nearly 

5,500 feet above sea level. These two branch valleys reach almost 

to the summit of the Mid Hills, which form a small range in the rim 

between the Providence Mountains and the New York Mountains; 

At one place the almost flat surface of the .southern branch valley 

has been slightly dissected by drainage lines that lead to Cedar 

Canyon. This canyon, which drains westward, has cut entirely 

through the former divide of the Mid Hills and is tapping the drainage 

on the east side of the mountains. In contrast to the long gradual 

slopes that reach almost to the summit on the east side of the range, 

the west side is steep.

The plain and adjacent mountain slopes form a nearly inclosed 

drainage basin, but there are several outlets on the south side through 

which the surface drainage moves southward. The principal outlet 

opens through a wide pass 6 miles east of Blackburn but partly 

through two narrow passes on the east and west sides of Hackberry 

Mountain. Nearly all the drainage channels lead southward to a 

large valley that extends from Goffs southwestward to a closed basin 

several miles south of Cadiz (see p. 12), the bottom of wMch lies 

about 600 feet above sea level. A very small part of the drainage of 

the valley possibly goes toward Colorado River by way of two canyons at its extreme eastern edge (see pis. 12 and 13), where the old
G64 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Government road to old Fort Mohave passes south of a small hill 

(marked "BM 3789") 10 miles east of Lanfair. These canyons 

drain through Piute Wash into Colorado River a few miles north of 

Needles, a distance of about 30 miles. On account of the arid conditions, however, the rain that falls in the basin seldom if ever reaches 

the basin south of Cadiz or Colorado Eiver as surface run-off.

The drainage basin includes about 325 square miles. The alluvial 

slopes cover about 260 square miles, or 80 per cent of the basin; the 

mountains cover about 65 square miles. The basin includes no 

playas.

GEOLOGY

The main mass of the New York Mountains and the Mid Hills is 

composed of granite, which is flanked on the north and northeast by 

metamorphosed limestone, quartzite, gneiss, and schist, into which 

the granite is intruded. The sedimentary rocks have been mapped 

as of Cambrian age,28 but Larsen 29 has found one or two fossils in 

them which he believes to be Carboniferous. At the south end of 

the Providence Mountains the granite is intruded into limestone 

which has been determined as Carboniferous.30 The granite forms 

part of a large intrusive mass which covers many square miles and 

which extends at least as far as Marl Spring and Kessler Spring, 

west and northwest of Cima. In some of»the low hills east of Blackburn and Vontrigger occur granite, diorite, and altered limestone.31

Volcanic rocks, mostly of Tertiary age, are abundant around, the 

edges of the valley. Purplish extrusive rocks, probably rhyolite, 

occur on the road between Ivanpah and Barnwell. Rhyolite is 

found in the Castle Mountains, in the Hart mining district.32 The 

Piute Range, which forms an imposing steep-sided mountain on the 

east border of the vaDey, is composed of volcanic rocks, as are Hackberry Mountain and the low hills west of it. The flat-topped mesas 

at tn% east foot of the Providence Mountains are composed of similar 

extrusive rocks. A prominent butte 2 miles north of Government 

Holes appears from a distance to be composed of the same series of 

light-colored rhyolite, latite, and tuff as those seen in Table Mountain and the hills south of this mountain, which have been described 

by Darton33 as of Tertiary age. The extrusive rocks of Table Mountain obviously lie on the old erosion surface of the granite which forms 

the main mass of the New York Mountains and Mid Hills. The 

volcanic rocks near Barnwell and in the Castle Mountains are perhaps

* Geologic map of the State of California, State Mining Bureau, 1916, 

M Larsen, E. S., personal communication.

'« Mines and mineral resources of San Bernardino County, p. 53, California State Mining Bureau, 1917. 

" Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Route: U. S. Geol. 

Survey Bull. 613, pp. 147-148, footnote, and maps 21 and 22, 1916.

M H311, J. M., The mining districts of the western United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 507, p. 128,1912. 

» Darton, N. H., op. cit., pp. 147-148, foocnote, and maps 21 and 22.
BRISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN 665

of the same age as those along the east and south, sides of the basin, 

but their erosion and weathering suggest that they are somewhat 

older. Part of Lanfair Valley is underlain at no great depth by lava 

of Tertiary or Pleistocene age, which rests on older grafel, and this 

lava may have covered a large area.

The greater part of Lanfair Valley is covered with sand, grav-el, 

and boulders washed down from the mountains on the west side of 

the valley. Well records indicate that near Lanfair the alluvium is 

underlain by volcanic material at depths of 4 to 50 feet, below which, 

at depths of 410 to 520 feet, lie still other beds of gravel. Moreover 

the hills composed of granite and lava, which crop out at many 

places in the valley, indicate that in some places at least igneous 

bedrock lies at no great depth beneath the gravel floor. The total 

depth to which the alluvium reaches is not known. The gravel which 

has been penetrated at depths of 400 to 500 feet is older than the 

overlying igneous rocks and is probably of late Tertiary or early 

Pleistocene age.

A mile or two south of Barnwell several tongues of very coarse 

alluvial conglomerate, the boulders of which consist mainly of blue 

quartzite, extend out from the foot of the mountains. These tongues 

rise 15 to 50 feet above the general level of the slope. They are 

apparently older than the present alluvial deposits and have been 

exposed by faulting along the east edge of the mountains. They 

are probably of Pleistocene age and may perhaps be correlated with 

the gravel that underlies the volcanic materials penetrated in the 

wells at Lanfair.

The northwestern slopes of the New York Mountains, the Mid 

Hills, and the Providence Mountains are much steeper than their 

southeastern slopes, and the rocky walls extend 1,000 to 2,000 feet 

lower on the northwest than on the southeast side. These differences 

in slope might be explained by assuming that the mountain mass on 

the northwest side of Lanfair Valley is a large fault block that has 

been uplifted on its northwest edge and tilted down on its southeast edge, but not enough is known of the geology to permit this 

assumption.

Another explanation of the difference in the slope of the northwest 

and southeast sides of the mountains is based on meager evidence 

obtained from wells in the valley. .The gravel found at depths of 

400 to 500 feet in the wells at Lanfair indicates that the floor of 

Lanfair Valley at one time stood at a lower level and that the southeast face of the New York Mountains and Mid Hills was probably 

once as precipitous as the northwest face is to-day. The sloping 

plain may have been formed by alluvial filling to a considerable 

depth. Faulting would thus not be involved in the explanation of 

the surface features of this large, high valley. 7
666 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

It is entirely possible, however, and indeed probable that the New 

York Mountains were originally formed by the uplifting of a large 

block of the earth's crust.

Lanfair Valley is bounded on the east by the Piute Range, which 

forms a barrier that prevents the drainage from its northern part from 

going toward Colorado River. This range is composed of volcanic 

rock, is nearly flat-topped, and has almost vertical sides. It may be 

an uplifted fault block, or it may be a remnant of a large body of 

lava which covered a much larger area but which is now mostly eroded. 

In either event the drainage from the valley at some earlier period 

probably reached Colorado River.

MINERAL RESOURCES

A number of mines in the mountains around Lanfair Valley have 

been active at one time or another, but the mineral production has 

not been great. Gold is found in the Castle Mountains, near Hart, 

where a shaft 900 feet deep had been sunk in 1917 and about 20 men 

were employed. The ore is said to be rich in spots. A mill had been 

built, but it was not being operated in the later part of 1917. Deposits of tungsten occur on the south side of the New York Mountains, and some ore has been shipped.34 Gold, copper, tungsten, and 

some vanadium are found in the hills east and northeast of Vontrigger 

station, and considerable mining has been done in this district.35

CLIMATE

Mr. E. L. Lanfair kindly furnished the writer with incomplete 

records of precipitation at Lanfair for the period from March, 1912, 

to March, 1915. These records are given in the following table:

Monthly precipitation, in inches, at Lanfair, Calif. 

[Altitude about 4,040 feet]

Season

1911-12. .. _ ......

1912-13. ...........

1913-14__ ..........

1914-15 _ .........

July

0.60

1.29

1.05

Aug.

0.25

1.43

.19

Sept.

(*)

0.63

2.29

Oct.

1.28

(»)

3.16

Nov.

<*)

1 5fi

<*>

Dec.

0.10 (»)

(*>

Jan.

( )

0.39

2.32Qf>

Feb.

( )

"2.98

3.39

5.70

Mar.

3.60 (*)

.53 ( )

Apr.

0.68 (»)

1.01 fa1!

May

0.13 (»)

(")

< )

June

0.00 (»)

.46

(a\

Total

<*5.60

«> 12. 62

<*12.69

0 No record.

b It is not clear from Mr. Lanfair's record whether an absence of data for certain months indicates no 

precipitation or a suspension of observations. 

|H« Does not include a 6-inch fall of snow on Feb. 22, which was not measured in inches of rain

d Record for year probably incomplete.

As the record for Lanfair is not complete for any single year, it 

furnishes no ground for definite conclusions. The average annual 

precipitation of the three years as given in the table is 9.77 inches. 

A comparison of the record with the records for the same period at

M Mines and mineral resources of San Bernardino County, California State Mining Bureau, p. 68,1917. 

86 Idem, pp. 11, 69-78.
BEI8TOL-ULNFAIE BASIN §67

Needles, Jean, Bagdad, and Barstow shows that in the months in'the 

seasons 1912-13 and 1913-14 for which the record is lacking -there 

was probably no precipitation. On the other hand, in November, 

December, March, April, and May of the season 1914-15 there was 

considerable rainfall at one or more of these points. The total for 

1914-15 at Lanfair may therefore be low. A study of the records at 

Las Vegas, Nev.; Needles, Calif.; and Parker, Ariz., shows that the 

precipitation for 1913-14 and 1914-15 was 23 to 65 per cent above the 

average precipitation during periods of 11 to 30 years. On this basis 

the average annual precipitation at Lanfair for the two years as 

recorded would be about 9 inches. This is somewhat greater than 

the average precipitation at other stations in the Mohave Desert 

region except those on the slopes of the San Bernardino, San Gabriel, 

and Tehachapi Mountains. Settlers in the valley state that the 

precipitation at Lanfair is less than at points farther west, on the 

eastern slope of the mountains. In winter, especially, several inches 

of snow may fall in the mountains while practically no rain or snow 

falls at Lanfair. The rainfall in the valley is probably about 10 inches. 

That the precipitation in the New York Mountains is greater than 

in most of the desert region is believed to be shown by the presence 

of sagebrush and pifion.

The rainfall at Lanfair is well distributed throughout the year, 

but a large percentage of it occurs in July, August, and September, 

probably in summer thunderstorms. The conditions are similar to 

those at Las Vegas, Fort Mohave, Needles, and Parker, where longtime records show that there is a late summer wet period as well as 

a winter wet period. (See pp. 88-91.)

No records of temperature at Lanfair are available. Because of the 

high altitude, the maximum summer temperatures are probably not 

veiy high. The winters at Lanfair are probably slightly colder than 

at lower levels, and frosts are probably more common.

VEGETATION

The vegetation of Lanfair Valley is characterized by an abundance 

of spine-bearing forms, such as the cactus commonly called cholla, 

which grows profusely; the yucca, known as the Spanish dagger; and 

the Joshua tree, or giant yucca. Arid-land grasses are also found, 

such as galleta and a form known as grama grass. In the upper part 

of the valley near Government Holes, more than 5,000 feet above sea 

level, there is a flourishing growth of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) 

and pinon and probably some juniper. The creosote bush, which 

is the prevailing species in most of the Mohave Desert region, m 

very rare; it was noticed by the writer only on the north side of the 

Hackberry Mountains near Blackburn and in one small tract near 

Ledge. The comparative absence of creosote bush and the abundance
668- THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

of the cactuses, grasses, sagebrush, and pinon is believed to be due 

to the slightly greater rainfall that occurs elsewhere in the Mohave 

Desert region. Cat's-claw was seen in washes just west and south of 

Blackburn. None of the forms that indicate ground water at slight 

depth, such as mesquite and salt grass, were seen.

The grasses available for cattle forage are more abundant in the 

upper part of the valley than in almost any other locality in the 

Mohave Desert region, and several hundred head of cattle aregrazecL

WATER RESOURCES

There are no permanent streams in Lanfair Valley, nor any which 

flow except immediately after storms. The water supply of the 

valley is derived entirely from the rain and snow that fall there and 

from the ground water, which is itself derived from the precipitation. 

A number of wells have been drilled within the border of the mountainous area, and as the conditions that govern the occurrence of 

ground water there are different from those in the mam part of the 

valley the two parts will be considered separately. The locations of 

wells for which data are available are shown on Plate 38, and the data 

are summarized in the table on pages 672-673.

GBOUWD WATEB IS UPPER PAET OF VALLEY

Water is found at a number of places in the New York Mountains 

and Mid Hills at comparatively slight depths. At Barnwell the 

Eock Springs Cattle Co. has dug a well (No. 1 36) 62 feet deep, in 

which water stands 48 feet from the surface. On the west side of the 

railroad at Barnwell there are two wells, one about 60 feet and the 

other about 90 feet deep, but the depth to water in them is not known. 

At this station the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. in 

1905 drilled a well 457 feet deep (No. 2), which is now abandoned. 

According to the log furnished by the railroad company, the material 

penetrated from 4 to 242 feet was granite, from 242 to 347 feet 

clay and sand, from 347 to 362 feet cemented gravel, and from 362 

to 457 feet granite. The reported occurrence of granite from 4 to 

242 feet is doubtless an error in the interpretation of the drill cuttings, 

as it would be practically impossible for unconsolidated sand and 

gravel to underlie granite. The formation called granite is probably 

either debris which has been washed in and which was formed from 

the weathering of granite and hence resembles it or perhaps the 

material is some kind of volcanic rock, for such rocks occur near by. 

The depth to water in this well was 73 feet, and the supply was 

ample. During a pumping test of 24 hours the well furnished 20 

gallons a minute. The well was abandoned, probably because the 

water was unsuitable for use in locomotive boilers. The Lecyr well

* The numbers given in the text correspond to thosa given on the map (pi. 33) and in the table on pp. 

672-673.
BKISTOL-LAJSFADR BASIN 669

(No. 3) is dug in a sandy wash. When visited by the writer it was 

tightly covered and could not be measured, but the pumping equipment indicates that the depth to water is probably not great.

Water is obtained at moderate depths in several wells west and 

southwest of Rock Springs (Nos. 11 to 14). The deepest of these 

wells is 32 feet deep, and the depth to water is from 4 to 29 f *t. 

Granite was reached in several of them.

The quantity of water available in any of these wells is apparently 

not great. The well of Mr. Moore (No. 16) yields 11 gallons a 

minute, and if the rate of pumping is increased the well is pumped 

dry. The largest quantities pumped from the Emdee and Barnett 

wells are about 1,000 gallons a day each. Although the actual 

capacity of these wells is not known they could probably be pumped 

dry easily with power pumps.

All the wells mentioned that are west and southwest of Rock 

Springs are near the foot of granite hills, where solid rock lies close 

to the surface. They are apparently supplied from rain water, which 

percolates downward to the surface of the solid rock, along which it 

mov.es' toward lower levels. If the wells mentioned were pumped 

heavily the water would probably be lowered considerably, as the 

small tracts in which the wells are dug do not contain a sufficient 

supply to withstand heavy drafts. During years of normal precipitation the water in the ground is sufficient to keep the water table 

rather near the surface, and in some places it returns to the surface in 

springs, such as Rock Springs, which emerge in a small canyon that 

heads in the wide valley west of the springs. During a series of 

unusually dry years the supply of ground water would probably b© 

rapidly diminished. At the end of the dry fall of 1917 Rock Springs 

were practically dry, and other springs in the New York Mountains 

and Mid Hills were also reported to be dry.

There is no reason to believe that any large quantity of water 

could be obtained by drilling wells into the bedrock.

GROUND WATER IN MAIN PART OF VA11BY *

In the main part of Lanfair Valley the depth to the water table 

is apparently much greater than in the marginal parts, where rock 

lies close to the surface and prevents the rain water from sinking to 

great depths. Information is available concerning only three wells 

drilled on the alluvial slopes that compose the surface of the greater 

part of the valley. As far as is known, no other wells had been 

drilled on these slopes at the time the field investigation was made. 

At Ledge (Maruba post office) Mrs. E. J. Jacoby has drilled a well 

(No. 9), which could not be measured, but the owner, who had 

purchased the land since the well was drilled, stated that it was 879 

feet deep and that water was struck at a depth of 365 fee* and rose 

within 100 feet of the surface. According to information from other
670 THE MOHAVE DESBET BBGION, CA.LIFOBNIA

sources, the water did not rise nearly so high and stands 350 feet 

from the surface. The well furnished about 20 gallons a minute. 

No log of the strata penetrated is available. At Lanfair Mr. E. L, 

Lanfair has drilled a well (No. 19) 550 feet deep. Gravel was penetrated to a depth of 52 feet, below which to a depth of 520 feet was 

material described as volcanic ash. Fragments of the drill cuttings 

examined by the writer seemed to be composed of a rhyolitic rock. 

A bed of water-bearing gravel was entered at a depth of 82® -feet 

and extends to the bottom of the well. The water rose within 500 

feet of the top. Mr. Lanfair has drilled another well (No. 20), also 

550 feet deep, about a mile southeast of the one just described. In 

this well volcanic ash was struck at a depth of only 4 feet and extended to a depth of 410 feet, where gravel was found, which reached 

to the bottom of the well. Water was found in the gravel at 410 

feet and rose 10 feet in the well. According to approximate altitudes 

determined from the topographic map, the water level in the Jacoby 

well isi at least 450 feet higher than it is in the well at Lanfair, and 

if the water is within 100 feet of the surface, as reported by the owner, 

it is 700 feet higher. The difference in the surface elevation,.^-@oly 

about 300 feet.

Though the data afforded by the wells in the valley are meager 

they disclose three significant facts:

First, the depth to water is great.

Second, the water is confined in deeply covered gravel under 

sufficient pressure to rise somewhat in wells when the overlying beds 

are penetrated but not under sufficient pressure to rise near the 

surface. The conditions mentioned above, together with the occurrence of large masses of volcanic rock on the borders of the valley, 

indicate that a large part of the alluvial slope is underlain at a slight 

depth by volcanic material. In both of Mr. Lanfair's wells this 

material was reported as volcanic ash, but it may include ash, tuff, 

rhyolite, or other extrusive rocks.

Tfeird, the fact that the water stands at a much higher level in the 

well at Ledge than in the well at Lanfair indicates that the underground conditions are not uniform throughout the valley that the 

structure of the rocks affects the ground-water level. Low hills 3J^ 

miles northeast of Lanfair and a low ridge that extends from the 

Castle Mountains to a point about 4^ miles south of Hart suggest 

that a rock barrier may cross the deeply buried gravel in such a way 

as to dam the water west of these hills, so that it is held under greater 

pressure than the water on the lower side of the barrier.

The great depth to water in Lanfair Valley is due chiefly to the 

high altitude of the valley above the bottom of the basin into which 

it drains the basin south of Cadiz and to the steepness of the 

alluvial sfope. The water in the detrital material is drained toward
' BBISTOL-LANFAIft BASIN ' '

Goffs and thence to the basin near Cadiz. Data rurnished by t&f 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co. in regard to the level of 

water in its wells show that the water table in the valley both S0utli> 

west and east of Goffs lies at a considerable depth. At Goffs the 

depth to water in 1917 was 606 feet, at Homer in 1902 it was 608 

feet, at Fenner in 1906 it was 460 feet, and at Danby in 1903 it was 

268 feet. Thus the conditions facilitate the draining away of any 

large quantity of water that might pass into the upper gravfe! in 

Lanfair Valley. The low rainfall also prevents any great accumulation of ground water.

Not only is some ground water lost by percolation toward Goffs, 

but some may come to the surface in springs. As nearly as could 

be ascertained Piute Spring (No. 23) is just outside the eastern 

border of the valley in a canyon south of the hill marked "BM 3789," 

about 11 miles from Lanfair. (See pi. 13.) This canyon has been 

cut back so far that it receives some drainage from Lanfair Valley. 

The spring was not visited by the writer, but it is said to be one of 

the strongest in San Bernardino County, and the water is said to 

flow down the canyon for nearly a mile. This spring issues below 

the level to which water rises in the wells at Lanfair, and the strong 

flow may come from the gravel, which is deeply buried at that place.

In November, 1917, several persons planned to drill wells in the 

near future, but as late as June, 1918, none of them had done any 

drilling. A number were confident that wells drilled about 3 miles 

west of Lanfair would find water at depths of less than 200 feet, 

because the surface drainage here goes southward toward Hackberry 

Mountain, which they believed holds the ground water at a somewhat 

higher level than at Lanfair, on the assumption that tjie ground water 

moves in the same direction as the surface flow. The land on which 

these wells would be drilled lies 200 to 400 feet above the base of 

Hackberry Mountain, so that even if the water table on the north 

side of the mountain is near the surface the depth to water in the 

wells would still be great. Moreover, there are no indications that 

the water table at the foot of the mountain is close to the surface. 

Water does not come to the surface in the short canyon between 

Blackburn and Vontrigger, through which much of the surface run-off 

goes, nor is there any vegetation in this canyon such as running 

mesquite and arrow weed to indicate that water lies near the surface. Although the depth to the water table is doubtless much less 

in this canyon than at Lanfair, it is probably at least 50 feet, and at 

points farther northwest, up the alluvial slope, it increases. Unless 

some concealed structural feature causes the water level to stand 

higher here than at Lanfair, and there are no surface indications of 

any such barrier, the depth to water at places 3 or 4 miles west of 

that town will probably be fully as great as it is in the wells described.
672 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFOENIA

At Lanfair the water-bearing bed slopes less steeply than the surface. If ;the water-bearing bed bears the same relation to the surface 

in areas near the south and southeast borders of the valley, where 

the low mountains may tend to hold the water back, it will probably 

lie not so deep in these areas as at Lanfair, a probability indicated 

by Piute Spring, but as the little information that is available indicates that the depth to water on the alluvial slopes is great, no one 

should begin to drill a well unless he is prepared to go to a depth of 

300 to 500 feet.

WELL DATA AND ANALYSES

Data in regard to the wells in Lanfair Valley are given in the 

following table:

Record of wells and springs in Lanfair Valley, Calif.

Remarks

Number on 

pi. 33

1

2

3

4

5

6

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

Location

oec.°

* 13 (?)

» 13 (?)

' 23 (?)

b 27 (?)

1*5 (?)

* 2 (?)

» 18 (?)

S. H 18 *

*1 (?)

M2 (?)

b 5 C?}

* 16 (?)

*25 (?)

T.

N.

14

14

14

14

14

13

13

13

13

12

12

12

12

12

12

12

12

12

R.

E.

16

16

16

16

16

16

15

16

17

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

15

Owner of well or 

name of spring

Rock Springs Cattle

Co.

Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Ry.

Lecyr well, controlled by Rock

Springs Cattle Co.

Spring ...............

Mail Spring. ........

Spring.. ______ .

.... .do .... .... .

.....do... ............

Mrs. E. J. Jacoby...

Rock Springs, controlled by Rock

Springs Cattle Co.

Beaty well _ ....

Emdee well .........

Barnett Mining Co..

Government Holes,

owned by Rock

Springs Cattle Co.

A. E. Moore. _ -----

Spring _____ ...

 .do . .......

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

62

'457

879

80 (T)

18(7)

20(?) "32

"13

Depth

to water

level in 

well, 

Nov.,

1917

(feet)

48

"73

100

18

 15

c 4

 7

At Barnwell; equipped with 

 windmill.

At Barnwell; drilled in 1903. 

Abandoned. See analysis on 

p. 674.

Dug well in a wash about 1H 

miles southwest of Barnwell; 

equipped with galvanized-iron 

tank, concrete water trough, 

and windmill. Pumps at least 

12 gallons a minute. See analysis, p. 674.

12-inch drilled well at Ledge. 

Water reached at 365 feet; rose 

in well to 100 feet from surface. 

No solid rock encountered. 

Capacity, 11,000 gallons in 10 

hours. See analysis, p. 674.

Water comes from between granite boulders in a wash. Probably supplied by shallow 

ground-water flow. Nearly dry 

in January, 1918.

Dug.

Dug. Reported to supply 25 barrels a day. / 

Do.

Dug well. Equipped with small 

engine.

Shallow dug well at foot of low 

granite knob. A small pond 

stands near it.

Dug. Supplies 11 gallons a minute. See analysis, p. 674.

 Field investigations of the United States General Land Office show that great errors have been made 

in- the location of the township lines in Lanfair Valley. The lines shown on Plate 33 are probably not 

accurate, but as the true positions of the lines are not known, the locations are referred to the lines shown 

on the map.

* On unsurveyed land. The location given is only approximate, according to imaginary lines continued 

from the township and range lines in the vicinity of Lanfair. 

« Measured by the writer. 

<" Location given by owner.
BRISTOL-LANFAIE BASIN 673 

Record of wells and springs in Lanfair Valley, Calif. Continued

Number on 

pi. 33

19

20 

21

22 

23

Location

Sec.

SW.M8-*

SW.Jiie A 

7(?)

3(?) 

19(?)

T.

N.

12

12 

11

11 

12

R. 

E.

17

17 

17

17 

19

Owner of well or 

name of spring

 ..do ............

Hackberry Spring, 

controlled by 

Rock Springs 

Cattle Co.

Vontrigger Spring, 

owned by Mrs. M. 

L. White. 

Piute Spring... ......

Depth 

of well 

(feet)

550 

550

Depth

to water 

level in 

well, 

Nov., 

1917 

(feet)

500 

400

Remarks

6-inch drilled well. Water struck 

at 520 feet; rose to 500 feet. 

Gravel, 0 to 52 feet; volcanic 

ash, 52 to 520 feet; gravel, 526 to 

550 feet. Supplies 16 gallons a 

minute. 

10-inch drilled well. Gravel, 0 to 

4 feet; volcanic ash, 4 to 410 

feet; gravel, 410 to 550 feet. 

Supplies about 35 gallons a 

minute. 

Water is diverted into two pipe 

lines. A pipe at & cattle trough 

\y<i miles northwest of Blackburn flowed 3K gallons a minute from a l^-inoh pipe in, November, 1917, probably not 

maximum flow of spring. 

Flows about 5 gallons a minute. 

Used for irrigating fruit trees.

Said to be a strong spring. .

Location given by the owner.

QUALITY OF WATER

Samples of water from three wells (Nos. 3,9, and 16 on pi. 33) in Lanfair Valley were collected by the writer and were analyzed in the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey. An analysis of water 

from a well (No. 2) drilled at Barnwell by the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway Co. but now abandoned was furnished by that company. The results of the analyses are given in the table on page 6741

The waters analyzed range in total content of solids from 229 to 

1,992 parts per million, but three of them contain less than half a$ 

much mineral matter as the fourth. The most highly mineralized 

water, that from the Lecyr well (No. 3), is used only for cattle: The 

water from the Lecyr well is bad for domestic use because of its 

extreme hardness and its high content of sulphate. It is essentially 

a calcium sulphate water, such as is found near gypsum deposits* 

although no such deposits are known to exist in the region.

The water from the well of Mrs. E. J. Jacoby, at Ledge (No. 9), is 

good for domestic use and for irrigation. This water comes from a 

depth of about 365. feet. The water from the deep wells at Lanfair 

is probably somewhat similar to it.

The water from the well of A. E. Moore (No. 16), the only other 

water used for a domestic supply, is of fair quality for drinking «ad 

cooking but causes trouble in washing because of its hardness. This 

sample probably represents the water obtained from shallow wett* 

in the high valleys on the western edge of Lanfair Valley.

The water from the abandoned well of the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway at Barnwell (No. 2) is of fair quality for drinking
674 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

and cooking, but because of its hardness it is not very satisfactory for 

washing. It is bad for use in boilers because of its large content of 

scale-forming constituents and its tendency to corrode boilers. The 

well was probably abandoned because its water was of poor* quality 

for use in locomotive boilers.

The results of the four available analyses of water from wella in this 

valley appear to show that the ground water is satisfactory for use in 

irrigation.

Mineral analyses of ground waters in Lanfair Valley

(Parts per million except as otherwise designated. Numbers at heads of columns refer to corresponding

well numbers on Plate 33}

Quantities determined: 

Silica (SlOj)........... .............................

Iron (Fe)--. ______________________

Calcium (Ca) __________ . ..... ........

Magnesium (Mg)_. _________________

Carbonate radicle (COs) _ . ........................

Bicarbonate radicle (HC03)_. _ ..--.-...-- __ ...

Sulphate radicle (SOO ... __ .---.. ........ _ ....

Chloride radicle (Cl)... ............................

Nitrate radicle (NO8).._. _____ . __ .... _ ...

Total dissolved solids at 180° C.»... __ ...........

Total hardness as CaCOa.... ........ ___ .. .....

Date oftooileclori.. ....................................

2

14

134

50

71

.0

382

208

117

782

540

Mar. 23,

1903. 

(')

3

32

.59

308

74

"172

.0

186

1,006

175

.08

1,992

1<070

Nov. 5,

1917. 

O. H. Kidwell.

9

32

.29

35

7.0

°35

.0

173

23

19

.08

229

116 - Nov. 5,

1917. 

F. E. Seating.

16

36

.19

86

33

»126

.0

422

152

84

.31

731

360

Nov. 22,

1917. 

F. B. Keating.

 Calculated. 

» By summation.

 Analysis furnished by Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., Arizona division, water analysis 

No. 4560; recalculated from hypothetical combination in grains per U. S. gallon. This water contains 

5.1 patts per million Of free CO*.

AGRICULTURE .

Although many homesteaders were living about Lanfair in 1917, 

only three of them possessed their own domestic water supplies. The 

others were forced to haul water for all purposes and often had to 

pay for it. A number of them hauled water from the wells west of 

Rock Springs and from springs in the mountains.

Most of the settlers have attempted dry farming. The crops that 

hav« been tried include milo maize, varieties of field corn, and beans. 

The small grams have been sown in the fall, and the corn and beans in 

the spring. Some fair crops have been obtained, the most successful 

of which were grown well up on the alluvial slope, a short distance 

east of Rock Springs that is, in that part of the valley where the 

rainfall is usually greatest because of the influence of the mountains. 

None of the props have proved as successful as had been hoped.

The average annual precipitation at'Lanfair is probably not more 

than 10 inches and in some years it is doubtless considerably less. 

Dry farming has generally been considered impracticable where the 

precipitation is as low as 10 inches and where the evaporation is as
BEISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN , 6*75

great as it doubtless is in Lanfair Valley.37 The rainfall at Lanfair, 

as shown in the table on page 666, is not confined principally to any 

particular season but is distributed through the year, and some of 

it comes when it can do no appreciable good. On fche other hand, 

some of the rain falls in heavy thundershowers, when it may do more 

damage than good. The prospects of the dry farmer in the valley 

do not seem to be bright. At the best, he will be laboring precariously in that borderland which separates success from failure.

Only a little irrigation has been attempted in Lanfair Valley. Mrs. 

E. J. Jacoby has used water from her well at Ledge to irrigate about 

an acre of melons and garden truck. Mr. A. E. Moore has irrigated 

a few fruit trees at his ranch, 2 miles southwest of Government 

Holes (well 16, pi. 33), but he states that the climate is too uncertain early in the spring to allow the trees to thrive. Mr. Moore used 

water from a shallow dug well, which yields about 11 gallons a 

minute. In the high valleys west and northwest of Rock Springs the 

supply from the shallow wells is doubtless sufficient for household use 

and for the irrigation of small tracts, but it would be insufficient to 

irrigate a large tract. In this part of the region, however, because of 

the nigh altitude, the precipitation is probably considerable, so that 

if proper methods are used a large amount of water would not be 

required. The water from Vontrigger Spring (No. 22) was used in 

1917 by Mrs. M. L. White to irrigate about 140 peach, apple, and 

other fruit trees, and some grapes on her ranch half a mile south of 

the spring. The spring fills in about 60 hours a concrete reservoir 

that has a capacity of about 20,000 gallons. In November, 1917, the 

trees had been planted 2^ years and had produced good fruit. Mr. 

Lanfair, who owns the well at Lanfair and the well about a mile southeast of it, expected to irrigate a few acres in 1918 with water from a 

spring in the mountains 8 miles west of his ranch. The water is piped 

to a concrete reservoir near the railroad that has a capacity of about 

iS^ftfO gallons. The spring furnishes about 1,000 gallons a day.

The quality of the ground water in the valley seems to be Satisfactory for irrigation, but the supply is apparently nowhere sufficient, and the cost of the high lift required to bring the water to the 

surface in the main part of the valley prohibits its use for irrigation, 

except possibly for especially valuable crops, such as garden produce 

or fruit trees. The conditions are not favorable for the development 

of practical irrigation. Wells for domestic supply and for watering 

stock can jprobably Bjp obtained throughout the valley, but because of 

the great depth to which they must be drilled their cost will be 

rather great.

» Briggs, L. J., and Beltz, J. O., Dry farming in relation to rainfall and evaporation: IT. 8. Dept. Agr. 

Bur. Plant Industry Bull. 188, p. 8, 1911. This bulletin deals with the conditions affecting dry farming 

that are not within the control of the farmer and that should be understood by him.
THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA 

PENNEB VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES *

Fenner Valley is a broad valley that extends from the Marble and 

Ship Mountains northeastward to low mountains and hills that lie 

just north of latitude 35°. The boundary of the valley is shown on 

Plate 7.

The main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway runs 

along the southeast side of the valley. From Goffs, at the northeast 

end of the valley, a branch line formerly led northward to Lanfair 

Valley and Searchlight, Nev., but it has been abandoned. The 

National Old Trails automobile road parallels the main line of the 

railway. At Danby a road leads south from it to the Parker branch 

of the Santa Fe at Kilbeck siding, where it joins a road from Cadiz 

to Parker and Phoenix, Ariz. (See p. 689 and pi. 12.) The road 

from Danby is somewhat better than the i^ad from Cadiz. Many 

persons who are going to Parker, however, continue along the National Old Trails Road to Needles and thence go south. (See p. 729.) 

From Danby a road leads east to prospects in the north end of the 

Old Woman Mountains and thence south along the east side of those 

mountains to Milligan, in Ward Valley. (See p. 705.) From Fenner 

a road goes west to prospects at the south end of the Providence 

Mountains. A road also leads northwest from Fenner to the Bonanza King mine, a distance of 22 miles, and to near-by prospects. 

A branch from this road, about 4 miles from Fenner, leads to cattle 

ranches in the New York Mountains, to Cima, a distance of 40 

miles, and to Lanfair Valley. From Goffs a road leads northward to 

Lanfair Valley and Ivanpah Valley. There are also a number of 

short roads to mine prospects in different parts of the valley,.

Goffs is the only settlement of note in the valley, and it has only &. 

few families. In 1918 it had a small hotel and a good general store. 

Smaller stores were situated at Fenner and Danby. There are railroad pumping plants at each of these places and also at Siam, and 

in addition water can be obtained in emergency from section crewsat Essex and Pinto sidings. Arimo, on the main line of the railroad,, 

and Vontrigger, on the Searchlight branch, are only sidings, where 

neither water-nor supplies may be obtained.

The only agricultural industry in the valley js cattle raiding. A 

comparatively small number of cattle are grazed in -'the northern 

and northwestern parts of the valley.

The numerous mines and prospects in the mountains that border, 

the valley, especially in the Providence Mountains, are described 

briefly below in the section on mineral resources.
BRISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN 677 

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Fenner Valley consists largely of a great sloping plain that is 

broken at several places by hills or low mountains. The plain slopes 

in a general southwesterly direction. A main drainage way extends 

approximately parallel to the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Kailw&y 

and a short distance north of it, from Goffs to the junction of the 

valley with Bristol Valley near Cadiz. The plain rises toward the 

northwest and southeast from this drainage way. This wash, however, lies nearer the southeast side of the basin, so that the greater 

part of the plain lies north of it.

The hills and mountains that surround the valley are mostly of 

relatively small areal extent. The Providence Mountains, on the 

northwest side of the basin, rise to an altitude of more than 6,000 

feet and form one of the highest ranges in the interior of the Mohave 

Desert region. Despite their great height they are relatively narrow 

as compared with such other high mountains as the Panamint 

Range, the Kingston Range, the Avawatz Mountains, the Bullion 

Mountains, and the Old Woman Mountains. The Marble Mountains, which border the valley on the southwest, constitute a long, 

narrow range, mostly less than a mile in width. The Piute Mountains on the east and Hackberry Mountain and adjoining hills that 

form the northeastern border are comparatively narrow. The 

valley is broken by one large mountain Clipper Mountain that 

rises almost from its center. Smaller rock hills rise at several other 

points. The mountainous area tributary to the basin comprises 

about 300 square miles, or about 30 per cent of the total area.

The greater part of the Providence Mountains is composed of 

Paleozoic sedimentary rocks, but the south end of the range consists 

of monzonite and a small mass of rhyolite forms one of the highest 

peaks in the center of the range.38 A small patch of Tertiary volcanic rocks lies near the summit of the range. Hackberry Mountain and the hills that form the northern border of the valley ana 

composed of Tertiary volcanic rocks. The Piute Mountains and 

Old Woman Mountains are composed largely of granite and^ schist, 

but they contain patches of Tertiary volcanic rocks and of limestone. 

The granite and schist in these mountains, according to Dartoa/* 

are of pre-Cambrian age. The Ship Mountains are composed of 

Paleozoic sediments, post-Carboniferous intrusive recfes, T^tifify 

volcanic rocks, and at the northeast end Quaternary volcanic rocks. 

The Marble Mountains,40 north of Cadiz, comprise a basement of

88 Jones, C. C., An iron deposit in the California desert region: Eng. and Min. Jour., vol. 87, pp. ?8&-788» 

1909.

» Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, Tne Santa Fe Route: U. 8. Qteol. 

Survey Bull. 613, sheet 3,1915.

* See footnote 49, p. 103, in regard to the use of the names Marble Mountains and Iron Mountains.

5631 29 44
678 THE MOHAVE DESERT BEGION, CALIFOBNIA

pre-Cambrian granite, overlain by Cambrian and Carboniferous 

sedimentary rocks, which in turn pass beneath Tertiary eruptive 

rocks.41 The sedimentary rocks, which consist of quartzite, sandstone, shale, conglomerate, and limestone, dip at a high angle toward 

the east. Clipper Mountain is made up largely of Tertiary volcanic 

rocks, but a part of its northeast ,end is pre-Cambrian granite, and 

adjoining it Darton has mapped one very small area of Paleo/oi** 

sedimentary rocks.

Fenner Valley has the appearance of being a great alluvium-filled 

valley, but according to the logs of wells drilled by the railroad at 

Goffs, Fenner, Danby, and Siam, the valley is underlain at no great 

depth by volcanic rock or other bedrock. The logs of these wells, 

as furnished by the railroad, are given on pages 680-682. The logs 

apparently are not very reliable, for although at each station there 

are two wells not more than 400 feet apart, there is considerable 

disagreement between the logs of adjoining wells.. Furthermore, in 

view of the geologic history of the region it is unlikely that granite 

would be found above volcanic rocks, as is reported in several logs. 

In such wells the so-called granite may either be some phase of 

volcanic rock that resembles granite or it may be arkosic sand, such 

as results from the disintegration of granite, consolidated so as to 

appear to be granite. Apparently the alluvium reaches a depth of 

more than 1,100 feet at Goffs. The "malpais" is probably lava of 

Pleistocene or Tertiary age, and the lower part of the alluvium may 

be as old as Tertiary. Darton has mapped low hills of pre-Cambrian 

rocks about 1% miles north of Goffs, and similar rocks lie only a 

short distance south of the town. Accordingly the relief prior to. the 

filling of the valley was much greater than at present.

Although there is a disagreement between the logs of the two wells 

at Fenner, it is likely that at that place the pre-Tertiary bedrock 

lies within 350 feet of the surface. About a mile northeast of Fenner 

a knob of Tertiary rhyolite rises from the alluvium, and a series df 

rhyolite hills strike northward from the vicinity of Fenner to Hackberry Mountain. In fact, the upper part of the valley is nearly 

shut off from the lower part of these hills. It is possible that a divide 

formerly existed in this part of the valley, and that the area between 

Fenner and Goffs drained eastward.

The alluvium at Danby is somewhat thicker than at Fenner, and 

it is underlain by lava, which rests on the older bedrock without 

any intervening alluvium. At Siam the alluvium is about as thick 

as at t>anby. The rock reported as granite is probably either some 

phase of consolidated alluvium or of volcanic rock.

« Darton, N- H., Discovery of Cambrian rocks in southeastern California: Jour. Geology, vol. 16, pp. 

470-473, 1607. Clark, C. W., Lower and Middle Cambrian formations of tha Mohave Desert: California 

Univ. Dept. Geology Bull., vol. 13, No. 1, pp. 1-7,1921.
BRIBTOL-LANFAIB BASIN 670 

MINERAL RESOURCES .

There has been more or less mining activity iat several places ill the 

valley, and undeveloped mineral deposits are known to exist at other 

places. The largest producer has been the Bonanza King mine, in 

the Providence Mountains, which has been operated more qr less intermittently since the early seventies.42 During the eighties1 tire*mine 

was a large producer and at one time, it is said, produced $1,000,000 

in 18 months. After the drop in the price of silver in the nineties it 

was idle for a number of years, but since 1915 it has been more active. 

It was closed during most of 1917 but is reported to have been worked 

in 1919,43 when a 50-ton flotation mill was in operation. The total 

production from the mine has been several million dollars. The ore 

is argentiferous galena in limestone near a contact with monzonite. 

Several other mines and prospects are situated near the Bonanza King.

Copper and gold have been mined in the Signal district, 9 miles 

north of Goffs.44 Tungsten and vanadium have also been found in 

this district, but there has been no commercial production.46 Copper, 

gold, silver, antimony, and mercury ores have been found in prospects 

in the northern end of the Old Woman Mountains, but. toe also 

there has been no commercial production.

A deposit of iron ore of considerable size, known as the Vulcan 

deposit, lies near the south end of the Providence Mountains.* 

The ore is hematite that has replaced limestone near the contact with 

monzonite. So far as is known there has been no commercial production from this district. A small quantity of ore has been shipped 

from a mine in the Marble Mountains about 8 miles north of Cadiz.

PRECIPITATION

Precipitation records were kept at Fenner from August, 1883, to 

September, 1884. The precipitation for the 12 months ending 

Jujy 31, 1884, was 6.40 inches. Records were ke.pt at Go% f $3$$ 

May, 1915, to October, 1920. However, the record is complete lor 

only one year from July, 1916, to June, 1917 when the precipitation was 5.54 inches. According to records for longer periods at 

Bagdad and Needles, Calif., and Fort Mohave, Ariz., the years for 

which the total annual rainfall is known at Fenner and Goffs we*® 

not unusually wet or dry. It is probable that the average annual 

precipitation at these places is 5 inches or perhaps a little more.

In the lowest part of the valley the precipitation may be less than 

5 inches, for at Bagdad, about 30 miles farther west and -at an-alti*

« Cloudman, H. C., and others, Mines and mineral resources of San Bemardino County: California 

State Mineralogist Rept. for 1915-16, p. 53, 1917.

« U. 8. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1919, pt. 1, p. 208,1922.

" Cloudman, H. C., and others, op. cit., p. 11.

«»Idem, pp .69-78. ; .

* JOB38, C. C., An iron deposit in the California Desert region: Eag. and Mi0. Juur., vol. ST, pp 786-788, 

1909.
680 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

tude about 300 feet lower than the lowest part of Fenner Valley, the 

average for 17 years is only 2.28 inches. The average annual precipitation in the Providence Mountains is doubtless somewhat higher 

than at Goffs, probably at least 10 inches.

SOIL AND VEGETATION

The soil in some parts of the valley is more rocky than in many 

parts of the Mohave Desert region. This character is particularly 

noticeable along the base of the Providence Mountains and east of 

the Marble Mountains in the lower part of the basin, where the 

surface is cut by many small gullies formed by rainstorms. There 

are no areas of alkali soil in the valley. The soil as a whole is favorable for agriculture, but other conditions, principally the lack of 

water at a reasonable depth, are unfavorable.

The vegetation is characterized by the predominance of creosote 

bush. In the higher parts of the valley around Fenner and Goffs 

the form of yucca known as Spanish bayonet is common. Waterindicating plants,, such as salt grass and mesquite, are generally absent 

in the valley but may be present in small areas in canyons in the 

mountains where water is near the surface. Baccharis sarothoides, 

which grows near Col ton Well, 15 miles northwest of Fenner, probably 

indicates ground water near the surface.

GROUND WATER 

WELLS IN THE VALLEY

There are no permanent streams in the valley, and all water supply 

is obtained from wells and springs.

WeU data.. The. only,notable wells are those at the pumping plants 

of the Atciuson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway at Goffs, Fenrier, 

Danby, and Siam. There are three drilled wells at Goffs and two at 

each of the'other stations. The logs and other available data in 

regard to each of these wells, as furnished by the railroad, are given 

below.

Log of well 1 at Goffs, Calif. 

[Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Eallway Co., owner. Drilled by L. A. Clampitt, May 7 to Sept. 8,19021

Gift V &324JI RYftVOl

Thickness 

(feet)

125

195

355

101

S7

53

Depth- 

(feet)

135

320

675

776

873

926

Casing, 8-inch to 692 feet; not cased, 692 feet to bottom. Depth to water at completion, 65 feet. Yield 

at completion, 64,800 gallons in 24 hours (45 gallons a minute). See p. 685 for aaalysis.
BKISTOL-LANFA1B BASIN 68i

Log of well 2 at Goffs, Calif.

[ Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled Nov. 10,1906, to Sept. 1, lift?. SitusUd 100

feet southwest of well l]

Granite

Yellow clay ___ . _______________________ . ____ . ........

Thidkness 

(feet)

125

733

65

35

Depth 

(feet)

128

868

925

900

Casing, 12^-inch to 120 feet; 10-inch to 860 feet; not cased, 860 feet to bottom. Depth to voter on completion, 550 feet. Yield in test March 29,1907, 74,400 gallons in 24 hours (52 gallons a minute).

Log of well 3 at Goffs, Calif. 

[A tchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by Clampitt & Moss, May 11, to Aug. 20,1SH71

Cemented sand.- ...............................................................

Cemented sand.. ...............................................................

Cemented sand. _______________________________ . .....

Granite. _______________________________________

Hard malpais ____________________________________

Cemented sand

Decomposed granite ............... .... . .-....... ........ ....... .

White sandrock __________________________________ ...

White cemented sand ... .... ... . . ... ............ 

Cemented sand. __________________________________ 

Thickness

(feet)

4

76

10

15

20

20

50

50

25

15

5

120

180

120

80

148

78

45

35

38

Depth 

(feet)

4

80

flft

106

125

143

195

3*5 2TO'

285

aaa

«o

800

710

790

930

1,003

1,069

1,085

1,123

Casing left in well; 16-inch, 0 to 105 feet; 12^-inch, 0 to 544 feet; 10-inch, 504 to 822 feet, perforated with 

four rows of holes 3 inches apart from 690 to 750 feet and two rows 3 inches apart from 750 to 772 feet; 8Minch, 772 to 1,123 feet, perforated with four rows of holes 3 inches apart from 812 to 840 feet. See p. 685 for 

analysis.

Log of well 1 at Fenner, Calif.

[Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by American Well Works Co., Aug. 20,1900,

to June 6,1901]

Thickness 

(feet)

100

24

206

10

460

Depth 

(feet>

100

134

330

340

800

Diameter, 16 inches, 0 to 330 feet; 10 inches, 330 to 800 feet. Casing, 13 inches from surface to 124 feet. 

Working barrel set at 500 feet. Water struck at 390 feet. Depth to water on completion 317 feet. (See p. 

683.) Yield, 100,000 gallons in 24 hours (70 gallons a minute). See p. 685 for analysis.
682 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Log of well 8 at Fenner, Calif.

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by L. A. Clampitt & Co., NOT. 28,1808, to 

Mar. 28,1907. Situated 300 feet southwest of well 1]

Sand and gravel ___________________________________

Decomposed granite _______________________________ ...

Q&^<rQ&........-.-...-.---..-..................-............----------.----

Thickness

(feet)

184

22

138

716

Depth 

(feet)

184

206

344

1,060

Casing, 12H-inch, 0 to 122 feet; 10-inch, 122 to 742 feet. Depth to water at completion, 460 feet. Yield 

in test at completion, 54,700 gallons in 24 hours (38 gallons a minute). Yield in test in May, 1907, 72,000 

gallons in 2 hours (50 gallons a minute).

Log of well 1 at Dariby, Calif.

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by American Well Works Co., June 17 to

Sept. 18, 1901]

Cemented sand, gravel, and boulders for the entire depth (637 feet). Casing, 10-inch screw pipe, 0 to 287 

feet; 8-ineh screw pipe, 0 to 697 feet, with strainers from 397 to 417 feet and 546 to 666 feet. Depth to water 

on completion, 260 feet. Yield hi test Sept. 10,1901, 72,000 gallons in 24 hours (50 gallons a minute). Bee 

p. 685 for analysis.

Log of well 2 at Danby, Calif.

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by L. A. Clampitt, Feb. 16 to Apr. 2,1803. 

Situated about 400 feet southwest of well 1]

Lava ________________________________________ Granite... _________________________ . ____ . ____ . ...

Thickness 

(feet)

635

160

103

i Depth 

(feet)

659

758

83»

Casing, 12-inch screw pipe.O to 181 feet; 9%-inch screw pipe, 0 to 629 feet, perforated from 268 to 629 feet. 

Not cased, 629 to 898 feet. Depth to water on completion, 268 feet. Yield in test at completion, 98,400 

gallons in 24 hours (68 gallons a minute).

Log of well 1 at Siam, Calif. 

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by L. A. Clampitt, Feb. 3 to June 21,1903J

*

Cement and gravel ________________________________

Granite ______________________________________

Thickness 

(feet)

260

340

120

175

Depth

(feet)

260

6C»

720

895

Casing, 13-inch, 0 to 296 feet; 10-inch, 0 to 563 feet; 8-ineh, 563 to 895 feet. Every other length of the 

casing below 400 feet is perforated. Depth to water on completion, 400 feet. Working barrel is 610 feet 

below surface. Yield in test at completion, 86,400 gallons in 24 hours (60 gallons a minute). See p. 685 

for analysis.

Log of well 2 at Siam, Calif.

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. Drilled by L. A. Clampitt, Jan. 11 to Aug. 25,1907. 

Situated about 200 feet northeast of well 1]

"Cement "and gravel _______________________________ 

Granite

Thickness 

(feet)

325

510

10

43

Depth 

(feet)

325

835

845

888

Casing, X234-inch screw pipe, 0 to 480 feet. According to data furnished by the railroad 

hole continues to 835 feet, where it changes to 8 inches. There is said to be 200 feet of 8-inch casing between 

688 feet and 888 feet, but no casing at all between 480 and 688 feet. Depth to water on completion, 420 feet. 

Yield in test in 1915, 53,280 gallons in 24 hours (24 gallons a minute).
BRISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN tKRJ

Water-bearing strata. As discussed in the section on geology 

(p. 678), there are apparent inaccuracies in some of the logs, particularly in the reported occurrence of granite above volcanic rocks 

and alluvium. For most of the wells there is no information as to 

the formations in which the water occurs. From the statements as 

to the perforations in the casing in well 3 at Goffs the water comes 

from sand between 590 and 772 feet and from lava between 812 and 

840 feet. The first water struck appears to have been confined under 

artesian pressure. The so-called decomposed granite is probably 

unconsolidated sand and fine gravel similar to the surface soil that 

covers much of the valley. In well 1 at Danby the water clearly 

comes from the alluvium. In well 2 at this place some of it at least 

comes from the alluvium, but as the well is not cased below 629 feet 

it is possible that some water may come from the lava. It is doubtful whether any comes from the granite. In the other wells the 

water-bearing beds can not be determined from the data available.

Depth to water. The difference in the depth to water in the different wells at the same station is marked, although at each station 

the wells are not more than 500 feet apart. The greatest differences 

are at Goffs and at Fenner. Conflicting data were obtained for the 

depth to water in well 1 at Fenner, four different records giving 310, 

317, 360, and 450 feet. According to a blue print dated June 6, 

1901, the date when the well was completed, and hence probably 

the most accurate, the first water was struck at 390 feet, and on 

completion the water level was 317 feet below the surface.

The reasons for the differences in the water level in wells at the 

same station are not clear. There is no reason to believe that the 

water level would be different in near-by wells at a given time. Where 

the differences are not great they may be due to seasonal fluctuations. 

However, the rainfall in the valley is not great, there is no heavy pumping, and there is no known ground-water discharge within the limits 

of Fenner Valley so that no great seasonal fluctuation in the water 

level is to be expected. It is possible that the difference in water 

level in near-by wells, particularly where it is as great as at Goffs 

and Fenner, is due to a gradual lowering of the water table under 

continuous draft. However, because of the large tributary area it 

is! not likely that the draft from the few wells along the railroad would 

cause any noticeable lowering of the water table unless at each place 

the supply is drawn from a relatively small isolated body of water. 

It is not unlikely that when the depth to wateir in a newly completed 

well was measured the older well was being pumped more or less continuously. The water level accordingly for some distance around the 

ol(d well would doubtless be somewhat lower than if the well had not 

been pumped for some days. It may thus be that the difference in 

level in the older and newer wells is due largely to drawdown in the 

older well.
684 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The profile of the water table along the railroad in Fenner Valley

| is shown in Figure 19. Certain features on this

§lli§P^I profile deserve comment. Goffs is situated at the

i divide between Fenner Valley and the Colorado

i River drainage basin, and apparently the ground

1 water might flow into either valley. As shown

1 in the figure, if the profile of the water table beI tween Danby and Fenner is projected northeasti ward it practically coincides with the water table

! at Goffs. On the other hand, if the water table

j between Homer and Ibis is projected westward

; it falls fully 300 feet below the water table at

? Goffs. On the basis of these facts it is believed

i that the water table at Goffs is continuous with

! the water table in Fenner Valley and that beI tween Goffs and Homer there is a rock barrier.

! The water table has a practically uniform

| gradient from Goffs to Danby. Between Danby

1 and Siam the gradient increases considerably, but

j_ from Siam westward to Cadiz the grade is very

j gentle. The flatness of the water table between

i Siam and Cadiz furnishes evidence that between

i the Ship Mountains and the south end of the

j Marble Mountains the bedrock valley lies 300

\ feet or more below the surface. The cause of the

[ steeper gradient of the water table between Siam

I and Danby is not clear. It may be due to a

| barrier that holds the water table higher toward

; the east. South of Danby there is a large

i alluvium-filled valley, through which some of the

! ground water may possibly flow toward Cadiz

! Dry Lake.

i Yield of wells. The yield of the different welle

I along the railroad ranges from about 40 to about

! 70 gallons a minute. No data are available

! to the drawdown in any of the wells. It is

I unlikely, however, that any of the wells will yield

I any large supply, and any increase in the rate of

1 pumping would doubtless cause an extraordinary

i drawdown.

! Quality of water. The analyses of samples o:

i water from five of the wells along the Atchison

sllllPSJ Topeka & Santa Fe Railway between Goffs an<

^ Siam, furnished by the railway company, are givi 

in the following table as analyses 4-8. The analyses are incomplete,
BRISTOL-LAJNFAIR BASIN 685

bu[t they show that the mineral content is only moderate, for the total 

ranges from about 300 to a little more than 500 parts per million of 

tonal dissolved solids. Except for the sample from well 1 at Fenner, 

thoy are of about the same concentration and the same composition, 

and the predominating constituents are sodium and bicarbonate. In 

thte sample from the Fenner well calcium sulphate predominates.

All the waters are good for domestic use, although the water from 

the Fenner well is so hard that it requires considerable soap in washing. They are only fair or poor for use in boilers because of the 

amount of foaming constituents present. Difficulty from this source, 

however, probably can be reduced by proper treatment. The waters 

are either good or fair for irrigation.

Analyses of ground waters from Fenner Valley, Calif. 

[Parts per million]

Silica (SiOa)___..._.._____._. ...___._.

Iron (Fe)..... ........................

CaJcinm (Ca) ....... ..............

Sodium and potassium (Na+K).. _

Sulphate radicle (SO.i)--_- _ .... __

Chloride radicle (Cl). ........_._.__..

Nitrate radicle (NOs). ...............

Total dissolved solids at 180° C ......

1

60

.15

111,

30

153 

0

342

135

205

1.6

872 

400

< )

2

98

.10

25

3.9

49 

0

147

26

22

.62

297

78

(")

3

55

.16

83

ii

122 

0

483

78

74

1.1

672 

347

( )

4

"26

7.5

'85

116

46

42

305

(>)

5

 39

»98

114

57

39

»287

< >

6

«32

97

6.9

»42

102

184

62

537 

271

(*)

7

«34

17

» 118

158

89

52

416

(0

8

«27

19

5.4

»73

148

51

38

334 

70

(0

«Includes silica (Si 02) and iron and aluminum oxides (FejOa+AljOs). 

»Calculated.

 Nov. 23,1917. « Nov. 22,1917. « Sept. 13,1917. < August, 1898.

 » Nov. 23,1917. /June 8,1903. * July 17,1901. i Sept. 26,1903.

Analysts: 1-3, Addie T. Geiger, U. S. Geological Survey; 4-8, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway.

1. Colton Well, probably in sec. 20 ot 28, T. 10 N., R. 15 E. San Bernaidino meridian. See below tat 

description.

2. Beecher Springs, probably in sec. 35 or 36, T. 11 N., R. 14 E. See p. 687 for description.

3. Granite Well, 23 miles northwest of Fenner. See p. 687 for description.

4. Well 1 at Gofls. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. Seep. 680 for log and other data. 

Analysis furnished by the owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon.

5. Well 3 at Gofls. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See p. 681 for log and other data. 

Analysis furnished by the owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon.

6. Well 1 at Fenner. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See p. 681 for log and other data. 

Analysis furnished by the owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon

7. Well 1 at Danby. Atehison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. Seep. 682for log and other data. 

Analysis furnished by the owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon.

«. Well 1 at Siam. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See p. 682 for log and other data. 

Analysis furnished by the owner; recalculated from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. S. gallon.

WELLS AND SPRINGS OT THE MOUNTAINS

Besides the wells along the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway 

the only other wells so far as known are in or near the borders of the 

mountains.

Colton Well. Colton Well is near the road from Fenner to the 

Bonanza King mine, 15.7 miles from Fenner, probably in the SW. M 

sec. 20 or NW. M sec. 29, T. 10 N., R. 15 E. San Bernardino meridian, 

"the well is in a wash about 500 feet east of the road where it passes 

Between low rocky hills. It can be found by walking up the wash 

for several hundred feet from the point where the road first enters
686 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

the hills. The well is dug in granite and is 23 feet deep. On November 23,1917, the depth to water was 14 feet. The temperature of the 

water was 65° F. When visited the well was equipped with a windmill, which pumped water to an iron tank, but the brake on the windmill was wired so that it would not run. A hundred feet south of 

the well there was also a substantial concrete watering trough fitted 

with an automatic float valve. The only means of obtaining water 

was with a rope and bucket. The well is used principally as a watering 

place for cattle.

The analysis of a sample of water from this well is given on page 685. 

The water is highly mineralized and contains 872 'parts per million of 

total dissolved solids. It contains almost equivalent amounts of 

calcium and sodium and of chloride and bicarbonate. The water is 

only fair for domestic use because of the high total solids and particularly the hardness. It is fair for irrigation.

Apparently the conditions that bring the water so near the surface 

at Col ton Well are entirely local. The well is in a wash in rocky hills. 

The wash is filled with sand, but rock lies near the surface, and probably a rock barrier downstream forms a small pocket in which the 

water is retained. It is very doubtful whether a large supply could 

be obtained in this locality.

Wells near Bonanza King mine. Several wells have been drilled or 

dug near the Bonanza King mine and were used to supply the mining 

community until water was struck in the mine at a depth of about 500 

feet. It is said that about 58,000 gallons a day (about 40 gallons a 

minute) was pumped from the mine. In November, 1917, when only 

a watchman was at the mine, water for drinking was obtained at 

Domingo's ranch, about 2 miles east of the mine. Water for other 

purposes was obtained from a large tank filled from the mine before 

it closed down.

The Bonanza King Well is in a valley about half a mile east of the 

mine. The well is dug and is said to be about 400 feet deep and the 

depth to water about 300 feet. In November, 1917, the well was 

equipped with a gas engine and plunger pump, but there was no way 

to obtain water. A board platform extended across the shaft some 

distance below the surface, and a bucket could not be lowered. This 

well is reported to yield about 1,500 gallons in 10 or 12 hours (a little 

more than 2 gallons a minute).

Barbers Well is about a mile north of Domingo's ranch, in sec. 1, 

T. 10 N., R. 14 E. The well is reported to be about 70 feet deep and 

to yield about 2 gallons a minuite. Two other shallow wells lie about 

a mile northeast of Domingo's ranch. Mr. Domingo states that a 

well or spring known as Cook's Well is situated at the base of the 

Providence Mountains about 4 miles southwest of his ranch. Blind
BBISTOL-LANFAIE BASIN

Spring is about 3^ miles south of Cook's WeU. These two watering 

places are not near any roads. They are used as watering places for 

s jock and doubtless could be found by following battle trails. 

^ Beecher Spring. Water at the ranch of John Domingo, 21 miles 

northwest of Fenner, is obtained from Beecher Spring, which issues 

ill a canyon in a lava butte about a mile east of the ranch, to which the 

water is carried by a pipe line. An analysis of the water, given on 

page 685, shows that it is good for domestic use and irrigation but 

only fair for boilers.

Springs at south end of Providence Mountains. From Fenner a 

road leads almost due west to the Hidden Hill mine, at the south end 

of the Providence Mountains, a distance of about 25 miles. There is 

no water at the mine, but Van Winkle Spring is said to be situated 

about 4 miles southwest of it and to be reached by a road. A road is 

reported to continue around the south end of the mountains and northward down a long valley to Kelso. The road to Kelso is probably difficult to travel because of sand, and it may be washed out in places. 

Cove Springs and Cottonwood Springs are reported to be reached by 

branch roads. A spring reported as Dripping Spring may be the same 

as Cove Spring, and one shown on certain maps as Arrow W0esd*Spri% 

may be the same as Cottonwood Spring. On the other hand, a spring 

called Cottonwood Spring is shown on a recent guide map as nearly 

7 or 8 miles west of the one shown on Plate 12. Nothing was learned 

of this spring. Water is reported in shafts at Gannon's camp, about 

4 miles north of the Hidden Hill mine, but whether it is easily obtainable is not known. The springs mentioned were not visited by the 

writer. They are located on Plate 12 according to the best information that could be obtained.

Granite WeTl and Everet Well. Two wells are situated about 23 

miles northwest of Fenner, among granite hills that form the northern 

part of the Providence Mountains. They are reached by a branch 

road that turns northwest from the Fenner-Cima road 20.7 miles from 

Cima. This road goes past some mine-camp buildings and then 

turns westward. About 2.3 miles from the road fork, at a point 

where the road bends southward, is Granite Well. There is an old 

well about 200 feet west of the road and in sight from it, but a well 

that contains better water is about 300 feet farther west, in a wash 

that is hidden from the road. As shown by an analysis on page 685, 

the water from this well is suitable for domestic use and for irrigation. 

Everet Well is reported to be half a mile southwest of Granite Well 

and to be reached by the road that runs past Granite Well. The 

water in these wells probably occurs in pockets of sand in the granite, 

ftnd the quantity available is probably not very large.

Bonanza or Dariby Spring and other watering places in Olipy^r 

Mountain. Bonanza Spring issues in sec. 22, T. 7 N., R. 15 E., in a
688 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

canyon on the south side of Clipper Mountain, 5 miles northwest of 

Danby. The water is carried to Danby for locomotive use by a 

4-inch cast-iron pipe line. The total fall is about 800 feet. The 

development at the spring consist? of a tunnel 360 feet long dug in 

clay, "cement," and gravel. The spring is reported to yield about 

13,500 gallons a day (about 10 gallons a minute). Bonanza Spring 

is also known as Danby Spring. It should not be confused with the 

Bonanza King Well mentioned on pag&6S6.

Water is said to be obtainable from the shafts of the Tom Reed 

and Clipper mines, about 1 and 2 miles, respectively, east of Bonzana 

Spring. In 1917 each shaft was equipped with a windlass, so that 

water could be drawn. The water in the Clipper shaft is reported 

to be good, but that from the Tom Eeed shaft is poor. John Domingo 

states that an unnamed spring emerges at the northeast end of Clipper 

Mountain. Its exact location, however, was not learned.

Water in the Piute Mountains. Fenner Spring is situated in sec. 28, 

T. 8N.,R.18E., about 6 miles southeast of Fenner. The water comes 

from a tunnel 200 feet long. The flow is small. The water formerly 

w&s1 piped* to Feaaerj for use by the railroad, but the pipe line w<as 

torn up several years ago. An old road leads to the spring.

A spring known as Barrel Spring is reported to issue about 8 

miles east of Essex station, near the upper end of a long gulch at the 

southwest end of the Piute Mountains.

In November, 1917, water stood at a depth of 127 feet in the 

shaft of the Louise mine, 6 miles south of Goffs. The water could 

be obtained only by a long rope and bucket.

WeUs and springs at north end of Old Woman Mountains. From 

Danby a road leads almost due east to mine prospects at the north 

end of the Old Woman -Mountains. Water is said to be obtainable 

at a number of places at the north end of the mountains. Weavers 

Well is about 12 miles east of Danby. In November, 1917, the well 

was reported to be equipped with a good pump. About 1.5 miles 

before it is reached a road branches to the right to the Golden Fleece 

mine. Water for use at this mine is piped from Honeymoon Spring, 

which is about 1 mile south of Weavers Well. According to Leroy 

Palmer, of the United States General Land Office, the spring is in 

the NW. J4 NW. Y± sec. 3, T. 6 N., R. 17 E. San Bernardino meridian. 

The water is derived from a tunnel in granite. The flow is small, 

but the water is good.

From Weavers Well a road continues southeast to Sunflower 

Spring, about 25 miles distant, and thence to the Wilhelm camp, on 

the east side of the Old Woman Mountains, and south to Milligan. 

(See p. 705.) The road, however, is impassable for automobiles from 

Weavers Well almost to the Wilhelm camp, although it can be 

traveled by wagons.
BRISTOL-LANFAIR BASIN 

BRISTOL AND CADIZ VALLEYS

GENERAL FEATURES

Bristol'and Cadiz Valleys form the largest part of the 

Lanfair drainage basin. (See pi. 7.) Structurally they constitute a 

single physiographic unit, but a low alluvial divide separates it into 

two parts; the lowest part of the northwestern division is occupied 

by Bristol Dry Lake and that of the southeastern division by Cadiz 

Dry Lake. The ground-water conditions are apparently uniform in 

the two basins. So clearly do the two divisions form a single major 

unit that they are here described together.

The main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway crosses 

the valley in an easterly direction a little north of the center. From 

Cadiz, on the east side of the valley, a branch line leads southeastward 

to Parker and Phoenix, Ariz., with a connection at Rice, Calif., 

which leads to the rapidly developing Blythe Valley. The Nsati&aai 

Old Trails automobile road lies from a quarter of a mile to 3 miles 

north of the main line of the railroad.47 Near Cadiz a road leads 

southeast along the Parker branch of the railroad to the points reached 

by it. (See pis. 12 and 13.) This road is sometimes known as the 

Parker cut-off. In 1918 the first 22 miles of this road, as far as 

Kilbeck siding, was very rough and hi places sandy. To avoid ihie, 

some travelers continued on the National Old Trails Road to Danby 

and then turned south, coming into the Cadiz-Parker road at Kflbeck. 

This route is 9 miles longer, but the road is generally^ better. MUtt 

travelers continue on the transcontinental road to Needles and then 

turn south to Parker. (See p. 729.) This route is 37 miles laager 

than the Cadiz-Parker road, but it is likely to be in much better 

shape, and the tourist will travel more comfortably and probably 

make better time by taking it. In 1918 on the Cadiz-Parker route 

supplies or reliable accommodations other than water doald not: bfc 

obtained until Vidal was reached, a distance.of 80 miles> but since 

then these may be available at Rice. Travelers who contemplate 

using this road should inquire at Cadiz as to supplies and the condition 

of the road.

From Amboy a road leads southward to mining camps in Dale 

Valley. The road crosses Bristol Dry Lake and ascends a grade to a 

broad pass in the Sheep Hole Mountains and thence goes southwestward to a well at the west edge of Dale Dry Lake. (See p. 649.) 

This well is the only watering place on the road. Heavy sand is 

reported to occur south of Bristol Dry Lake, and the last few miles 

on the west side of Dale Dry Lake is said to be even more sandy. 

Even the highest-powered automobiles have difficulty in going 

through this sand, and many of them cross it on deflated tires.

47 A road map furnished in 1927 by the Automobile Club of Southern California shews tbat the i»ad 

then used was one south of the railroad. (See pi. 12.)
690 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

road was formerly much used, especially before automobiles came 

into common use, to haul freight to mines in the Dale district. In 

1918 the mines were closed, and the road was little used.

Other roads lead to mines in Bristol Valley. The most traveled 

of these roads is one that leads from Bagdad northeastward to the 

Orange Blossom mine, about 10 miles distant, and to a spring, which 

is probably Willow Spring, 4 miles northeast of the mine. A road is 

said to lead northeastward from the spring to the Providence Mountains and to connect with a road that leads west from Fenner and 

with another said to lead north to Kelso. At best the roads northeast of Willow Spring, except the road from Fenner to the south end 

of the Providence Mountains, are used very little and probably are 

in bad condition.

Bagdad is a fuel and water station on the railroad and in 1917 had 

a railroad eating station. A gypsum-plaster mill is located at 

Amboy. In 1918 hotel accommodations and general supplies could 

be obtained there. The only post, office in the valley is at this place. 

Although Cadiz is the junction of the Parker branch and the main 

line of the railroad, in 1918 it had no stores and no supplies could be 

obtained there other than water. Section crews or water stations 

are located at Klondike, Siberia, Bolo, and Archer, and water can 

be obtained at those places in an emergency. The other stations 

shown on the map are only sidings.

There is no irrigation or agriculture of any sort in the region, and 

conditions are unfavorable for any future development. In the lower 

part of the valley, where the water table is close to the surface, the 

water is so bad as to be unfit for irrigation. Where water of good 

quality can be obtained the depth to it is probably too great to permit economic pumping.

CLIMATE

The summary of observations on temperature and precipitation 

at Bagdad for a period of about 20 years are given on pages 71-91. 

The conditions elsewhere in the lowest part of Bristol Valley are 

doubtless about the same as at Bagdad. The records of temperature 

show that at the stations in or near the Mohave Desert region for 

which good records are available the mean annual temperature at 

Bagdad is exceeded only by that at Greenland ranch, in Death 

Valley, and Fort Mohave, Ariz. at Fort Mohave only by a few 

tenths of a degree. The yearly range in temperature is apparently 

not as great as at most of the other stations. The maximum temperature'record is only 119°, as compared to' 124° at Fort Mohave, 

122° at Needles, 127° at Parker, and 134° at the Greenland ranch. 

The average length of the frostless season at Bagdad is 345 days each 

year a record that is exceeded by only four other stations in southern California, all of them south of the San Gabriel and San Ber-
BBISTOL-LANFAIB BASIN 691

nardino Mountains and west of the San Jacmto Mountains. 

P.! 72.)

[The 

for the

mean annual rainfall at Bagdad is about 2.3 inches. Except 

rainfall at the Greenland ranch, this is the lowest rainfall

recorded in or near the Mohave Desert region. In four out of thd 

20 yeai*s there was no rainfall, and in one year only 0*01 inch. In 

this respect the record at Bagdad exceeds that at the Greenland 

ranch, for at that place in nine years there has never been a yea? 

without some rain. At Bagdad there was no rain in a period of 32 

months, from September, 1909, to April, 1912, except for a trace in 

two months, and there was no rain during two other periods of lour 

months each. According to the record, during the 20 years no rairj 

has fallen in the month of June.

The unusual climatic conditions at Bagdad are evidently due to 

its topographic situation. It lies at almost the lowest part of a 

great valley, at an altitude of about 785 feet above sea level. The 

southern border of the valley is formed by a range of mountains that! 

trend northwest. These mountains, which rise to an altitude of 4,00 J 

feet or more, form an effective barrier to the rain-bearing winds tha 

move from the west in winter and from a more southerly direction i 

summer. The winds may rise and pass over the mountains, but a 

they descend again they reach lower altitudes than on the windwar4 

side of the mountains; they then become warmer and have a greater 

retaining capacity for moisture.

Althpugh the rainfall is so low in the valley it is doubtless from 2 to 

5 inches higher in the mountains that border the valley both on, the 

north and south.

: MINERAL RESOURCES I

Mineral deposits have been developed at several places ill Bristol 

Valley. The mines of the Pacific Mines Corporation at Stedmanl 

have been notable producers of copper and gold together with some 

silver.48 These mines are on the extreme western edge of the valley. 

The Orange Blossom mine, 9 or 10 miles northeast of Bagdad, has also 

produced copper, gold, and a little silver.49

Iron 'ore occurs in the Iron or Marble Mountains north of Cadiz 

and in the Bristol Mountains north of Amboy., At the latter place 

the ore has replaced limestone,60 and the conditions are probably similar in the Marble Mountains. A small quantity of ore was shipped 

from the deposits in the Marble Mountains in 1921.S1

48 Cloudftian, H. C., and others, Mines and mineral resources of San Beraardino County, Callt: California State Min. Bur., p. 16, 1917.

49 Idem, p. 15.

» Barton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Rooto: U. 

Survey Bull. 613, p. 154,1916. 

u A revie w of mining in California during 1921: California Min. Bur. Preliminary Rept. 8, p. 46,1928.
692 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Extensive deposits of gypsum and salt beneath Bristol Dry Lake 

are worked near Amboy. The gypsum deposits are being developed 

by the Consolidated Pacific Cement Plaster Co. The product is 

shipped to Portland cement mills and is also sold for "land plaster" 

or fertilizer. The deposits are described briefly on page 695.

The California Rock Salt Co. works salt deposits about 4 miles 

southeast of Saltus. In 1922 the product amounted to about 1,000 

tons a month and was sold mostly to ice-cream manufacturers.62

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The Bristol and Cadiz Valleys occupy a single great valley or trough 

that trends in a northwesterly direction. As shown on page 120, this 

trough is apparently a part of a much longer trough that extends from 

the vicinity of Barstow southeastward to Colorado River, which is 

now separated into four or more parts by divides composed of Tertiary 

or later rocks. The name Bristol trough has been suggested for the 

part of the large trough that includes Bristol and Cadiz Valleys. 

Free M has used the term in a broader sense to include the whole of the 

Bristol-Lanfair drainage basin, but this usage is hardly proper, for the 

entire drainage basin does not have a typical troughlike structure. In 

this report the term is used only for the area that drains directly to 

Bristol and Cadiz Dry Lakes.

The southwestern border of the trough is formed by the Bullion, 

Sheep Hole, and Coxcomb Mountains, which extend almost continuously from the northwest to the southeast ends of the basin. At 

only two places are there small breaks in the mountains, one almost 

due south of Amboy and another in T. 1 S., R. 15 E. According to 

Darton,54 these mountains are composed principally of granite and 

schist of pre-Cambrian age. The mountains rise rather steeply on 

their northeast side from an altitude of less than 1,000 feet to more 

than 4,000 feet above sea level.

The northeastern border of the trough is more irregular, as it is 

composed in part of several nearly independent ridges that have a 

northwesterly trend, not quite parallel to the trend of the great 

valley. Between the ridges large valleys reach far back from the 

main valley. The largest of these ridges are the Bristol Mountains 

and the Old Dad Mountains, which rise to an altitude of 4,000 to 

5,000 feet. According to Darton, the Bristol Mountains are composed of post-Carboniferous granite rocks which contain patches of 

pre-Cambrian granite and schist. The Old Dad Mountains consist

11 Mining in California: California Min. Bur. Eighteenth Kept., p. 613, November, 1922.

M Free, E. E., The topographic features of the desert basins of the United States with reference to the possible oecurrease of potash: U. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. 54, p. 46, pi. 1,1914.

« Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Part C, The Santa Fe Route: U. S. Geol. 

Survey mil. 613, sheet 22,1916.
BBIST0L-LANFA33B BASIN

of the pre-Cambrian granite and schist. West of the Bristol 

tains stand much lower mountains and hills which are composed larger 

ly of Tertiary volcanic rocks but which contain small areas of Qua 

nary volcanic rocks. The divide across the great trough at Ash 

which separates Ludlow Valley from Bristol Valley, is composed 

Quaternary volcanic rocks.

The Bristol trough is separated from Fenner Valley by the Marblo 

and Ship Mountains, described on page 677. A wash which passes 

between these mountains brings into the Bristol trough the drainage 

from Fenner and Lanf air Valleys.

Southeast of the Ship Mountains the eastern border of theBris 

trough is formed in part by the Old Woman Mountains and hi 

by low hills south of the Parker branch of the Atchison, Topefoa, 

Santa Fe Railway, which may be called the Kilbeck Hills, and f 

south by Iron Mountain. Between the Old Woman Mountains an 

the Kilbeck Hills the divide is formed by the alluvial slope built ou 

from the mountains. There is no indication of the depth of 

alluvium between the railroad and the north end of Iron Moun 

There are* two or three low passes in the Kilbeck Hills which from ;fc 

distance appear to be filled with alluvium. However, from th<3 

physical and geologic relations of these hills, bedrock probably lies 

close to the surface hi the passes.

The Old Woman Mountains are composed largely of pre-Cambrian 

granite and schist.55 Metamorphosed sediments, especially marble, 

occur hi patches hi the older rocks. The mountains are very ruggedL 

with great towering peaks that resemble the battlements on a fortress 

and large canyons that extend far back into the range. The mountains are said to derive their name from the fact that one prominen ; 

block of rock has the appearance of a human face.

Iron Mountain and the Kilbeck Hills are composed of granitis 

rocks or gneisses, except a small area immediately south of Kilbeck 

siding, which is underlain by limestone of unknown age. I

The divide at the extreme south end of the valley, between the 

Coxcomb Mountains and Iron Mountain, appears to be formed oj 

alluvium. However, it lies many miles from the nearest roads, ami 

the exact conditions could not be learned.

Two large rock masses rise above the alluvium-covered floor of the 

valley. One consists of the Lead Mountains, an elongated ridge « 

Tertiary volcanic rocks that stands about 10 miles south of Bagdad. 

The other is a flow of Quaternary basaltic lava which lies south of tfea 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway southwest of Amboy. A cinder 

cone stands near the northeastern part of the flow. The cinder comi 

and laya flow are very similar to the Mount Pisgah cone and How. 

(See pip. 652-653.) The surface is but little affected by weathering

u Barton, N. H., op. oit., sheet 22. 

563f 29 46
694 THE MOHAVB DESEBT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

aad, like the Mount Pisgah flow, is of comparatively recent origin. 

Inside the main cone are smaller walls of cinders formed during the 

last stages of eruption. In the depressions formed by these walls are 

two small clay flats, really small playas. Several small knobs of 

Quaternary volcanic rocks rise from the valley near Haynes siding 

and Siberia.

The part of the Bristol trough between the mountains may be 

separated into two divisions a central lowland, in which the slopes 

are relatively gentle, and the border slopes, where the land rises more 

steeply to the mountains. The border slopes are particularly steep 

on the west side of the Old Woman Mountains, where the grade is as 

much as 200 feet to the mile. Three or four shallow but prominent 

washes cut across this slope. Between Ash Hill and Klondike, north 

of the railway, two wide washes from 20 to 40 feet deep come from 

the hills on the north. These washes are so much larger than the 

washes elsewhere on the alluvial slopes in the valley that a question 

arises as to their origin.

The lowest part of the Bristol trough is occupied by two playas 

Bristol Dry Lake, near Amboy, and Cadiz Dry Lake, aboilt 12 miles 

southeast of Cadiz. These playas are among the largest in the 

Mohave Desert region. Cadiz Dry Lake lies several miles from the 

nearest road, and little is known about it, The following information 

is based on data collected from different sources by the United States 

Geological Survey, particularly an unpublished report by L. F. Noble.

As nearly as can be determined the two playas lie at about the 

same altitude, about 600 feet above sea level. The land between 

them is nearly level and in places covered by sand. It is uncertain 

which, if either, of the two lies at the higher altitude. According 

to one report, Cadiz Dry Lake is the higher, and a well-defined 

channel leads from it to Bristol Dry Lake. The writer was informed 

by another person that the two playas were at so nearly the same 

altitude that water flowed from either playa to the other, depending on which received the most flood water. As the water table is 

very near the surface in both playas and as Cadiz Dry Lake if anything is the wetter of the two, it is probable that they lie at about 

the same level.

On the northeast side of the valley the alluvium that has been 

washed in from Fenner Valley between the Marble and Ship Mountains has formed a broad alluvial fan, which reaches toward the two 

playas. At present the main drainage channel from Fenner Valley 

leads toward Cadiz Dry Lake, but in the past the drainage doubt- 

. less has alternately gone into one or the other of the playas.

Both the playas are of the wet type. Both exhibit "self-rising 

ground," more or les,s covered with alkali. In some parts of Bristol 

Dry Lake the water is a little less than 8 feet below the surface. 

It is said that the water rises within a few inches of the surface in
BBISTQL-LANFAIR BASIN

bore holes on Cadiz Dry Lake. Noble reports that when he visited 

the lake in March, 1919, the central part of the playa deposit 

sisted of sticky saline mud, in which he sank to the ankles. 

from the center the surface becqmes less muddy and shows the 

puffy "self-rising ground," composed of earth mixed with crys^ali 

of salt or gypsum. (See pi. 34, A.) Apparently the ground water 

is closer to the surface beneath Cadiz Dry Lake than beneath the 

other playa, a fact which suggests that Cadiz Dry Lake is fully $8 

low as Bristol Dry Lake, if not a foot or two lower.

Deposits of salt and gypsum are found beneath both playas, 

Both these minerals are mined from Bristol Dry Lake, but tike 

deposits of Cadiz Dry Lake are undeveloped. The gypsum deposits 

of Bristol Dry Lake have been described by Hess,66 and the salt 

deposits very briefly by Phalen.67 The surface of the playa is formed 

of sand and clay mixed with gypsum, but rather pure gypsum occ 

from a depth of a few inches to at least 6 or 8 feet, where the grouncjlwater level is reached. The maximum depth to which the gyps 

continues is not known, for it has been worked only to the wa 

table. In mining operations the impure surface material is stripped 

with scrapers. The gypsum is then loaded on dump cars and carried to a mill at Amboy. The gypsum covers a large area of the 

playa, and the total quantity available is evidently great. Dartcn 

states that in a well drilled at Amboy gypsum was penetrated at 

depth of 70 feet. The salt is worked in much the same way at' 

locality several miles east of Amboy. One bed of salt, between 

and 7 feet thick, lies 5 feet below the surface, and another of unknown 

thickness lies about 20 feet below the first bed.

Crystalline gypsum and salt, with brine, were encountered in test 

holes on Cadiz Dry Lake.58 The extent of these deposits is n<}»t 

known. They are not as accessible as those at Amboy and woujd 

probably be more difficult to work, so that they are scarcely of 

commercial value under present conditions.

Considerable prospecting for potash has been done on both of the 

playas, particularly Cadiz Dry Lake. In samples of brine and of 

the earthy material analyzed in the laboratory of the United States 

Geological Survey potassium has been found in appreciable quantities. However, the content of potassium is considerably lower 

than in the brines of Searles Lake, and the saline deposits are less 

pure. For this reason it is doubtful whether under present conditions the deposits at Cadiz Dry Lake'could compete with those of 

Searles Lake. The brine from Cadiz Dry Lake is unusual in that

« Hess, F. L., A reconnaissance of the gypsum deposits of California: U. 8. Geol. Survey Boll. 418, pp. 

25-27,1010.

» Phalen, W. O., Salt resources of the United States: U. S. Geol. Survey Bun. 609, p. 185,1910. 

« U. 8. Geol. Survey Mineral Resources, 1917, pt. 2, pp. 418-419,1920. 
696 THE MOHAVE DBSBBT EBGION, CALIFORNIA

a considerable percentage of the dissolved salts consists of calcium 

chloride.*1

In order for beds of relatively pure salt and gypsum to form there 

must have been a lake which persisted for some time. No beaches 

or other surficial evidences of any such lake have yet been observed. 

However, beneath each of the two playaa beds of green or blue day 

have been found in bore holes. The green or blue color of such beds 

is generally ascribed to deposition beneath water, and its occurrence 

here confirms the supposition that a perennial lake existed in the 

region for a longer or shorter time. Any single stratum of the green 

or blue beds apparently is not very thick, and the gypsum and salt 

beds are interstratified with brown sand or sandy clay. These sandy 

beds doubtless indicate periods when the lake disappeared for longer 

or shorter periods.

No evidence has been obtained to show whether separate lakes 

existed where the two playas now occur. It is probable, however, 

that a single lake must once have covered both areas. For this lake, 

which existed probably during the Pleistocene epoch, the name 

Amboy Lake is suggested, to avoid confusion with the present playas 

in the basin, which are also commonly called lakes.

Much wind-blown sand occurs around both playas, especially 

on the east side of Cadiz Dry Lake. At this locality there is a belt 

of dunes from 2 to 3 miles wide, some of which, according to Noble, 

are 50 feet high. The sand has been blown up the eastern slopes for 

more than 100 feet above the playa.

The depth to which the valley is filled with alluvium is considerable. 

In a well at Bagdad granite was struck at 805 feet. (See p. 697.) 

It is reported that in a well drilled at Amboy many years ago bedrock was not struck until a depth of 1,500 feet, or about 900 feet 

below sea level, was reached. This great depth may be questioned, 

for two reasons first, because the bedrock in the Bagdad well was 

struck about 900 feet higher, and second, because the bottom of the 

rock valley as thus reported is so far below sea level. However, if 

the Bristol valley is a great down-faulted trough the depth to bedrock 

may well be as great as reported.

GROUND WATER 

WELLS

The only notable wells in Bristol Valley are those drilled by the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. ' This company and its 

predecessor have put down eight wells, but only two have been 

successful. In two of the wells that were failures the water supply 

was practically nothing. In the others plenty of water was obtained, 

but it was too salty to be used. The following notes are based on data 

furnished by the railway company. ___

» U. S. Qeol. Surrey Mineral Resources, 1917, pt. 2, pp. 418-419,1920.
BRISTOL-LANF/aR BASIN 697

At Klondike a well that was comp eted April 12, 1902, wm drilled 

to a depth of 2,275 feet, or about ^25 feet below sea lerel. Tfaa

diameter of the hole ranged from to 5^ inches. The depth td

water is not known. The log of the well reported clay and graYdl 

from 0 to 242 feet, "rock" from 242 to 1,022 feet, shale from 1,022 to 

1,040 feet, and "rock" from 1,040 to 2,275 feet. The well is reported 

to have been abandoned because a sufficient supply of water was not 

found. However, an analysis of water from the well shows that it is 

very highly mineralized, and this was perhaps a more forceful reason 

for abandoning the well. (See analysis 1 in table on p. 700.)

In 1908 a well was drilled near Haynes to a depth variously reported 

as 677 feet and 864 feet. Water was struck at a depth of 267 feet. 

The formation penetrated apparently consisted entirely of lava. Small 

knobs of Quaternary lava rise from the valley not far from the station. 

The water is said to have been hot and salty, and the well was abandoned for that reason.

At Bagdad a well that was completed March 4, 1902, was drilled to 

a depth of 1,000 feet, or more than 300 feet below sea level. The hole 

ranged from 13 J^ to 6 inches in diameter. The log of the well 

reported sand and gravel from the surface to 805 feet and red granite 

from 805 to 1,000 feet. The gravel from 450 to 805 feet was more or 

less cemented. The granite from 805 to 840 feet was decomposed. 

The depth to water was 150 feet, and the yield was 80,000 gallons in 

24 hours (55 gallons a minute). As shown by analysis 2, the water 

was very highly mineralized, for it contained more than 6,000 parts 

per million of total dissolved solids, and the well was abandoned for 

that reason.

In 1883 the Southern Pacific Co., the predecessor of the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, drilled a well at Amboy to a depth of 

1,535 feet, or more than 900 feet below sea level. The only information that could be obtained about this well is that bedrock was 

struck at 1,500 feet and that the well was abandoned because the 

water was salty. As shown on page 696, the great depth to bedrock 

may be questioned.

At the gypsum plant at Amboy there is a well 102 feet deep in which 

the depth to water is reported to be about 20 feet. A sample of water 

pumped from a depth of 50 feet in this well contained 4.38 per cent, 

or about 43,800 parts per million, of total dissolved solids. At the 

salt plant near Amboy there is a well 60 feet deep. A sample of water 

from this well contained 29.8 per c^nt, or about 298,000 parts per 

million, of dissolved solids. This sample is about as highly mineralized as samples of brine taken from the play a.

In 1910 a well was drilled to a depth of 320 feet at Bold. No inter* 

mation is available in regard to this well, except that it was abandoned 

because the water was salty. #
698 THE MOHAVB DESERT RBQION, CALIFORNIA

At Cadiz a well that was completed August 24, 1910, was drilled 

to a depth of 425 feet. The log shows "cement" and gravel, 0 to 

210 feet; gravel and sand, 210 to 260 feet; sand, 260 to 360 feet; and 

cemented sand, 360 to 425 feet. The diameter of the well ranged 

from 12 % to 10 inches, and the well is cased to a depth of 400 feet 

with screw casing. Water was struck at 225 feet and apparently 

rose 5 feet. According to another report the water level stands at 

'235 feet. These different depths may be due to measurements made 

at different seasons of the year. The well yielded 60 gallons a minute. 

As shown by analysis 3 on page 700, the water is good for domestic 

use and fairly good for boilers, but for some reason this well has never 

been used.

At Archer, on the Parker branch of the railroad, a well has been 

drilled to a depth of 340 feet. The diameter of the well is 10 inches 

to a depth of 272 feet and 8 inches for the remainder. The materials 

penetrated were coarse gravel and sand to 280 feet; fine gravel and 

sand, 280 to 330 feet; and cemented gravel, 330 to 340 feet. The well 

is cased to a depth within 10 feet of the bottom. The casing is perforated between 250 and 290 feet. Water was struck at a depth of 

280 feet. It is reported to stand only 40 feet below the surface, but 

this is uncertain. No clay beds are reported in the log of the well, and 

without them to serve as an impervious cover it would not be expected 

that the water would be under so great artesian pressure. Furthermore, according to the data furnished by the railroad, the casing is 

perforated from 250 to 290 feet, and 30 feet of the perforations are 

above the depth at which the first water is reported. If the water 

level in the well stands only 40 feet from the surface but the waterbearing bed is 280 feet from the surface, there must be leakage into 

the unsaturated alluvium through the perforations above that depth. 

As shown by analysis 4, the water from the Archer well is more 

highly mineralized than that from the Cadiz well and contains about 

615 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It is, however, fairly 

good for domestic use. It is poor for use in boilers because of the 

quantity of foaming constituents present, and the scale-forming 

constituents are also fairly high.

In 1915 the railroad drilled a well about 4 miles northeast of Bagdad. The well was probably in sec. 3 or 10, T. 6 N., R. 11 E., in a 

long wash between the Bristol Mountains and a lower ridge west of 

them. In choosing this locality it was believed that a well drilled 

to strike the lowest part of the bedrock valley would encounter the 

ground water absorbed from the flood run-off that was moving toward 

the valley, even though the quantity was relatively small. It was 

hoped that this water would be good enough for use. The well was 

drilled to a depth of 681 feet and, except for a slight seepage 92 feet
BRISTGL-LANtfAIB BASIN

from the surface, no water was encountered. The log of the watt Is

as follows: -

Log of well about 4 miles northeast of Bagdad, Calif.

Clay and boulders _________________________________

Thickness 

(feet)

95

40

130

68

37

61

232

18

Depth 

(feet)

96

185

268

' 35X1

431

6®

681

It is impossible to determine from this log whether the so-called 

decomposed granite is actually disintegrated bedrock in place ojr 

whether it is an arkosic sand, such as is common in the desert region, 

which has resulted from the disintegration of granite and strongly 

resembles that rock when compact. The absence of water in the 

well may be accounted for by the fact that it was so located that 

it did not strike the lowest part of the bedrock valley. Indeed, it 

would be very difficult to locate a well so that it would strike the 

bottom of the valley, and unless the quantity of ground water 

moving down the valley were large it would not rise high enough 

to be reached by a well on the side of the buried ridge.

In addition to the railroad wells there are several dug wells in the 

valley. About 3M miles east of Amboy, 50 feet north of the main 

road, is a dug well. When measured by the writer on November 

24, 1917, the total depth was 103.5 feet and the depth to water 99.3 

feet. There was no means of obtaining water from the well. A 

number of cat's-claw bushes were growing near by, and their presence may have prompted the location of the well at this place. 

However, because of the great depth to water the bushes evidently 

do not obtain their moisture from the water table but rather from 

water absorbed from flood run-off.

A 4-inch drilled well 60 feet deep is reported in the SE. M NE. M 

sec. 22, T. 5 N., R. 13 E., about a mile south or southwest of 

Altura. The depth to water is about 50 feet. With a hand pump 

the well can be pumped dry in about an hour. The water in this 

well is reported to be of good quality. Another well is reported 

about half a mile southeast of the well just mentioned. This well 

has been dug 58 feet deep and at the bottom has a tunnel 6 feet long. 

The depth to water is about 50 feet. This well also can be emptied 

easily.
700 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Analyses of ground water in Bristol Valley, Calif.

[Analyses furnished by the AtcMson, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Go. Parts per mfllioa recalculated 

from hypothetical combinations in grains per U. 8. gallon]

Silica (SiOi)....................._...._____.__.._.......

Iron(Fe) _ ......................................

Calcium (Ca) ..........................................

Magnesium (Mg) ......................................

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated) ...........

Sulphate radicle (SOi)_...... _____ .... __ . ___ .

ChkMide radicle (01)...................................

Nitrate radicle (NOB)..................................

Total dissolved solids ..................................

Total hardness as CaCOs (calculated) ..................

Date of collection ___ .. ...........................

1

31

4.3

441

503

357

136

 1,261

05

<»>

2

825

6.1

1,582

409

3,603

«6,420

2,075

C)

3

............

39

1.7

66

119

73

52

289

104

W

4

64

6.9

ISO

140

159

166

615

188

0

 Calculated. »Apr. 15,1902. «December, 1901. » Aug. 15,1910. « Sept. 27,1910.

1. Abandoned well 2,275 feet deep at Klondike. Atchison, Topeka A Santa Fe Railway, owner. See 

p. 697 for description.

2. Abandoned well, 1,000 feet deep, at Bagdad. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See 

p. 697 for description.

3. Well 425 feet deep at Cadiz. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See~p.698fordewriptJon.

4. Well 340 feet deep at Archer. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner. See p. 698 for description.

OTHER WATERING PLACES ,

Orange Blossom mine. According to information furnished by the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, water stands at a depth of 

665 feet below the surface in two shafts at the Orange Blossom 

mine, 9 miles northeast of Bagdad. One of these shafts was pumped 

at the rate of 158,400 gallons in 24 hours (110 gallons a minute) 

without exhausting the supply. It is not known whether water can 

be obtained if the mine is not in operation.

Willow Spring. As nearly as can be learned, Willow Spring is 

situated about 4 miles northeast of the Orange Blossom mine. It 

is reported that the water is piped to the mine.

Springs in Old Woman Mountains. Several springs are reported 

to occur in the Old Woman Mountains, but the exact location of 

most of them is unknown. On the General Land Office township 

plat of T. 6 N., R. 17 E., two springs are shown in sec. 33. One of 

them is near the northwest corner of the southwest quarter of the 

the section, on the north fork of a canyon known as Carbonate 

Gulch. The other is about half a mile to the southeast, a short 

distance northeast of the junction of the north fork with the main 

gulch. These springs are probably reached by a road that leads 

east from the Danby-Kilbeck road, 7 miles south of Danby, to prospects in the mountains and thence by foot trail to the spring.

Mascot Spring. A spring known as Mascot Spring was reported 

to issue at the base of the lava flow near the sputhwest edge of 

Bristol Dry Lake, about 4% miles south of Bagdad.60 A. B. Mulvatte

 Mendenhall, W. G., Some desert watering places hi southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 69,1909.
BASIN

states that he h*e made a careful search for this spring but could 

not find it, and it apparently no longer exists. . > >. s

Water supply at ronL?o&L stations. As the water in all wells drilied 

along the railroad west {of Cadiz has been too salty to use, it is necessary 

to haul water by train for all purposes. The wells in Fenne? Valley, 

the nearest source, do not yield more than is required at each station, 

and the nearest ample i supply is at Water station, in the Lower Mo*- 

have Valley. (See p. 499.) In 1919 an average of 16 cars of 10,500 

gallons each was hauled daily for use at Bagdad and 1 car for Klondike. Water in less quantity is also hauled for all domestic a&d 

general use at Amboy and at the places where section caws a?* 

stationed.

At Bagdad the water is run from the tank cars into a cistern and 

then pumped into a tank. At Klondike, as a result of the grade of 

the track, the water runs into the storage tank by gravity through ft 

pipe from an intake several hundred feet from the storage tank. 

The consumption of water at Bagdad is especially large because of 

the steep westward grade. Practically all trains take on fuel and 

water at that place.

IBTTEBPRETATIOir OF CONDITIONS

The interpretation of ground-water conditions in Bristol VaDey is 

desirable because of the possible future need of additional supplies 

for the railroad and for the mining communities at several localities 

in the basin.

Drill holes have shown that only salt water can be obtained in a 

large part of the basin. Apparently the lower part of the valley has 

been a closed basin for a long time. The water that pouired into the 

basin from a large drainage area has been evaporated, ajnd the salts 

contained in it have been left in the playa deposits. The salty water 

in the wells drilled at Amboy and Bolo show either thstt the saline 

playa deposits extend some distance beneath the present sand aad 

gravel cover of the alluvial slopes or that the salt absorbed by the 

water beneath the playas has spread beneath the alluvial slopes-by 

diffusion.

As water of fairly good quality was obtained in the w0Us at Cadiz 

and Archer and southwest of Altura, it is possible to objbain potable 

water in at least some parts of the basin. In the Cadiz well, according 

to the available information, the water table is about 55d or 560 feet 

above sea level. This altitude apparently is below that of the water 

table in Bristol Dry Jbake. The altitude of the railroad at Amboy 

is about 614 feet. Although the playa surface is several feet below the 

railroad and the water i table about 8 feet lower, the water can seared^" 

be 50 feet below the pailroad. In the Archer well the 'water table 

was struck at a depth of 280 feet, or at an altitude of about 670 feet. 

However, as noted on page 698, there is some question as to th6 depth
702 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFORNIA

at which the waier stands. Apparently the water level in these two 

wells is at least ais low as it is beneath Bristol Dry Lake near Amboy, 

if not somewhat! lower. The lowest place on the railroad near the 

playa is 603 feet above sea level. Ground water is reached about 8 

feet below the playa. The difference in altitude between the railroad and the playa is not definitely known, but it does not appear to 

be as much as 20 feet, which would be necessary if the water table is 

as low as it is in the two wells. It is at least evident that there is no 

effective descent of the water table from the Cadiz well to Bristol Dry 

Lake. On the other hand, if, as reported, the water rises in the 

Archer well 140 feet it is under such pressure that it would move toward Cadiz Dry Lake.

The question arises, why the water in the Cadiz well is only moderately mineralized if the water is no higher than it is beneath Bristol 

Dry Lake. In the first place, the water is so near the surface of the 

playa that there is more or less continual discharge by upward 

capillary movement and evaporation. As a result there must be 

movement toward the playa from the sides of the valley. The well at 

Cadiz is in a position to receive water relatively low in mineral content that comes from Fenner Valley, between the Ship and Marble 

Mountains. Similarly, at Archer there is doubtless a movement of 

ground water from the Old Woman Mountains toward Cadiz Dry 

Lake. In each place the underflow that comes from a large drainage 

area would tend to push back, as it were, the salt water toward the 

playa. Furthermore, the difference in the specific gravity of the 

salty water and the less mineralized water might have some influence 

in preventing the diffusion of the salt from the playa toward the 

borders of the valley.61

If these principles hold true it ought to be possible to obtain potable 

water at other places in the valley if they are far enough from the 

playas to avoid any possible effects of diffusion or encountering the 

buried borders of the playa deposits. As gypsum is reported in a well 

at Amboy the salty water there and possibly also at Bolo may be due 

to the presence of buried playa deposits. On the other hand, the 

presence of relatively good water in the well about a mile southwest 

of Altura suggests that a large supply of fresh water either from the 

east or from the north is sufficient to push back the salt water. On 

the north the ground water comes from a large drainage area between 

the Bristol and Marble Mountains, including the high Old Dad 

Mountains, and the total underflow must be considerable.

The conditions in the northwestern part of the valley are uncertain. 

When the Amboy lava flow was poured out it may have dammed the 

drainage and resulted in the formation of a playa west of the flow.

*> For the relation between salt and fresh water see B rown, X. 8., A study of ooastal ground water: U. S. 

CheeL Survey Water-supply Paper 637.1925. ; ,
BASIN: r: i f0§

If so, the playa deposits have since been covered up. Such damming 

would impede the movement of the ground water toward the lowest 

part of the basin, and it might then absorb more mineral matter . & ,

The exact location and surface altitude of the wells at Bagdad and 

Haynes is not known. However, according to the available data the 

water level hi the Haynes well stands more than 700 feet above sea 

level, or fully 100 feet above the surface of Bristol Dry Lakej in tibe 

Bagdad well the altitude of the water level is about 630 feet, or at 

least 25 feet above the water level beneath the playa at Amboy. 

Thus it seems there should be some movement from the west end 

of the valley toward Bristol Dry Lake. The fact that despite this 

condition the water in that part of the valley is so bad probably 

indicates that the salt content is due not to the presence of playa beds 

but to other conditions not yet known. As shown on page 660, the 

water in part of Broadwell Valley, northwest of Bristol Valley, is ol 

poor quality, and there is some reason to believe that the water table 

slopes in a southerly direction. The water from Broadwell Valley 

may move southeastward into Bristol Valley. In its longer journey 

it might dissolve a rather large quantity of mineral matter.

As the wells at Bagdad, Haynes, and Klondike each obtained salty 

water, it is believed that further attempts to obtain good water along 

this stretch of the railroad will be useless. The rocks in this part of 

the valley are largely volcanic, including volcanic ash. Possibly these 

rocks have in some wa'y given the highly mineralized character to 

the water. Perhaps wells drilled on the south side of the valley, 

near the Bullion Mountains, might strike less mineralized water. 

Water derived from crystalline rocks like those that compose the 

mountains is generally of good quality, provided it has not become 

concentrated in the lowest part of the basin.

The presence of alluvial divides at two places raises a question 

whether there is any ground-water drainage between Bristol Valley 

and adjoining basins. These divides are situated between the Old 

Woman Mountains and the Kilbeck Hills, and at the extreme south 

end of Cadiz Valley between the Coxcomb Mountains and Iron 

Mountain.

In a well at Ward, on the Parker branch of the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway, the altitude of the water table is not less than 

600 feet (see p. 710), or about 30 feet above the water table in the 

Cadiz and Archer wells. It thus seems possible that there may be 

some drainage from Ward Valley into Bristol Valley. However, the 

distance between Ward and Archer is about 25 miles, and the grade 

of the water table would not be more than a foot or two to the mile, 

or so gentle that there would probably be no active movement. 

Furthermore, the divide at Kilbeck is more than 400 feet above the 

water table in Bristol Valley. Possibly in this depth bedrock may 

rise high enough to separate the water table in the two valleys.
704 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The divide at the south end of Cadiz Valley from the road many 

miles north appears to be composed of alluvium, and possibly there 

is some ground-water movement below it to Chuekawalla Valley on 

the south. About 18 miles south of the divide, or 30 miles southeast 

of the south end of Cadiz l)ry Lake, is Palen Dry Lake. This playa 

lies between 400 and 420 feet above sea level and is reported to be of 

the moist or discharging type, so that the water table lies at about 

that altitude.68 If the water table slopes continuously from Cadiz 

station to Palen Dry Lake, a distance of more than J50 miles, the grade 

is only about 4 feet to the mile. The alluvial divide is rather high, 

and it is obviously possible that the bedrock beneath may stand 

above the water table.

The fact that the surface of Cadiz Dry Lake is so wet suggests that 

there is no drainage from the valley. However, as is demonstrated 

hi other valleys in the Mohave Desert region, it is entirely possible 

for the water table to be close to the surface in 4 basin which may 

have underground drainage.

WARD VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Ward Valley lies in the southeastern part of San Bernardino County* 

The name is taken from the railroad station of Ward, on the Parker 

branch of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. (See pi. 7.) 

The lowest part of the valley is occupied by a large playa known as 

Danby Dry Lake, but the town of Danby, on tl[e main line of the 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, is in Fennjer Valley.

The Parker branch of the railway crosses the soujbh end of the valley 

from northwest to southeast. On this railway Vp&xd is a pumping 

station and Milligan is a section headquarters. Water is available 

at both places, but in 1918 there was no store at either place where 

supplies could be obtained. Fishel, Sablon, and Arica are only 

sidings. Water can generally be obtained from a cistern at Sablon.

The railroad is paralleled by a road sometimes known as the 

Parker cut-off. (See pis. 12 and 13.) On the Southeast this-road 

leads to Rice, whence a road leads south to Blythe and points in Palo 

Verde Valley and another leads east to Parker and other points in 

Arizona. Toward the northwest the road forks at Kilbeck, on the 

border of Ward Valley. One branch leads northwjard to the National 

Old Trails Road at Danby, and the other continues northwestward 

along the railroad to the same road near Cadiz. For persons who are 

going westward the road by way of Cadiz is 9 miles shorter than the 

road by way of Danby. However, the road between Kilbeck and 

Cadiz is likely to be rough, and the traveler will generally save time 

by going by way of Danby.

*> Brown, J. 8., The Salton Sea region, Calif., a geologic, geographic, and hydrologic reconnaissance: 

U. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 497, p. 102,1923.
WARD TALUS*

From MilKgan a road runs northeastward along the east side of 

the Old Woman Mountains. In January, 1918, there were raaUy 

two parallel roads a few hundred yards apart. The eastern one was 

in the best shape for about 11.5 miles, but at the end of this stretch 

travelers generally turned over to the road nearest the mountains. 

The road leads to the Wilhelm camp, 17.5 miles from Milligan, whelra 

in 1918 water could be obtained at a pipe line from a natural spriftg 

in the mountains about 3 miles south.

From the Wilhelm camp a road leads east a short distance to the east* 

erly of the two roads mentioned above. This road continues north* 

ward to Sunflower Spring, about 5 miles north and a little west of tfat 

Wilhelm camp. (See p. 688.) From the spring the road continues 

northwestward to prospects at the north end of the Old Woman 

Mountains and thence westward to Danby. It is reported that 

automobiles can not reach Sunflower Spring nor travel a stretch of 

several miles between the Wilhelm camp and the prospect® on th® 

north end of the range. Wagons, however, can be taken over this 

rough stretch.

There was no agricultural activity in the valley in 1918, and conditions for irrigation are unfavorable. There has been some mining 

at the Wilhelm camp and at the Desert Butte mine, in the MUb 

south of Kilbeck,68 and prospecting on the west side of th© Turtle 

Mountains, but at no place has there been any notable development, 

From time to time salt has been mined from extensive deposits ia 

Danby Dry Lake,64 but in January, 1918, the mines were idle,

The mean annual precipitation in the valley is probably intenaedi* 

ate between that at Bagdad and at Parker. In most of the valley 

it is probably less than 5 inches. There is no evidenee that the mountains which border the valley have any great influence in increasing 

the precipitation.

The vegetation in the valley consists largely of tbt cre@e@te bush 

aad other plants usually associated with it. The form of yasooa known 

as Spanish bayonet is found on the higher slopes. Mr. R. A. Msrtm, 

of Oatman, Ariz., gave the writer a specimen of HofoeuTtfha em@ryif 

which he found growing in some abundance in the long wash that 

extends from Ward northward for about 35 miles. This peculiar 

plant, which consists wholly of thorny branches and small red berries, has been reported from only two or three other localities in 

California. (See p. 47.) The exact locality is not known, but it isprobably at least 10 or 15 miles north of Ward station,

Although the wattr table li^s within 10 or 20 feet of the surface 

beneath Danby Dry Lake, and in some places p*>bab!y even te«sr 

no megqmte or salt grass was observed around the play*.

o CloMman, a. O., arid others, Mines aM ffifoefal tt»6ttW»S of San Berfiatdhto Oattfftj; 

Stete Muttxstegist B*pt. for UKHB, ». 1^ Cattttffifa «tat» Mto. B«r« ttl7. , 

« Bailey, Q. E., The saline deposits of California: California State Mim. Bur. Bul. «, p. 128, MO&
706 THE MOHAVE KE8EBT BK3ION, CALIFOBNIA

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND QEOLOQT

Ward Valley is a long, narrow troughHke valley, that extends due 

north and south. It is bordered on the west by the Prate Mountains, the Old Woman Mountains, the Kilbeck Hills, and Iron Mountain. The eastern border is formed principally by the Sacramento 

Mountains, the Turtle Mountains, and a small part of the Arica 

Mountains. The divide is composed of alluvium at four places at 

the extreme north end of the basin, a few miles south of the main 

line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway; between the south 

end of the Old Woman Mountains and low hills near Kilbeck, on the 

Parker branch of the railroad; at the extreme south end of the basin, 

15 or 18 miles south of Ward; and between the south end of the 

Turtle Mountains and the Arica Mountains.

The Sacramento and Turtle Mountains are described briefly on 

pages 732 and 738. On the west side of the Turtle Mountains low hills, 

probably composed of Tertiary volcanic rocks, extend out for some 

distance from the main mass of the mountains. The Piute and Old 

Woman Mountains are composed of a complex of granite, gneiss, 

quartzite, and limestone, intruded by granitic rocks of later age. The 

older complex is probably, in part at least, pre-Cambrian. The later 

granite is probably Mesozoic. On the geologic map (pi. 8) the area 

shown as pre-Tertiary rocks includes only areas of limestone, the 

areas of quartzite not being differentiated from the later rocks. There 

are also a few small areas of Tertiary volcanic rocks. The Old Woman 

Mountains rise to a great height in immense blocks that resemble 

battlements of a fortress. A peculiar feature occurs at the southeast 

end of the range, where several broad valleys are cut far back into 

the mountains and the alluvial slope appears to extend almost to the 

summit of the range.

Iron Mountain is a long, narrow, relatively low range. Its northern 

dope rises rather steeply, and the mountain is not greatly dissected. 

The alluvial slope between it and Danby Dry Lake is low and short 

as compared to the slopes that rise to the other near-by mountains. 

These features suggest that the range may be a comparatively 

recently uplifted fault block.

The lowest part of the basin, which is occupied by Danby Dry 

Lake, lies near the southern part of the valley. The drainage from 

most of the basin reaches the playa through a long wash that extends 

northward almost to the extreme north end of the valley, near the 

main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, a distance 

of nearly 35 miles. The alluvial slopes between the Piute and Old 

Woman Mountains on the west and the Sacramento and Turtle 

Mountains on the east descend approximately at right angles to the 

wash, which is sometimes known as Homer Wash, a name derived 

from a station on the railroad a few miles north of its head. The 

station itself is not in the drainage basin.
WABD VAW4BY

The playa near Ward is about 625 feet above sea level. .llu^dS.*!^ 

at the north end of the basin, at the head of Homer Wash,, if 

ably about 2,200 or 2,300 feet above sea level. The 

the drainage basin is about 1,155 square miles, of which about 805 

square miles or 31.5 per cent, is occupied by mountains, 750 square 

miles, or 65 per cent, by alluvial slopes, and 40 square miles, o? 3$ 

per cent, by the playa.

Danby Dry Lake presents several unusual features. At title east 

end of the playa and extending inward for about three-quarters of 9, 

mile the surface is smooth and mud cracked, as on typical dry playas, 

Farther west it changes to the puffy "self-rising ground" that w 

found in moist playas. On the wagon road about 2 miles west of 

Ward there is a sudden rise in the surface of about 2 feet, and th« 

ground is very rough and covered with more or less alkali. (See pL 

34, J5.) From this place westward numerous small drainage channels cross the road. At the northwest end of the playa one of these 

channels is 4 or 5 feet deep and 100 feet wide. (See pi. 34, <7.)

The channels all slope in a southerly direction. Such channels are 

generally absent on other playas in the Mohave Desert region, and 

the cause of their formation was not ascertained. So far as is known 

the playa is completely inclosed, so that there has been no recent 

change in the drainage lines. Possibly there has been comparatively 

recent movement in the region that has resulted in the slight south- . ward tipping of the playa surface, which is now being eroded, or perhaps the playa beds were deposited with an initial southward dip 

and the present downcutting is due to a climatic change which gave 

the ephemeral streams more eroding power.

The presence of the smooth surface and the "self-rising ground" 

in different parts of the playa is apparently due to differences in the 

depth to ground water. In the railroad well at Ward water stands 

at a depth of about 20 feet. In a pit about 2 miles south of Ward 

the depth to water is reported to be about 7 feet, and in a pit 2 or 3 

miles south of Milligan it is said to be only 6 feet. The "self-rising 

ground" probably occurs where the depth to water is not more than 

8 or 10 feet.

Beds of common salt have been found beneath the playa at a 

depth of a few feet, the depth differing in different parts of the playa. 

Although they have not been definitely traced by detailed exploratory work, the salt beds are apparently continuous beneath most erf 

the playa. The thickness of the beds has not been fully determined, 

but in most places they are several feet thick. It is said that ia a 

shaft dug many years ago to a depth of 65 feet solid rock salt was 

penetrated for 22 feet.96 The salt has been mined at several places e&

« Bailey, G. E., The saline deposits of California: California State Min. Bar. Ball. 24, p» 128, im
708 THE MOHAVE BBSERT BBQION, CALIFORNIA

the play a, but in January, 1918, norm of the deposits were being 

worked.

In order for the thick beds o! salt to have accumulated a considerable body of water must have covered the area fot a period 

long enough to become saturated with sodium, chloride. In his 

hurried trip through the valley the writer did not observe any unmistakable evidence of a lake in the form of beaches or wave-cut cliffs. 

In an unpublished report in the files of the United States Geological 

Survey relating to potash investigations, Charles E. Watson states 

that about 400 yards north and east from Ward station there is a 

marked terrace or shore line, where a shelf of limy rock (probably 

caliche) underlies a thin bed of gravel. It appears likely that careful investigation would reveal a definite shore line. Blue clay is 

reported from test holes in the playa beds, and this is believed to be 

additional evidence of a lake, as the bluish color ia probably due to 

deposition beneath water.

For the lake that once existed in Ward Valley the name Ward Lake 

is suggested, to distinguish it from the present playa known as 

Danby Dry Lake. This lake apparently was not comparable hi 

size, depth, or period of duration to the members of the SearlesPanamint lake system. If the level of the lake had risen somewhat 

less than 400 feet above the level of Danby playa the lake would hare 

overflowed the divide at Kilbeck, which at the time doubtless was 

even lower than at present, and would have united with the lake 

that existed in Bristol Valley. There is, however, no evidence that 

the lake stood that high.

GROUND WATER

WELLS IN THE VALLEY

"Ward weU. The railroad well at Ward is the only reliable watering 

place hi the valley, except the cistern at Milligan. Two or three 

other watering places exist, but they are in out-of-the-way places, 

difficult to reach, or otherwise not certain sources of supply.

In 1910 the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway drilled a well at 

Ward to a depth of 118 feet. Water was struck at 42 feet and stood 

40 feet from the surface. The well sanded up and was abandoned. 

In November and December, 1913, a second well was drilled to a 

depth of 603^ feet. The log of the well, furnished by the railroad and 

givcin below, shows that the materials penetrated are in large part 

undoubtedly lake or playa deposits. Although salt deposits are 

knowa to o-ecur only a mile or two south of the well, none were reported 

in the well. The well is situated beyond the border of the lake in 

its *lnal stage.
WABD VALLEY 700

Log of well at Ward, Calif. 

[AtcMson ,Topeka & Santa Fe Railway, owner]

*

Yellow day - .... .

Black sand . . _ ... ___ .

Thickness (feet)

40

30

10

60

35

50

10

25

15

20

17

13

20

. 65

35

70

25

60

m

Depth (feet)

40

78

80

140

175

225

235

260

275

295

312

325

345

410

445

515

540

600 mH

The well is 12 J^ inches in diameter to a depth of 307 24 feet and 

10 inches the remainder of the distance. The casing is screw pipe, 

and it is perforated with four rows of % by 1 inch holes between 

312 and 325 feet, in the only gravel bed that was struck. The depth to 

water when the well is not being pumped is 20 feet. Apparently the 

water was struck at 70 feet and rose to that height. The yield in a 

test on March 23,1914, was 4,400 gallons an hour (about 75 gallons a 

minute).

As shown by the following analysis, the mineral content of the 

water from the well is moderate. The water is good for domestic use, 

although it is said to have a peculiar taste, and fair for irrigation. 

The dissolved mineral matter consists mainly of sodium chloride, 

sulphate, and bicarbonate. The water is not greatly different from 

that found on the alluvial slopes in other parts of the Mohave Desert 

region. Brines from pits in the salt beds 2 miles or more south and 

southwest of Ward contain more than 25 per cent (250,000 parts per 

million) of soluble salts. In view of this fact it is surprising that tke 

water at Ward is of such good quality. Perhaps the clay beds 

effectively seal off the water from the salt beds. On the other hand, 

the water may be kept fresh by circulation upward where there is diseharge from the sarfaca of the play* by evaporation, 

mi 29 to
710 THE MOHAVE DESEBT BECttON, CAMFOBNIA

Analysis of water from, the Atckison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway well at Ward

station, Calif.

[Collected NOT. 19,1917. Analyzed by A. A. Chambers. Parts per million]

Silica (SK>2).________________*___.____..........__ 13

Iron (Fe)._...__.......____...__...__..._ . 14

Calcium (Ca)._______________________.... 7. 1 

Magnesium (Mg)__._____________________ 2.2 

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated). _ 150 

Carbonate radicle (CO3)_... ________________ 0 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3)__________________ 110 

Sulphate radicle (SO4)_____________________ 114 

Chloride radicle (Cl)._____._______________ 93 

Nitrate radicle (NO3)_..____.______________.. 14 

Total dissolved solids at 180° C________________ 482 

Total hardness as CaCO3 (calculated) _ _ ________ 27

As nearly as can be determined, the water table at Ward is about 

30 feet above the water table at Cadiz Valley, to the west, and about 

the same height above the water table at Rice, in the valley east of 

Ward Valley. The divide that separates Ward Valley from each of 

the other two valleys is apparently composed of alluvium to a considerable depth, so that there may be some movement of ground water 

to either valley. However, the gradient in either direction is very 

gentle, and the underground drainage, if any, can not be very great, for 

the water table is so close to the surface beneath Danby Dry Lake that 

there is undoubtedly discharge of ground water by evaporation.

Other wells. A well known as Miller's well was reported by Mendenhall 86 as situated on the southwest edge of Danby Dry Lake. So far 

.as the writer could learn this well no longer exists. The water in it was 

reported to be too salty for human consumption, and as good water can 

now be obtained at Ward and Milligan the Miller well is of no importance.

About half a mile southeast of Milligan, on the road to Parker, 

there is an old dug well, 60 feet deep, which in November, 1917, contained only an inch or two of water. This well is at an altitude considerably above the playa.

WATERING PLACES IN THE MOUNTAINS

Martin's well. R. A. Martin reports that he has a well in a wash on 

the west side of the Turtle Mountains, about 10 miles a little north 

of east of Ward station. It is not reached by any road, and the exact 

location is unknown. The well is only 7 feet deep and contains only 

about 2 feet of water, but it has never been known to go dry.

Water at Wilhelm camp. In November, 1917, water was obtainable 

from a pipe-line faucet in the corral at the Wilhelm camp, on the east 

side of the Old Woman Mountains, 17.5 miles northeast of Milligan.

« Mendenhall, W. C., Some desert watering places in southeastern California and southwestern Nevada: 

ET. 8. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 76,1909.
 ! BICE VALMIY t 711

The water is piped from a natural tank in the mountains about 3 miles 

south and a little west of the camp. The supply is said to be good 

ordinarily, but when the locality was visited only a very small 'flow 

was coming through the pipe.

Sunflower Spring. Sunflower Spring is in the NE. -^ SE. % 

sec. 6, T. 5 N., R. 18 E., at the northeast end of the Old Woman 

Mountains. Leroy A. Palmer, of the United States General Land 

Office, states that it consists of an open cut in granite which develops 

a small flow of water. There is some alkali about the spring, and it is 

said that cattle have died from drinking the water. However, the 

place is used frequently as a camp site, and the water can be used 

without bad effects. It is doubtful whether the water has been the 

cause of the death of the cattle, and the alkali might easily be formed 

from the long-continued evaporation of water containing only small 

quantities of dissolved solids. Water that comes from granite is 

generally of good quality, but if the rocks in the vicinity were highly 

mineralized the water might be of poorer quality.

Granite Tank. Leroy Palmer reports a natural tank called Granite 

Tank in the NE. M SE. M sec. 11, T. 6 N., R. 18 E., in a small group 

of hills called the Little Piute Mountains. The tank is a depression 

about 10 feet long and 7 feet wide, hollowed in the granite bed of a 

stream channel. The tank is shown on the General Land Office 

township plat, which was made in November that is, at the end 

of the dry season. For this reason it is believed that the tank generally contains water the year round.

IRRIGATION PROSPECTS

There was no agricultural development in Ward Valley in 1917, 

and the prospects for such development are not favorable. The 

precipitation is undoubtedly too small to permit dry fanning. Water 

that is good enough for irrigation is obtained in the well at Ward, 

but only one gravel bed was encountered, and the wells drilled at 

Danby Dry Lake probably would not yield much water. Farther 

from the playa the alluvial deposits doubtless would yield more 

water, but the depth to water will be greater perhaps too great to 

permit profitable pumping.

BICE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Rice Valley lies mostly in the northeastern part of Riverside 

County, ^but a very small part lies in the southeastern part of San 

Bernardino County. (See pi. 7.) The name is taken from the town 

of Rice, formerly called Blythe Junction. About half the valley lies 

south ol the area shown on Plate 13, and this part has been described
712 THE MOHAVB MJBMKF HEGION, CALIFORNIA.*

by Brown.87 Some of the data presented below were collected by 

Mr. Brown.

Rice station is at the junction of the Parker branch of the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway and a branch that leads to Blytbe and 

Palo Verde Valley, on Colorado River, ftbout 40 miles distant. In 

January, 1918, meals and sleeping accommodations for a few persons 

were available, but no automobile supplies or groceries could be 

obtained. Such supplies may sometimes be obtained when mining 

activities warrant the maintenance of a store. On this road water can 

be obtained at Ward, 15 miles northwest of Rice, and at Grommet, 

9J^ miles east of Rice. Grommet is the headquarters for a section 

crew, and aid can be obtained there in an emergency.

A road, sometimes called the Parker cut-off, parallels the Parker 

branch of the railroad and leads eastward to Vidal and points in 

Arizona and westward to the National Old Trails Road at Cadiz and 

Danby. (See p. 689.) From Rice a road leads southwestward for 

several miles and then southeastward to Blythe, in the Palo Verde 

Valley, a distance of 41 miles. The availability of water on this road 

is uncertain, and the traveler should carry enough water for the 

entire distance to Blythe.68 The road is said to be sandy for several 

miles south of Rice, but the worst stretch is planked.

Some mining has been carried on in the region from time to time. 

The principal mines are those which obtained gold from the Arica 

Mountains, 6 or 7 miles southwest of Rice.69

The temperature and precipitation in the valley are probably 

intermediate between those at Bagdad and at Parker, Ariz., 38 miles 

east of Rice. The mean annual precipitation is probably not more 

than 5 inches. The mountains that border the basin are not large 

enough to- cause any material variation in the temperature or precipitation in different parts of the basin.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The southern border of Rice Valley is formed by the Maria and 

Little Maria Mountains. J. S. Brown states that the rocks in the 

mountains include a thick series of interbedded quartzite, limestone, 

and gypsum, presumably of Paleozoic age or older, and large masses 

of granite gneiss and schist.70 The whole mass is intricately folded 

and metamorphosed. The gypsum beds are remarkably pure and in 

places 150 feet thick.71 The western border of the basin is formed

«Brown, 3. S., Th^SaltoB Sea refwsa, Cattf,, ^jeelogie, geogtapUM, and hydrotegie recoifflatssancer 

U. 8. Oeol. Survey Watfr-8«ppty Paper m, pp, 90-101.180-l»l>and 2SO-361, ,1933,

* For watering places on this route see. firown, J. §., Boutes to desert watering places in the Salton Sea. 

negloa, CMW.: £. & Geei tarve? WafOM&rjptr Paper 410, ft*. ttWB,1920.

» Merrily 7. J. H., MiSes aad ttJneral resources of RivAokte Cobat^> CaHMrnia State 

Kept, for 1916-16, pp. 81-8% 1917.

» Brown, 3. 3., The Saltoft Sea region, Calif., a geotdgto, gedgrApfcio, aflet ttydralogte jfc 

Ui S. Oeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 97, p. 259,1923.

" MerrillH F. J. H., op. cit., p. 118.
BICfi VAIXBT 711

in part by the Ariea Mountains, a small, low mass composed of 

altered porphyritic intrusive rocks hi contact with BmeetoBe. The 

divide between these mountains and the Little Maria Momntsuis on 

the south appears to be formed of alluvium, and the divide between 

them and the Turtle Mountains, north of Bice, is distinctly of this 

material. The Turtle Mountains form a large range that extends 

northward for many miles, but only a small area at their very south 

end lies in the Rice drainage basin. As observed from the road several 

miles distant, this end of the range appears to be composed of Tertiary 

volcanic rocks. The eastern border of the valley is formed in part of 

the Riverside Mountains. Between these mountains and the Turtle 

Mountains the divide is composed of alluvium, as apparently also 

is the divide between the Riverside Mountains and the Maria 

Mountains.

The lowest part of the basin, near the center of T. 2 S., R. 21 EL, 

is occupied by a playa. It was not visited. Probably it is a playa of 

the dry type, for according to the available information the water 

table is 137 feet below the surface in a well not far from it.

The area of Rice Valley, according to planimeter measurement, is 

about 285 square miles. Of this area about 85 square miles, or a 

little less than 30 per cent, is occupied by mountains, and the rest 

consists of alluvial slopes and playa. The area of the playa is not 

known.

According to railroad profiles the lowest part of the basin is about 

700 feet above sea level. The divide along the railroad to Blythe 

where it crosses the Maria Mountains is nearly 1,100 feet above sea 

level. At Grommet the divide between Rice Valley and the Colorado 

River Valley is about 950 feet, and west of Rice the divide between 

the valley and Ward Valley is about 910 feet above sea level.

GROUND WATER

No springs are known to exist in Rice Valley. There are several 

wells hi the valley, but the supplies are not very good.

In 1910 a well was drilled by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway at Rice. The well was 575 feet deep. Water was struck at 

355 feet and a second water-bearing stratum at 450 feet. The water 

stood at 355 feet. The materials penetrated were gravel, sand, <elay, 

and "malpais" or lava. Apparently the lava was underlain by alluvial deposits. A mile or two east of Rice boulders of lava are seen on 

the road. The lava reported in the well may be similar boulders, or 

it may be a true flow, related* to the volcanic rocks' in the Turtle 

Mountains. The well was subsequently abandoned, according to 

report, because the water was of poor quality. However, according 

to a statement furnished by J. H. Grover, division foreman of water 

service of the railroad, the well was abandoned because it sanded up
\

714 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, C4LIFOBNIA

and could not be pumped. All water for use at the town is hauled 

in on the railroad.

A dug well, known as Browns Well, is situated on the west side of 

the road to Blythe, 6J^ miles southwest of Rice. When measured 

by J. S. Brown, in October, 1917, the total depth was 304 feet and 

the depth to water was 297 feet. At that time the well was equipped 

with a small gasoline engine and pump and also with a bucket and 

cable for raising water by horse power. A supply of water was 

generally available from a near-by tank, which was pumped full 

at intervals. According to information received by letter from 

W. B. Kehoe, the well was caved in April, 1921, and water could not 

be obtained from it. The following analysis shows that the mineral 

content of the water from this well is fairly high 661 parts per 

million of total solids. However, the water can be used for domestic 

supplies without trouble and is fair for irrigation. The principal 

constituent is sodium sulphate. In this respect it differs from most 

waters in the desert basins, which are characterized by the presence 

of sodium carbonate, or, particularly near playas, sodium chloride.

Analysis of water from Browns Well, probably in sec. 16, T. 2 S., R. 20 E. San

Bernardino meridian

[Collected by J. S. Brown, Oct. 30,1917; analyzed by C. H. Kidwell. Parts per million]

Silica (Si02) ____________________________ 25 

Iron(Fe)._______________________________ .80 

Calcium (Ca)______________________ ____ 27 

Magnesium (Mg)______________________ 7.2

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated) _.______. 191 

Carbonate radicle (CO3)______________________ 0

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3)___________________ 190 

Sulphate radicle (SO4)____________________ 246

Chloride radicle (Cl)_______________________ 69

Nitrate radicle (NO3)____«._________________ 2. 3 

Total dissolved solids at 180° C._______________ 661 

Total hardness as CaCO3 (calculated)_____________ 97

About a mile north of Browns Well, on a branch road leading from 

the Blythe road to mines in the Arica Mountains, is the Priest Well. 

The well is 587 feet deep, and the depth to water is 507 feet. The 

well is situated at a higher altitude than Browns Well. The water is 

too poor to be used for domestic supplies.

Grays Well is about 2^ miles northeast of Browns Well, near the 

lowest part of the basin. The depth to water is reported to be about 

137 feet. The water is salty and too poor for domestic use. It has 

been used for milling gold.

Gyp Well, 585 feet deep, is near the southern border of the basin, 

several miles south of the area, shown in Plate 13. It is probably in
BICE VALIJEY ; 715

sec. 13, T. 2 S., R. 20 E. It is reported that poor water was reached 

at 125 feet, although there is some question as to this statement. 

This water was cased out, and water that was good for domestic use 

was found at a greater depth.

According to data obtained from railroad profiles, the altitude of 

the well at Rice is about 935 feet and of the water table 580 feet above 

sea level. The altitude on the railroad to Blythe near Grays Well 

is about 705 feet, and the altitude of the well is believed to be about 

710 feet. The water table is thus about 573 feet above sea leveL 

The distance between the two places is about 4 miles. On the basis 

of these approximate data the water table appears, to have so slight a 

grade that there can be very little movement of the ground water.

The great depth to water in Grays Well, near the bottom of the 

basin, probably indicates that there is underground drainage from 

the basin. As the divide of the basin is composed of alluvium, at its 

northwest and northeast corners and apparently also at its southwest 

and southeast corners, there seems to be ample opportunity for underground drainage. The altitude of the water table in a well at Ward, 

15 miles northwest of Rice, is about 605 feet. (See p. 710.) The 

water table in this well is about 25 feet higher than at Rice, so that 

there is obviously no chance for movement of ground water from 

Rice Valley to Ward Valley. There may be some movement in the 

opposite direction, although the grade is very gentle and the rate of 

movement can not be great. The altitude of the water table hi a well 

at Vidal, 21 miles east of Rice, is about 375 feet above sea level, or 

about 200 feet lower than at Rice. The divide at Grommet is wide 

and apparently filled with alluvium to a considerable depth, so that 

there seems to be ample opportunity for underground drainage from 

the Rice Basin into the Colorado Basin near Vidal. Southeast of the 

Riverside Mountains the altitude of the Colorado River Valley is 

about 350 feet above sea level. The divide in this direction waa 

observed only from a distance of many miles, but it appears to be 

composed of alluvium, so that there is probably opportunity for underground drainage also at this point.

In general the conditions are unfavorable for any great development of the ground water in Rice Valley. Even in the lowest part 

of the basin the depth to water is so great that it would hardly be 

economical to pump water for irrigation, and the water is of poor 

quality. Possibly water good enough for domestic use can. be ob-! 

tained in wells near the upper borders of the alluvial slopes, but the? 

depth to water will be great. As the water table appears to be nearly* 

flat, wells will probably not yield large quantities.
716 THE MOHAVE DESEET BEGION, CALIFORNIA.

COLOBABO BIVEB BASIN

GENERAL FEATURES

An area which extends north and south along the extreme eastern 

border of the Mohave Desert region and which ranges in width from 

20 to 40 miles lies in the drainage basin of Colorado River. (See 

pi. 7.) In recent years studies have been made in regard to the 

irrigation of some parts of this area in connection with comprehensive 

plans for the most efficient utilization of the river. The results of 

these studies have been published elsewhere.72 In the present study 

little attention was paid to the areas that lie close to the river, and 

the following notes refer principally to ground-water conditions in 

parts of the drainage basin remote from the river. 72a

The basin has been divided for description into four units, each 

of which constitutes a more or less distinct drainage unit. These 

units are from north to south, Piute Valley, the area immediately 

adjacent to the river between Mohave City and Topock, Chemehuevis Valley, and Vidal Valley. For most of the distance between 

Parker and Topock the river flows in a rocky canyon with large 

mountains on both sides. This part of the basin was not visited, 

and no description is given in this report. It has, however, been 

described by Lee.73

PIUTE VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

Piute Valley lies partly in the extreme east-central part of San 

Bernardino County, Calif., and partly in the south end of Clark 

County, Nev. (See pi. 7.) Part of the area in Nevada is not shown 

on the relief map in this report (pi. 13), but it is covered by the 

Camp Mohave topographic map, published by the United States 

Geological Survey. The valley drains into Colorado River a few 

miles north of Needles, but in this description the valley is considered as ending at a constriction in the drainage area near Klinefelter, in the northeastern part of T. 9 N., R. 21 E.

The writer visited only the part of the valley that lies in California. 

In 1922, in response to a request from the Chamber of Commerce of

" Preliminary report on problems of Imperial Valley and vicinity, TT. 8. Reclamation Service, printed 

for use of Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, House of Representatives, 66th Gong., 3d sess., 1921. 

Problems of Imperial Valley and vicinity: 67th Cong., 2d sess., S. Doc. 142,1922. Reports on the Parker, 

Fort Mohave, and Cibola irrigation projects, Ariz.: Appendix A, Hearings before Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, House of Representatives, 66th Cong., 2d sess., on H. R. 11449, A bill to provide for 

the protection and development of the lower Colorado River, 1922. LaRue, E. C., Water power and 

flood control of Colorado River below Green River, Utah: U. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Papsr 556, 

1925.

"» Since this report went to press a bill has been passed by Congress providing for the construction of a 

dam in Black Canyon, on the Colorado River about 75 miles north of the California line. Awarding to 

plans this dam will create a huge reservoir with a capacity of 26,000,000 acre-feet several times as large as 

any other reservoir in the United States. The project will provide relief from destructive floods, water 

for irrigation in the lower Colorado River Valley, and hydroelectric power. In addition to the report* 

mentioned in footnote 72, several more recent reports have been made on this project.

» Lee, W. T., Geologic reconnaissance of a part of western Arizona: U. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 36% pp, 

41-45,1908.
COLORADO BXY£E BASIN 71?

Searchlight, Nev., D. F. Hewett, of the United States Geological 

Survey, made an investigation of ground-water conditions in the 

northern part of the valley, and a notice was published in newspapers giving the results of his investigation. The data collected 

by him are incorporated in the description that follows.

The main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway crosses 

the south end of the valley from east to west. A branch line of the 

railroad from Goffs to Searchlight, Nev., formerly led northward in 

Lanfair Valley and crossed the northwest end of Piute Valley, but 

service on it has been discontinued.

The National Old Trails Road parallels the main line of the railroad. A road from Searchlight to Barnwell parallels the branch 

railroad. A road known as the Arrowhead Trail leads northward 

from the National Old Trails Road, about 1 % miles east of Bannock, 

to Searchlight and Las Vegas, Nev. This road was formerly much 

used for travel to Salt Lake City, especially in the winter, when tibe 

Midland Trail is closed by snow at the north end of Owens Valley, 

but most travelers now go over a new road by way of Manix, Baker, 

Valley Wells, and.Roach. (See p. 143.) From Searchlight another 

road leads westward to Nipton, on the Los Angeles & Salt Lake 

Railroad. In 1922 a stage carried mail and passengers between these 

points three times a week. A number of other minor roads lead to 

scattered ranches and prospects.

Searchlight, Nev., the only town in the valley, in 1922 had a population of about 125 or 150 persons, a post office, a good store, a garage, 

and a hotel. Supplies are also obtainable at Goffs, just across the 

southwestern border of the valley.

A railroad pumping plant is located at Ibis, and section crews are 

stationed at Homer and Bannock, so that water and aid in emergencies, but no supplies, can be obtained at these places. Water can 

also be obtained at Klinefelter. On the Arrowhead Trail no supplies 

can be obtained between Goffs or Needles and Searchlight, a distance 

of more than 50 miles; and water can not be obtained between Bannock and Searchlight, a distance of about 40 miles, except by side 

trips of 2 to 4 miles from the main road.

The principal activity in the valley is mining, which is largely 

confined to the Searchlight district. This district is said to have 

produced between $6,000,000 and $8,000,000, mostly in gold. In 

recent years production has been small. In 1922 a few mines were 

being worked on a small scale and some gold was being obtained by 

reworking the old tailings dumps. The early developments in this 

district have been described by Ransome.74

"Ransome, F. L., Preliminary account of Ooldfleld, Bullfrog, aad otfier fflifllag districts tt southern 

Nevada; tf. S. Qeol. Survey Bull. 303, pp. 63-75,1307. See also tr. S. Gecl. Survey Mineral Resources, 

1905, p. 270; 1006, pp. 296, 478; 1507, pt. 1, p. 380; 1908, pt. 1, p. 474; 1909, pt. 1, pp. 398-897; ttHd fitter 

volumes.
718 THE MOHAVE DESEET B1GION, CALIFOBNIA

Except for one or two small patches there is no irrigation in the 

region, and conditions are unfavorable for agricultural development 

because the depth to water in most of the region is great and,the 

supply is not large.

The record of precipitation at Searchlight is given on page 82. 

The average annual precipitation during a period of eight years ending 

June 30,1922, was 9.41 inches. This high average is due to uausually 

large rainfall in the two years 1918-19 and 1921-22. The average of 

the other six years is only about 7.4 inches. This is at least 2 or 3 

inches more than that recorded at other stations in the Mohave 

Desert region except those on its extreme southwest border. Searchlight is situated at an altitude of about 3,450 feet, and the greater 

rainfall doubtless is explained hi part by the high altitude. The rainfall in the lower part of Piute Valley is doubtless somewhat less." At 

Mohave City (formerly Fort Mohave), a few miles east of the valley, 

the average annual precipitation for 22 years was about 6 inches, and 

at Needles, farther south, that for 30 years was 4.29 inches.

The vegetation of Piute Valley consists largely of creosote bush, 

with some Spanish bayonet and Joshua trdes on Jbhe higher slopes. 

Cat's-claw is abundant at places in Piute Wash. No mesquite or 

salt grass was observed anywhere in the valley, but they may grow 

at Piute Spring and in the wash near Klinefelter, where the water 

table is near the surface.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

Piute Valley is a long, narrow valley that extends in a northerlydirection. The valley is not closed but is drained by Piute Wash, 

which extends approximately along the axis of the valley from the 

north end to Klinefelter, about 10 miles north of the south end. 

From that place it drains eastward.through a low canyon to Colorado 

River.76 A branch wash heads near Goffs and joins the main wash 

near Ibis.

The eastern border of the valley, north of the outlet of the valley at 

Klinefelter, is formed by the Dead Mountains. The highest peak is 

Dead Mountain, 25 miles north of Klinefelter, which rises about 5,700 

feet above sea level. Mount Manchester, 10 miles north of Klinefelter, rises about 4,700 feet above sea level. Between these two 

mountains and northwest of Dead Mountain the divide lies not much 

more than 2,500 feet above sea level and is formed by broken hills. 

The Dead Mountains descend eastward, more steeply than on the 

west side, to Colorado River, and for part of their length form the 

west side of Pyramid Canyon. The northeastern border of the valley

*» This wash has also been known as Sacramento Wash, but in order to avoid confusion with Sacramento 

Wash in Arizona, which enters Colorado River about 10 miles southeast of Needles, the United State* 

Geographic Board has decided that tha wash in California shall be called Piute Wash.
: COLORADO RIVER BASIN i

is formed by the Searchlight Hills, which join, [the. north &®&--'4$ fit* 

Dead Mountains. - L ? v/ < 

The Dead Mountains are composed principally of granitic rocks, 

gneiss, and schist, which Darton states are probably pre-Cajab|ianJ* 

Near the north end of the range these rocks are overlain by Tertiary 

volcanic rocks, which are also present hi the Searchlight Hills.77

The southern border of the valley is composed in part of tit© 

Sacramento Mountains on the east and Ibis Mountain farther west, 

with lower hills between them. The mountains consist of granitic 

rocks and schist, presumably of pre-Cambrian age, and some Paleozoic limestone.78 The hills between the two ranges are made up of 

Tertiary and Quaternary volcanic rocks. At the northwest base of 

the Sacramento Mountains, near Klinefelter, lies red conglomerate of 

Quaternary age. The beds dip westward and are definitely older 

than the recent alluvium.

The divide at the southwest corner of the valley, between Ibis 

Mountain and Goffs and for several miles north of Goffs, is composed 

of alluvium, except a small area immediately south of Goffs. Granitic 

rock crops out in low hills about a mile north of Goffs and suggests 

that bedrock lies at no great depth below the alluvial divide. However, in a well drilled at Goffs to a depth of 1,123 feet, alluvium apparently extended to the bottom of the well, except that at two places 

lava was encountered. (See log on p. 681.)

The western border of the valley is formed by the Piute Range, 

the Castle Mountains, the northern part of the New York Mountains, 

and the south end of the McCullough Range. Low hills south of the 

Piute Range are composed of granitic rocks. The Piute Range itself 

is an elongated ridge of Tertiary volcanic rocks. It is broad topped 

and has steep slopes on the east and west but more gentle slopes on 

the north and south. The range descends from a maximum altitude 

of about 4,800 feet above sea level to about 3,500 feet at its south 

end.

The Castle Mountains, which are also composed of Tertiary volcanic rocks, are a more dissected range. The highest point is Hart 

Peak, 5,515 feet above sea level. The part of the New York Mountains that borders Piute Valley consists of gneissic granite. The 

part of the range immediately north of the Searchlight branch oi: 

the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway is capped by Tertiary 

volcanic flows, but these are absent in Crescent Peak. The McCullough Range is formed of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks cut by later 

intrusive rocks. An unnamed range east of the McCullough Rango 

is composed of Tertiary flows.

n Darton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, Fart C, The Santa Fe Route, with a sld< 

trip to the Grand Canyon of the Colorado: 17. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 613, p. 147 and sheet 21,1915,

" Ransome, F. !>., Preliminary account of Goldfield, Bullfrog, aud other raining districts in southern 

Nevada: U. 8. Geol, Survey Bull, 3(13, pp. 66-68,1907.

78 Darton, N. H., op. cit., pp. 146-147 and sheet 21.
720 THE MOHAVE DESEKT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

From the mountains on each side the Talley floor slopes gradually 

toward Piute Wash. The floor is mostly underlain by sand, gravel, 

and clay to an unknown depth. In some places, however, where the 

gentle slope reaches back into the mountains, as it does at the base 

of the McCullough Range, it is probably not an alluvial slope but is 

underlain by bedrock at a comparatively slight depth. The development of the slopes in part of the basin has been discussed by Lawson.79

WATEE RESOURCES

No perennial streams occur in the valley. It is reported that a 

small stream from Piute Spring persists at the surface for several 

hundred feet. Possibly in wet seasons a small stream flows in Piute 

Wash in the narrows east of Klinefelter. Water is available at a 

number of places in mine shafts, especially near Searchlight, and 

from several springs; but at only two localities, so far as known, is 

water obtained from the alluvium.

WATER US BEDROCK

In May, 1922, D. F. Hewett obtained data in regard to water in a 

number of mine shafts at Searchlight. The location of the shafts is 

shown in Figure 20, and the data in regard to depth to water and yield, 

so far as available, are given in the table below. The total depth of 

shaft and depth to water are computed from the angle of slope of the 

shaft and the depth along the slope. The angles of slope near the 

surface were measured by Mr. Hewett, but the depths along the slope 

are those reported by miners. As reports from different sources for 

some of the shafts disagree the depths are only approximate.

Approximate total depth, depth to water, and yield of shafts and wells near 

Searchlight, Nev.

No. 

on 

flg. 

20

1

f,

9

4

fi

6

8

9

10

tl

12

18

14

15

Tfl

17

18

Name of shaft or well

Pompeii _______

Southern Nevada ..

Parallel..... ....

Drake... __ ..... __

Duplex (main shaft) _

Quartette. ______

Quartette extension . . .

Santa Fe Ry. well.

W. H. Harris well .....

Midas shaft 

Slope 

of 

shaft

o

go

58

75

43 

47

30±

30

go

45 

65

65

90

Total 

vertical 

depth «

Feel 

300

285

jjj

200 (?)

260

(?)

500 

360

1,325

250

44ft

109

38

67

300

Vertical 

depth 

to 

water 0

Feet 

250±

190 nta\(f\

170 

(?)

200 (?)

200

300

250 

225

546

285

Reported 

yield*

Gallons per 

day 

500-1,000

65,000

360,000

8(?)

130,000

20,000

2,000 

6,000

25,000-30,000

Dry.

35,460

Dry.

Dry.

Small.

Remarks

Formerly yielded 5,000 gallons a

day.

Caved at surface.

Rock struck at 16$ feet.

Dug 3}4 feet square in alluvium.

Drilled; 8 inches in diameter; alfin

aHevmm.

 Computed from angle of slope of shaft and depth along th« slope; results given to the nearest 6 feet. The 

depth to water is that at which water was first struck. 

» The yield of th* snafts is generally thai obtained with pomp a* lowest pert of tSte workings.

» Lawson, A. C., The epigene profiles of the desert: California Univ. Dept. Geology Bull.,"vd. *, pp. 

87-88,1916.
COLOEAPO BIVBR BASW 721

R. 63 £. R.64E.

Welt Number refers to table in text

FIOXJEB 20. Sketch map of Piute Valley, showing location of wells and shaffes mentioned in 

text From a plane-table sketch by D. F.Howett
722 THE MOHAVB DESERT XEBGION, CAUFOBNIA

At least 21 shafts reach a depth of more than 150 feet vertically 

below the surface, and all but two or three of these yielded some water. 

The quaatity ranged from only a few hundred gallons A day in the 

Midas shaft (No. 18, fig. 20), 300 feet deep, to 350,000 gallons a day 

in the Searchlight shaft (No. 3). The supply for the town of Searchlight is obtained from the Santa Fe shaft.

In addition to water in the mine shafts water is obtained from rock 

in the well of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway at Searchlight. 

The log of the well, furnished by the railway company, is as follows: 

0 to 164 feet, loose boulders and cemented earth; 164 to 360 feet, 

"porphyry;" 360 to 446 feet, "granite andesite." The terms "porphyry" and "granite andesite" are indefinite, but the rock is largely 

if not wholly Tertiary volcanic rock. Water was struck at a depth of 

290 feet and on completion of drilling stood 285 feet from the surface, 

or 120 feet below the surface of the bedrock. The well is 13 inches in 

diameter and is cased only to rock.. In a test on February 3, 1908, 

the well yielded 35,468 gallons in 24 hours (about 25 gallons a minute). 

As shown by analysis 3, in the table, the mineral content is high 

nearly 700 parts per million of total dissolved solids.. It is fair for 

domestic use, although it is rather hard. It is poor for use in boilers 

because it contains a considerable quantity of both scale-forming and 

foaming constituents.

The approximate altitude of the water table in the different shafts 

and wells is shown in Figure 20. The altitudes are based upon altitudes of shaft collars determined by a series of levels carried by 

angular observation with telescopic alidade and the reported depths 

to water. They may be several feet in error. In general they show 

that the water table is lower at the south end of the district than 

farther north. There is more or less difference in the altitudes of the 

water table in shafts that are near each other. This difference may 

be due either to errors in the data in regard to depth to water and 

height of surface or to the fact that water may not be present in one 

large body with a more or less connected upper surface but in separated 

bodies. There is some reason to believe that the latter condition 

exists. For example, it is reported that the water level in the Drake 

shaft (No. 8) is 100 feet lower than that in the Cyrus Noble shaft 

(No. 7), only 1,500 feet to the northeast, although the surface at the 

Drake shaft is 20 or 30 feet higher. The miners believe that a fault 

or an impervious mass of rock cuts across the district in a nearly due 

north direction and that the water table east of this feature is higher 

than on the ,west. The fact that in some mines east of this supposed 

fault considerable water was struck, whereas in others west of it verylittle was found, is believed to show that the occurrence of the ground 

water is affected considerably by local variations in the character of 

the rock. *-
COLORADO BIVEB BASIN

Water was also struck in the Golden West mine, probably in sec. 

33 or 34, T. 12 N., R. 22 E., about 25 miles pouth of 

(See pi. 13.) Water began seeping in at a depth of about 40 

The shaft is about 100 feet deep. Water can be obtained ftt; tliis 

shaft only when someone is at the mine to operate the hoist.

WATER IN ALLUVIUM

Although water has been found in bedrock in a number of shafts* 

only a few wells have struck water in the alluvium, and in most of! 

these the depth to water has been considerable.

The location of four wells put down near Searchlight is shown inj 

Figure 20. The Harris weU (No. 17), in sec. 15, T. 30 S., K. 63 E.| 

Mount Diablo meridian, is drilled 8 inches in diameter and 300 feet 

deep. The Hauff well (No. 16), in sec. 10 of the same township, isj 

dug 5 feet hi diameter and 67 feet deep. The Osborne well (No. 14),| 

in sec. 6, T. 30 S., R. 64 E., is dug 5 feet in diameter and 109 feet deep.; 

The Osborne well 2 (No. 15) is shallow. No water was found in any! 

of these wells. In addition, the Quartette extension shaft (No. 12), 

in sec. 11, T. 29 S., R. 63 E., was sunk to a depth of 250 feet, all ini 

alluvium, and did not strike water.

J. J. McDonald has two wells at his ranch, about 17 miles south of 

Searchlight and about 4 miles east of the Arrowhead Trail. The! 

wells are sunk on a bench on the south side of a gulch. Bedrock! 

rises a few hundred feet to the northeast, but the wells are dug 

entirely in alluvium. One well is 90 feet deep, and the other is 6d 

feet deep. The depth to water in each is 30 feet. Each well yields) 

about 20 gallons a minute, and at this rate the 90-foot well pumps( 

down to 60 feet in 8 hours and the other well down to 42 feet in the* 

same time. It is obvious that the quantity of water available is not 

great. The presence of the water so near to the surface is probably! 

due to some strictly local condition, perhaps a constriction in the; 

bedrock floor farther down the gulch or perhaps to the fact that the! 

drainage of a fairly large area is concentrated in the relatively narrow! 

gulch.

In a well drilled in 1901-2 by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe 

Railway at Homer station water was struck at a depth of 608 feet 

in cemented gravel. The total depth of the well was 780 feet. The 

materials penetrated were cemented gravel to 655 feet, shale from. 

655 to 752 feet, and granite from 752 to 780 feet. The well was. 

abandoned because the quantity of water obtained was small.

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway has two wells at Ibisi 

station. One of these wells, drilled in 1899, is 300 feet deep, and thfi 

material penetrated was cemented gravel. The well is lined witl, 

8-inch screw-pipe casing, with a 24-foot screen at the bottom, At 

completion the water stood at 82 feet, and in a pumping test it lowered 

to a depth of 175 feet from the top, when the yield was 120,00C
724 THE MOHAVE DESERT KEG ION, CALIFORNIA

gallons in 24 hours (about 85 gallons ft minute). As shown by 

analysis 1 in the table on page 726, the water is moderately mineralized, containing 329 parts per million of total dissolved solids. It is 

good for domestic use and fair for boilers and irrigation.

The second well, drilled in 1917, is 858 feet deep. Water wa§ 

struck at 130 feet. The well had not been tested when the above 

data were obtained. The log of this well is as follows:

Log of uxtt 8 at IUs, CaUf. 

[Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner]

SoO and sand ._ _____________________________

Cemented sand and gravel.. _________________ . __ .... ..........

White clay....... .... ____________________ ..... __ . ...

Clay............................................................................

Clay, sand, and gravel.. _____________________________

Clay ._..._._._ .--....____._..___.__...._._.___... ___ ..._. ..__.._.._

Volcanic roek _______________________ , _________ . .....

Thickness 

(feet)

2

173

30

480

160

5

10

68

Depth (feet)

2

175

298

63S

786

700

800

958

The old well was probably pumping when the measurement of the 

new one was made, and the water table near it accordingly may have 

been lowered somewhat, which may account for the difference in the 

water level in the two wells. On the other hand, the draft from the 

old well may have permanently lowered the water table in this 

vicinity. It hardly seems possible, however, that the draft from one 

well alone would have such an effect.

The wells at Ibis are close to Piute Wash. In the SE. J£ SW. ^ 

sec. 2, T. 9 N., R. 21 E. San Bernardino meridian, at Klinefelter, 

about 4 miles south of Ibis, near the wash, the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway has obtained water in a dug well less than 30 feet 

deep. The exact depth to water is not known. This well is near the 

point where the wash passes eastward through a break between the 

Dead and Sacramento Mountains. About a third of a mile north of 

Klinefelter station Sacramento Springs issue from the red conglomerate west of the railroad, but it is not certain whether the water comes 

from the main body of ground water. The water from the springs and 

the well is piped by gravity to a tank several hundred feet southwest, 

where it is used for engines. Analysis 2 (p. 726) represents a sample 

that is probably a composite of both the spring and well water. The 

mineral content of the water is moderate, 438 parts per million of 

total dissolved solids, which is somewhat greater than that of the 

water from the well at Ibis. The water also differs from the water 

at Ibis in that it contains a considerably larger percentage of chloride. The water is good for domestic use and fair for boiler use and 

irrigation.
COLORADO BIVEB BASIS

The nearness o! the water table to the surf ace in the narrows ia to 

be expected for two reasons. In the first place, it is probable th&t 

bedrock lies at no great depth in the narrows, tin the second place, 

even if bedrock lies at a considerable depth, the alluvium-filled channel 

is constricted by the rock mountains on the north and south. The 

underground drainage from the entire Piute Valley must pass through 

this constriction, and the water table thus rises near the surface. >

The profile of the water table between Goffs and Colorado River 

through the Homer, Ibis, a|ad Klinefelter wells is shown in Figure lft» 

As shown there, a line drawn between the water table in the Homer 

and Ibis wells, if projected, cuts the surface netar Klinefelter. f fae 

water level north and west of Klinefelter is thus apparently controlled 

more or less by the water level in the narrows at that point. ;

The gradient of the water table between Homer and Ibis is $bout 

15 or 20 feet to the mile. If a profile that showe this gradient of th« 

water table is drawn northward from Ibis along Rute Waib.4o;!tl» 

Searchlight Hills, with the altitudes of the surface as given OB die 

Camp Mohave topographic map, nowhere in the northern part of the 

valley is the water table shown to be less than 250 to 800 feet below 

the surface. It is not certain that the gradient of the water table is 

the same in the main Fiute Valley as between Ibis and Hom«r, but 

there is no reason to believe that it would be *ny greater, 'fibre faet 

that no water was obtained in the wells in the alluvium near Searchlight, however, tends to confirm the belief that the water table there 

lies at a considerable depth, if water is .present in the alluvium,

EEIATIOH OF WATER IN BOCK AND ALLUVIUM

The fact that water was found in many of the mines at Searchlight 

at altitudes somewhat higher than Piute Wash has led some persons 

to believe that water for irrigation might be obtained in the alluviumfilled part of the valley. The few deep wells that have been put down 

near Searchlight, however, failed to find water. The question arises 

whether water can be obtained from the alluvium elsewhere in the 

valley. ,

The bedrock is so massive that it can absorb relatively little watsr, 

and the water in the mines undoubtedly is present mostly in joints 

and other cervices in the rocks. As suggested above, the water may 

occur in more or less isolated bodies, .separated perhaps by impervious 

gouge along faults or by intrusive dikes. There may be also some 

seepage from the rock into the alluvium. The alluvium, however, is 

much more porous, and the water can move through it much more 

freely. According to Ellis,80 the quantity of water stored in crystalline rocks, such as occur in the Searchlight area, may be only about

*> Gregory, H. E., and Bills, E. E., Underground water resources of Connecticut, with a stuajr af tfii 

occurrence of water in crystalline rocks: U. B. Oeol. Surrey Water-Supply Paper 282, p, 75,1906.

5631 29 47
726 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

one-tenth of 1 per cent of the total volume. On the other hand, the 

alluvium may easily hold water equivalent to 25 to 40 per cent of its 

volume. If the capacity of the rock were even as much as 1 per cent, 

the quantity of water contained in a depth of 100 feet of rock over a 

given area, if poured into the alluvium, would fill only about 4 feet. 

It is obvious that the bedrock actually holds comparatively little 

water and therefore can contribute very little to the alluvium.

The rainfall in Piute Valley, even though greater than in some parts 

of the Mohave Desert region, is small. Even though a considerable 

quantity is absorbed by the rock and alluvium near KHnefelter,'it 

drains freely out of the basin toward Colorado River. At this point 

the water table lies near the surface, but at Ibis, which is situated in 

an area that ought to receive the concentrated underground flow from 

almost the entire basin, the water table is at least 80 feet below the 

surface. The drawdown in well 1 at Ibis is more than 90 feet, 

although the yield of the well is only about 85 gallons a minute. 

These facts show that the quantity of ground water is not very great.

Wells that are drilled deep enough into the alluvium may strike 

water if they are situated near the lowest part of the buried bedr^cfk 

valley, but if they are drilled on the side slope of the buried valley 

they may strike the rock before reaching water. The bottom of t^ie 

rock valley does not necessarily coincide with the bed of Piute WaaJi> 

and its position can not be foretold. It is therefore impossible to 

predict whether or not a well in a given locality will strike water in 

the alluvium.

ANALYSES

Analyses of ground water from Piute Valley, Calif.-Nev.

[Analyses furnished by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co.; recalculated from hypothetipa 

combinations in grains per U. 8. gallon. Parts per million]

Silica (SiOj)........_._.-._.___._...._.____.___._._.______.__.__.___

Iron(Fe) . ____ . __ . ________ . __ ..

Calcium (Ca)__ ___ . .....

Sodium and potassium (Na+K) (calculated)... ________ .....

Carbonate radicle (COj) ____________ . __________

Bicarbonate radicle (HCOj).. ______ I ___._._.__.__.____ ___ .

Sulphate radicle (SO<) ............................. _ .............

Chfoiide radicle (Cl). ..............................................

Nitrate radicle (NOa). .....__._._.__._._.____,_..___._____.___,_.__

Total dissolved solids ...............................................

Total hardness as CaCOj (calculated) ________________

1

31

8.4

78

274

16

28

329

112 (»)

2

 41

35

92

114

44

104

438

( )

3 ;

*107

34

106

260

240

93

698

366

CO

«Includes silica, and iron and aluminum oxides. 

» May 13,1899.

 August, 1898.

* Jan. 15,1908.

1. Well 1 at Ibis. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. See p. 723 for description.

2. Composite sample from Saraamento Springs and dug well at Klinefelter Atchison, Topeka & Santa 

Fe Railway Co. owner. See p. 724 for description.

3. Well at Searchlight, Nev , No. 13, fig. 20. Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., owner. See 

p, 722 for description.
COLOBADO BIVEB BASIN 

PROSPECTS FOB IRBIGATIOH

The conditions in Piute Valley are not favorable for the development of irrigation. There is no supply of surface water in the valley, 

 wjhich lies at so great an altitude above Colorado River that water 

can not be obtained from the river. In the central lowland part of 

the valley, as shown by the data, the depth to water is apparently 

more than 100 feet, and the quantity yielded by wells is small. Hie 

most favorable conditions found so far are at the Ibis weH 1. There, 

however, the pumping lift is so great and the yield so small that this 

well could not be operated economically for irrigation.

Although water is apparently present in large quantities in the 

mines at Searchlight, when the requirements of irrigation are considered, the quantity is actually small. The greatest quantity 

reported to have been pumped daily is 350,000 gallons, from the 

Searchlight mine. This quantity is less than 250 gallons a minute. 

When it is remembered that this quantity has seeped in from a considerable area of drifts it is obvious that the quantity that could be 

obtained from a single drilled or dug well in rock would be indeed 

small. Consequently, even if water could be obtained from the bed* 

rock nearer the surface than in the alluvium the cost of wells and low 

yields would not warrant any attempt at irrigation, -except perhaps 

on a small scale for a household garden.

SPRINGS AWD OTHER WATER HOLES

Piute Spring. Piute Spring is reported to yield about 150 gallons 

a minute and is one of the largest springs in the Mohave Desert 

region. The spring was not visited, and its exact location is unknown, 

except that it is in a prominent canyon near the south end of the 

Piute Range and a short distance south or southeast of bench mark 

3789, which is in T. 12 N., R. 17 E. (See pis. 12 and 13.) It is along 

the old Government road that led from Fort^Mohave, on Colorado 

River, westward across Piute Valley, about 11 miles north of tike 

present National Old Trails road, and thence across Lanfair Valley. 

This road is seldom traveled now, and it is not certain that automobiles can reach the spring. The old road is said to be sandy where 

it crosses Piute Wash.

Beacuse of its location so far from the present main roads Piute 

Spring is now of little use, although before the days of the railroad it 

was one of the principal watering places in the region. The flow 

from the spring is said to persist for nearly a mile down the alluvial 

slope in the cooler months. It is probable that the Mohave Indians 

irrigated small garden patches at the spring.

Watering places along Arrowhead Trail. No water is obtainable 

along the road from the National Old Trails Road to Searchlight, 

excep"t by turning off from the main road. Water can be olitnctfd.iw 

the Golden West inine only when people are living there. Tks> mine
728 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

is about 4 miles east of the main road at a fork 6.8 miles north of the 

National Old Trails Ebad.

Water can be obtained at McDonald's wells, about 4 miles east of 

the main road, at a branch road about 17 miles south of Searchlight. 

Water is also available at Juniper Well. The. exact location of this 

well is unknown, but it is reported to be about 2 miles east of the 

main road and about 18 miles north of the National Old Trails Road. 

The road that leads to this well is probably about 3 miles south of the 

road to McDonald's wells. These wells are not shown on Plate 13.

Watering places on Castle ^Mountains and north end of New York 

Mountains. The following notes on watering places in the Castle 

and New York Mountains were furnished to D. F. Hewett by Lawrence Mouser:

A spring known as Lewis Holes issues in a canyon in the northeastern part of 

the Castle Mountains, probably, in sec. 15, T. 30 S., R. 62 E. Mount Diablo 

meridian. (See pi. 12.) There is a small flow in the canyon in the winter, 

The spring is equipped with a windmill and is used as a watering place for stock. 

It is the property of the Rock Spring Cattle Co.

Kennedy Water, about half a mile west of Lewis Holes, is said to furnish water 

for 100 to 150 head of cattle.

A water hole called Mouser Water is situated near Hart Peak, but its exact 

location is not known. The water is obtained from a trench 200 feet long and 

is piped to a trough. The watering place, which is the property of the Rock 

Spring Cattle Co., is said to furnish enough water for 150 head of cattle (about 

1,500 gallons a day at 10 gallons a head).

Malpais Spring is in a canyon on the east side of the New York Mountains, a 

mile or two northwest of the Searchlight branch of the Atchiaon, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway. It is the property of the Rock Spring Cattle Co. and furnished 

enough water for about 300 head of cattle. It is said that if "the spring were 

improved the supply probably would be sufficient for 1,000 head.

A water hole known as Hopps Wells is situated near the base of Crescent Peak, 

but whether it is in Piute Valley or Ivanpah Valley is not known. It furnishes 

enough water for only 10 or 15 head of cattle.

COLORADO RIVER VALLEY BETWEEN MOHAVE CITY AND TOPOOK

GENERAL FEATURES

The area described in this section is that part of the Colorado 

drainage basin that drains directly to the river. (See pi. 7.) It 

does not include Piute. Valley, the drainage of which passes through 

the area but which is a distinct drainage unit. (See pp. 716-728.) 

The area here described is commonly called Mohave Valley because it 

has been the home of the Mohave Indians since the time prior to 

the coming of the white man. This valley should not be confused 

with the Mohave Biver Valley, in the central part of San Bernardino 

County.

The main line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway traverses the area from the center of the western border to the southeast 

corner and crosses Colorado Eiver at Topqck,, Ariz. The National
COL0BADO BIVER BASIN

Old Trails Road follows the same general route but at places is %:;»r 

3 miles from the railroad. It crosses the river at Topodk on a' stiftlstantial bridge thai was completed in 1917. On this Mad supplies 

are obtainable at Needles and Topock, and water is obtainable ajb 

Java.

From Topock travelers who are going east have a elioice of! two 

routes. They may follow the road that leads eastward and nottireastward along the railroad, or they may go northward to Oatman 

and Gold Road and thence eastward and join the road along 

railroad a few miles southwest of Kingman, Ariz. There is 

much difference in the distance by the different routes. Th©*roai 

along the railroad has the advantage that help may be obtained more 

easily in case of accident. The choice of routes largely depends oft 

local conditions, which may best be determined by inquiry at Needles. 

A distance of about 25 miles may be saved by crossing Colorado^ 

River by ferry at Needles and taking a short-cut road to Oatman. 

However, operation of the ferry is generally suspended during part 

of the year on account of high water.

From the National Old Trails Road 5.7 miles south of Needles a 

road leads southeastward to Parker, Ariz. This is the road that is 

generally used by travelers in going between Parker and other points 

in Arizona and points in southern California by way of the National 

Old Trails Road. Some people^ however, take an alternative route 

farther south, along the Parker branch of the Atchison, Topeka & 

Santa Fe Railway, to Cadiz or Dauby. (See p. 142.)

The road from Needles to Parker has the disadvantage that no 

supplies other than water are available between the two places, a 

distance of 61 miles. Water may be obtained at Welch Well, 12.5 

miles from Needles, and sometimes at the D. & W. mine, and also by 

a detour of 3 miles at the West Well, 34 miles from Needles. Hanks 

Well, on the main road 31 miles from Needles, was formerly a useful 

watering place. In November, 1917, however, it was dry, and it 

should not be depended upon unless definite information is obtained 

at Needles or Parker that it contains water. Numerous roads 

to mining camps in the Sacramento Mountains and to ranches 

along Colorado River.

Needles, the only town in the area described, takes its name from 

several prominent peaks called The Needles, which are on the Arizona 

side of Colorado River 15 mjles southeast of the town. la 1020 

it had a population of 2,807. The town is supported largely ^by 

railroad activities, being a division headquarters of the Atchison, 

Topeka & Santa Fe Railway. The town is also the center lof a 

number of mining camps and contains a smelter that ha&dleg 

from a number of mines within a considerable radius. 

possesses good hotels, stores, and garages.
,730 THE MOHAVB DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

Section crews are stationed at Java and Beal, on the railroad, and 

aid can be obtained at these places in emergencies.

The lowlands along Colorado Kiver near Needles have been the 

home of the Mohave Indians as far back as our written records go. 

In 1905 about 900 Mohaves were living in the region.81 Many of 

the Indians of the young generation work for the railroad, and the 

older squaws daily sell trinkets at the railroad station. In 1858 

Fort Mohave was established on the Arizona side, about 15 miles 

north of Needles, to protect white travelers through the region. 

This fort was continued, with a break of two years, until 1890, when 

the reservation was transferred to the Indian Service for a school. 

An area of several thousand acres near the school is now included in 

the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation, as well as all the even-numbered 

sections on the lowlands in Arizona as far south as Topock. The 

odd-numbered sections many years ago were granted to the Atlantic 

& Pacific Kailroad and sold by its successor, the Atchison, Topeka 

& Santa Fe Railway, to a land company.

The Indians who now live in the region have adopted the white 

man's ways to a large extent. An interesting reminder of the primitive Indians is found in the "mystic maze," on the National Old 

Trails Road about 14 miles southeast of Needles and about 2 miles 

west of the bridge at Topock. The maze is said to be an ancient 

ceremonial ground used in the bupal of the dead. It lies about 

200 feet south of the road and covers an area from 250 to 300 yards 

square. In this area are many long rows of stones which are mostly 

less than 3 inches in diameter. The rows are about 6 feet apart. 

In any one part of the area several of them are approximately parallel, 

but in different parts different groups of the parallel rows intersect. 

(See pi. 30, B.) From a little distance the appearance is not unlike 

that of a field cut by plow furrows. It is said that when an Indian 

died his body was carried by a devious route between the rows of 

the maze, for it was believed that on this journey the evil spirits 

following him would become lost in the maze and could not pursue 

him farther. F. M. Kelley, of Needles, informed the writer that old 

Mohave Indians have told him that the maze was not used by their 

tribe but by some unknown tribe that preceded them in the region.

CLIMATE

Available records of precipitation at Needles and of temperature at 

Needles and Mohave City are given on pages 71-91.

The average annual precipitation at Needles for 30 years is 4.29 

inches. This quantity is more than an inch less than that at Parker,

M The Mohave Indians and plans for irrigation in the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation are described 

in Hearings before the Committee on the Irrigation of Arid Lands, House of Representatives, 67th Cong., 

2d sess., on H. B. 11449, A bill to provide for the protection and development of the lower Colorado River 

basin, pp. 130-148,1922.
COLORADO RIVER BASIN 7M

Ariz., less than 50 miles to the south, and nearly 1% inches less than 

that at Mohave City, about 15 miles to the north. The three stations 

occupy approximately similar locations in the river valley, and the 

reason for the differences in precipitation is not known. The average 

precipitation at Needles for the years covered by the record at Parker 

is practically 100 per cent of the average for the total period. Thterefore, the explanation of the difference can not be that the annual 

precipitation during the period of record at Parker was less than 

during the longer period of the record at Needles. The record at 

Mohave City covers so few of the years included in the period of the 

Needles record that an adequate comparison can not be made with 

that station. In the five years for which records are available at 

both stations the average at Mohave City is only 64 per cent of the 

average for the long-time record, whereas at Needles it is 84 per 

cent of the long-time record at that place. Furthermore, in the 

second and third years prior to the beginning of the record at Needles 

the precipitation at Mohave City was more than three times the 

average for the period of record at that place. The excess in these 

two years alone is sufficient to make a difference of nearly an inch in 

the average. It is probable that the average annual precipitation 

is not greatly different in the two places.

The distribution of precipitation during the year in the eastern part 

of the Mohave Desert region is greatly different from that in the 

western part, in that in the eastern part a large percentage comes in 

the late summer. This condition is particularly noticeable at Needles, 

where in the period of record a greater percentage of the total rainfall 

has come in August than in any other month.

The temperature at Needles is more equable than that at almost 

any other station in the Mohave Dfesert region. The lowest temperature recorded is only 23°, and the highest is 122°, a range of 99°. 

The average length of the frostless season at Needles, 298 days, is 

exceeded at only one other station in the Mohave Desert region 

Bagdad. The frostless season at Mohave City is nearly 20 days less.

VEGETATION

The vegetation of the upland slopes of the valley is essentially like 

that of the great part of the Mohave Desert region, with creosote 

bush the predominant form. On the lowlands along Colorado Eiver 

the water table is close to the surface and water-loving forms ar6 

abundant, including cottonwood and willow along the river and 

sloughs, and mesquite, arrow weed, and some salt grass and salt 

bush elsewhere. The mesquite grow to large trees. Their beans 

formed one of the principal supplies of food for the primitive Indians.
732 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA 

PHYSICAL FEATTTBE8 AND GEOI/QGY

From about Mohave City southward to Topock Colorado River 

flows on a broad flood plain that is from 1 mile to 6 miles wide. This 

plain is widest near the north end and becomes gradually narrower 

southward. In recent years the main channel has been on the west 

side of the flood plain for most of the stretch between Mohave City 

and Topock. However, that it has from tune to time been on other 

parts of the plain is shown by several lakes which occupy former 

channels that have been cut off by later deposition. The channel of 

the river changes more or less from time to time, and generally there 

are several channels, branching and joining each other in a braided 

pattern. The flood plain is composed of silt, sand, and gravel deposited by the river. The river always carries much silt in suspension, at times as much as 3 per cent by weight of the entire flow.

From the borders of the flood plain on both sides of the river the 

. alluvium rises with a more or less uniform grade. The portion of the 

valley east of the river was not visited by the writer but has been 

described by Lee.82 On the west side of the river the alluvial slope is 

very much dissected. In traveling north or south on the slope one 

crosses alternately many long and relatively narrow tongues of the 

undissected slope which are separated by steep-sided arroyos* The 

peculiar topography is shown very well on the Needles topographic 

map. Several terraces are well developed along the slope. *

The western border of the valley is formed by the Dead and Sacramento Mountains, which are composed mostly of granitic rocks and 

schist.83 Both these ranges are much dissected. Several canyons 

have cut back beyond the highest parts of the Sacramento 

Mountains. »

The southern border of the valley is formed by the Mohave Mountains. At the United States Geological Survey gaging station on 

Colorado River 1% miles below Topock, at Welch Well 13 miles south 

of Needles, and on the west side of the range farther south, where it is 

called the Chemehuevis Mountains, the rocks are granitic. The 

main mass.of the mountain apparently is composed of these rocks, 

which are overlain in places by the Tertiary extrusive rocks. The 

mountains are intricately dissected, and the drainage divide lies west 

of the main mountain mass.

WATER BESOUKCES 

SURFACE WATER

Colorado River is the only permanent stream in the valley. Water 

also stands at the surface in several lakes or sloughs on the flood plain

« Lea, W. T., Geologic reconnaissance of a part of western Arizona: U. 8. Qeol. Survey BoIL 3S2, pp. 

41-43,1908.

" Barton, N. H., Guidebook of the western United States, pt. C, The Saata Fe Route: U. S. Oeol. 

Survey Bull. 618, pp. 146-147,1915.
COLORADO EIVEB BASW f&S

along t^e river. The water in the river is so muddy that it can not 

be utilized without filtering it or allowing the silt to settle, Sp far 

as is known the river water is not used, except perhaps by the ladiaas.

Even before the coming of the white man the Indians grew crops 

on the flood plain of the river by planting after the annual floods bad 

receded. In dry seasons the crops were irrigated by water <wrie4 

from the river. Beginning in 1891 several attempts have, beefi 

made to use the river water to irrigate in a modern manner lands ©a 

the flood plain, including both the lands of the Indian reservation 

and the privately owned lands.84 Some water has been pumped 

from the river, but serious difficulty has been experienced in keeping 

the intakes to the pumping plants open on account of deposition by 

the river as it changes its channel from time to time. Several 

attempts have also been made to divert water for irrigation by canals 

directly from the river, both for the Indian lands and for the priv&lily 

owned lands, but these have not been successful. One of the principal 

difficulties is that there is no good place for the intake of the distribution canal, except at a point where the cost of construction woukMste 

prohibitive. For successful irrigation levees are necessary both to 

prevent the flooding of the reclaimed land and to protect the canals. 

Levees have been constructed several times but have been destroyed 

repeatedly by the river floods. Up to June 30, 1915, the Cotton 

Land Co., which owned the odd-numbered sections on the Arizona, 

side of the river, had spent $575,000 in irrigation works and. flood 

protection without success.85 As practically all the flood plain lies 

east of the river the irrigation projects have been largely confined 

to lands in Arizona.

In 1917 the United States Geological Survey established a stream* 

gaging station on the west side of the river at the upper end of 

Mohave Canyon, about 1% miles below Topock, to obtain data in 

regard to the flow of the river. In December, 1922, the station wa» 

moved to the south end of the canyon, about a mite below the 

original station. In the period from the establishment of the station 

to September 30, 1926, the maximum annual flow was 21,500,000 

acre-feet and the minimum 12,900,000 acre-feet.88 The rate of Hot* 

has ranged from 1,800 to 174,000 cubic feet a second. TJhe Yariatioa 

in the water level in low and high water stages has been about 25 

feet. The flood period generally occurs in June. The floods are 

due to the melting of the snow in the mountains of the headwater 

regions, hundreds of miles to the north, and consequently it is already 

summer before they reach the lower part of the river.

M Hearing before the Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, Home of Representatives, 67th Cong., 

2d sess., on H. R. 11449, A bill to provide for the protection and development of the lower Colorado BfcWf 

basin, Appendix A, pp. 138-148,1922. . '

"Idem, p. 144.

» XT. S. Geol. Survey Water-Supply Papers 4%, 479, 509, 629,549, 569,589, and 009.
734 THE MOHAVE DESERT EEGION, CALIFOENIA

GROUND WATER

There has been little development of ground water. Plans were 

made to use water from wells for irrigating lands on the flood plain 

in the Indian reservation. A well was drilled to a depth of 780 feet 

near the Indian school at Mohave City.87 The well did not penetrate 

any extensive gravel beds, and although the yield was sufficient for 

domestic use it was not enough for irrigation, and the project was 

therefore abandoned.

At Needles the water supply for practically the entire population 

is furnished by the Needles Water, Ice & Light Co., and there are 

only about 10 private wells. The wells of this company are in the 

northern part of the town, at the very outer edge of the river flood 

plain. The water is obtained from about 15 driven wells 8 inches 

in diameter, all connected to a single pump. The materials penetrated in a typical well are as follows: Adobe to 13 feet; quicksand, 

13 to 18 feet; coarse sand, 18 to 34 feet; coarse gravel and boulders, 

34 to 56 feet. The 8-inch pipes, with a 20-foot strainer, are driven 

down to the gravel. The water in the upper formations is shut out. 

The water stands about 2 feet from the surface.

Generally, even in summer, the quantity pumped does not exceed 

300,000 gallons a day (about 210 gallons a minute), but the wells 

have been pumped at a rate of 1,500,000 gallons a day (about 1,000 

gallons a minute) without affecting them. There is no storage reservoir, and the water is pumped direct into the mains. The pressure 

at the pumps is about 85 pounds to the square inch. In November, 

1917, the pumping plant was equipped with two Worthington compound pumps, operated by steam, only one of which is used while 

the other is held in reserve. The system contains 6 or 7 miles of 

8-inch distribution mains. About 95 per cent of the water is sold 

under meter rates of 15 cents per 1,000 gallons, with a minimum 

charge of $1.50 a month.

An analysis of water collected at the pumping plant is given below 

(No. 1). The water is highly mineralized. It is only fair for domestic 

use, because of the hardness and the large quantity of total solids. 

However, it can be used for domestic supplies without serious inconvenience. It is fair for irrigation but bad for boilers because of the 

large quantity of foaming and scale-forming constituents.

» Hearings before Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, op. oit., p. 141.
COtOKABO EIVEE BASIN

Analyses of ground waters in the Colorado River Valley near Nee<tt«6t Ct&if.

[Parts per million]

'

Silica (SiOd- ...................................................................

Xron(Fe).. . ________ ._.__.. __ . ____ ..... _____ . ____ .....

Oalcium (Ca) ____________________________________

Magnesium (Mg) _________________________________ 

Sodium and potassium (Na+K). __________________ . _____ ...

Sulphate radicle (SOi) ___ ". ____________________________

Omoride radide (Cl)....... ..................................................

Nitrate radicle (NOa) - ______________________________

Total dissolved solids at 180° C _ . _______________________ :..

Total hardness as CaCOa (calculated) _______________________

1

45 

.18 

101 

40 

 256 

0 

276 

284 

317 

1.3 

1,229 

416 ( 6)

2

29 

.IS 

853 

119 

382 

9 

167 

819 

871 

98 

2,636

vr

1 Calculated. » Nov. 9,1917. »Nov. 12,1917,

Analysts: 1, A. A. Chambers, U. S. Geological Survey; 2, Addie T. Geiger and C. H. EMweU, U. 8 . 

Geological Survey.

1. Composite sample from wells of Nieedles Water Co. See p. 734 for description

2. Welch Well, 13 miles south of Needles. See p. 736 for description.

colled ed

was

The quality of the water is said to change ace 

and low-water stages of the river. A sample 

1916, and analyzed by the State board of health 

parts per million of chloride and the hardness 

million. These quantities are less than those in the 

by the writer. The change is undoubtedly due to 

ground water is derived largely from seepage from 

quality changes as the river rises and falls from one 

The conditions agree with the results of analyses of 

from Colorado River at Topock which cover 7-day p 

year from October 1, 1925, to September 30,1926.88 

the lowest mineral content was found in June tha 

of flood discharge, when the run-off comes in large 

melting snow. The greatest mineral content was 

winter, when the discharge was at a minimum, 

relatively larger percentage of the run-off is derived 

water and therefore contains a higher 

materials. Although the quantity of calcium 

the water was less in June than in January, th 

slightly greater. The total quantity of dissolved 

by the river during the period of observation r 

12,500 to 66.000 tons.

In general it is probable that water can be 

almost any point on the alluvial slopes that 

River. Near the river the depth to water is not great 

increases toward the mountains. It is likely that 

two of the mountains the depth will be more than 

reason, it would be impracticable to pump water

oriing

and

percentage 

carbonate

to the flood 

on August 12, 

contained only 285 

365 parts per 

sample collected 

the fact that the 

he river, and the 

season to another. 

samples of water 

mods for a whole 

In these analyses 

b is, in the month 

part directly from 

found in fall and 

at this lime & 

from the ground 

of dissolved 

dissolved in 

percentage was 

solids carried daily 

from about

obtained from welfe at 

descend to Colorado 

, but it probably 

within a mile or 

feet. For this 

or irrigation. A

« Coffins, W. D., and Howard, 0.8., Quality of water of Colorado Blv«r, H 88-88: TJ. S. OtpL Somy 

Water-Supply Paper 506, pp, 33-43,1927.
736 THE MOHAVE DESEET REGION, CALIFORNIA

condition that is unfavorable to irrigation is the fact that the alluvial 

slope is so greatly dissected that there are no large areas suitable for 

cultivation. The only area where irrigation would be at all feasible 

lies near the river. On the flood plain conditions do not seem to be 

favorable for obtaining water from wells because of the fineness of 

the alluvium and because the water is generally of poor quality. 

These conclusions are borne out not merely by the few attempts to 

obtain irrigation wells in the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation but 

also by those made in the Colorado River Indian Reservation near 

Parker, where conditions are similar.89

Water has been obtained in several wells in alluvium-filled washes 

in the mountains or in the bedrock. The only well for which data 

are available is Welsh Well, a watering place 13 miles south of Needles, 

on the road to Parker. The well is 50 feet east of the road and is 

readily found. It is dug to a total depth of 59 feet. On November 

11, 1917, the depth to water was 54 feet. The material in a large 

dump pile near by indicates that the well is dug in granitic rock. 

The hole was provided with a good tight-fitting cover.

As shown by analysis 2 in the table (p. 735) the water is very highly 

mineralized, containing 2,636 parts per million of total solids. It is 

too salty for drinking except in an emergency, when it probably 

could be used without serious effect. It is poor for irrigation and very 

bad for use in boilers.

CHEMEHUEVIS VALLEY

GENERAL FEATURES

On some maps the name Chemehuevis Valley is applied to an area 

of a few square miles of lowland immediately adjacent to Colorado 

River about halfway between Needles, Calif., and Parker, Ariz. In 

this paper, however, for convenience the name is applied to a much 

larger valley that stretches more than 25 miles west of the river, and 

extends north and south for about the same distance. (See pis. 7 

and 13.) The drainage from this large area is concentrated into a 

single large wash, which enters Colorado River in the smaller Chemeliuevis Valley referred to above, and this wash is accordingly called 

Chemehuevis Wash.

There are no towns in the valley. Some of the Chemehuevis 

Indians are said to live along the river, but there are no permanent 

habitations elsewhere in the largest part of the valley.

The eastern part of the main valley is crossed by the road that 

leads from Needles to Parker. From this road 17.5 miles south of 

Needles a branch road leads southwest to mine prospects at the north 

end of the Turtle Mountains, a distance of 19 miles. Water i* 

obtainable at Carsons Wells, at the end of this road. Another

« Hearings before Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, op. dt., pp. 106-113.
COLORADO RIVER BASE?

|i

branch road, 27 miles soujth of Needles, leads southeastward 

Well, 6.7 miles. From this well another road leads soiitfei 

to the main road, which it joins 36.5 miles south of Needles and 248 

miles northwest of Parker. Formerly water could be obtained at 

Hanks Well, on the main road about midway between tfaf 

branch roads, but in November, 1917, the well was dry. 

needing water could obtain it at West Well by making a deWwlf 

only about 3^ miles. From West Well a road leads eastw&fd 

Chemehuevis Wash to Colorado River. Another road leads 

ward from West Well to Whipple Well and prospects in the Whipple 

Mountains. A road formerly led from the Needles-Parker road, 

about 35 miles south of Needles, southwestward to Rice (BIytlie 

Junction). In 1917 only faint tracks were observed at two plaeee 

where this road might have been, and apparently it is no longer used.

Ore deposits are reported in prospects at a number of places, but 

in 1017 there had been no commercial development. There has been 

no agricultural development, except perhaps in a small are& ataag 

Colorado River.

The climatic conditions are probably not greatly different frem 

those at Needles and Parker. The average annual rainfall is probably 

about 4 or 5 inches. The summer temperatures are doubtless rftther 

high.

The vegetation of the valley includes types not common1 in other 

parts of the Mohave Desert region. Along the main road abctit 

17 miles south of Needles is found the peculiar ocotillo (pronounced 

ocotee'yo), or Fouguiiria splendens. (See p. 50.) This is the ta&y 

locality in the Mohave Desert region where the ocotillo wa» observed. 

In this same locality several forms of the spinose plants known a« 

cholla (cho'ya) are particularly abundant.

Palo verde trees were observed in Chemehuevis Waefe whefe it in 

crossed by the road to Carsons Wells, along the main n&ad 

Hanks Well, and at West Well. Near Hanks Well some of th*; ' 

were 25 to 30 feet high. This place is the farthest north that this 

tree was observed. Cat's-claw grows around Hanks Well and 

Well, with the palo verde, and at West Well there are several 

and cottonwoods.

Here, as in most other parts of the Mohave Desert region, the 

common plant on the alluvial slopes is the creosote hush. ''

PHYSICAL FEATtJKES AND GEOLCMiT

Chemehuevis Valley is mainiy a large, gently sloping valley tftftt 

drains southward for 20 miles and thenee eastward mt© 

River It is almost completely shut off from Colorado Rxv&'ilf 

northern part by the south end of the Sacranwrrta MoontEtnW/ the 

Mohave Mountains, and the Chjemehuevis Motmtaina, and o»
738 THE MOHAVE DESEKT REGION, CALIFOBNIA

south by the Whipple Mountains. The Sacramento and MohaveMountains are described briefly on page 732. In every place that the 

rocks were observed closely on the west side of the Chemehuevis 

Mountains they were intrusive rocks similar to those observed in 

the Mohave Mountains at Welch Well and at the United States 

Geological Survey stream-gaging station on Colorado River. East 

of the main road about 23 miles south of Needles the rock is mainly a 

biotite or chlorite granite cut by dikes of a dense black rock, probably 

diabase. From a distance these dikes can be traced at several places 

on the mountain side. The Chemehuevis Mountains are very 

intricately dissected, and some canyons reach westward from Colorado 

River almost to the west side of the mountain mass. As a result the 

area of the mountains that drains to Chemehuevis Valley is only a 

small part of the whole.

At the west base of the Chemehuevis Mountains there is a ridge 

from 100 to 200 feet wide, which has nearly vertical sides and is cut 

into jagged peaks. To this ridge the name Sawtooth Range is aptly 

applied. It is composed of a purplish volcanic rock, probably 

trachyte. The steep sides suggest that it is an upfaulted block, but 

it is probably due merely to differential erosion, perhaps of a dike.

On the western border of the valley a low divide extends from the 

Sacramento Mountains to the Turtle Mountains. The divide is 

topped in a number of places by rocky knobs, and although between 

these knobs the slopes appear to be formed of alluvium it is probable 

that rock is close to the surface. The Turtle Mountain range is 

about 25 miles long, and for most of its length it is rather narrow and 

near Carsons Wells rises steeply. Near the north end it is broader 

than elsewhere, but even in this part, high, steep-sided ridges are 

separated by fairly broad valleys. Near Carsons Wells the main 

rock mass rises in a narrow dikelike ridge somewhat similar to the 

Sawtooth Range, except that it is steeper and very much higher. 

The rocks of this part of the mountain are reported to be volcanic, 

including tuff, and are probably of Tertiary age. In a large embayment of the mountains, in which Carsons Wells are situated, the rocks 

are granite, and they appear to extend westward, forming the main 

mass of the mountains beneath the volcanic rocks. Low hills on the 

eastern border of the mountains appear from the road to Carsons 

Wells to be made up of lava.

The southern border of the valley, between the Turtle Mountains 

and the Whipple Mountains, is a low ridge from which rise several 

knobs. Although the slopes rise gently to the divide, as if it were 

formed of alluvium, everywhere along it bedrock is probably close to 

the surface.

The rocks observed along the Needles-Parker road in the Whipple 

Mountains were all granitic intrusive rocks, or metamorphosed
COLORADO RIVER BASIN

gneiss and schist. However, Tertiary volcanic rocks are knowtt to fee K

present in the mountains. Like the Chemehuevis Mountains, tto f {

Whipple Mountains are minutely dissected, but the part that drains j; j

to Chemuehevis Wash is very small. ;'b

The upper part of the Chemehuevis Valley has relatively smooth f

alluvial slopes that descend gently to Chemehuevis Wash, which ||

heads near the northern part of the valley and drains in a south- ;t;

easterly direction to the western part of T. 4 N., R. 23 E., whence ; j :

it trends northeast. These slopes appear to be alluvial slopes, but * f

in some places at least they are probably erosional slopes beneath 'd. -. which the bedrock lies at no great depth, particularly on the east ; j

side of the valley, near the Sawtooth Range, where several small roek i ? ^

hills rise above the plain, and near the northeast end of the Turtile ; i

Mountains. The gentle slope reaches back into an embayment at the I'j ~L

northeast end of the Turtle Mountains, but outcrops of bedrock in the "ft ;

washes show that the slope is due to erosion and not to deposition. On ];

the valley slope hi this part of the valley are numerous smooth areas, |y

bare of vegetation and covered with a pavement of small pebbles |!

which almost completely hide the underlying soil. K-x

In the lower half of the valley the valley slopes are rnterrapted by j - numerous arroyos and by terraces similar to those west of Colorado 1

River near Needles. (See p. 732.) These features become less distinct ' *

toward the upper part of the valley. The broad valley becomes very I

much dissected near Colorado River. East of West Well the slope \l 4

toward the river is interrupted by low knobs of volcanic rocks between t-| ':

which Chemehuevis Wash passes. p!,

WATER RESOURCES t

'.'- - .' 

WELLS IN THE VALLEY ;

With the exception of Colorado River, on the east, there are n® JM

perennial streams hi the Chemehuevis Valley. The Indians that Hve f

along the river probably obtain their water supply either from the I

river itself or from shallow wells on the river bottom. -\-\'_

Only two wells, West Well and Hanks Well, are known in the aUu- :

vmm-filled valley above the river. Hanks Well is on the east side ^of il

the Needles-Parker road where it crosses Chemehuevis Wash. The I i

wash at this place is several hundred feet wide, and in it grow many || ;

cat's-claw bushes and some palo verde trees. In 1917 the weft, N ' 

which is dug, was 48 feet deep, but it contained no water. It k nj&t [ ,

known whether the well had been filled above the water table trj |1

sand and gravel washing, in or whether the water table had been |:

lowered during a period of deficient rainfall. !;J

West Well is in Chemehuevis Wash about 4 miles northeast of Ij£; 

Hanks Well. The well is on the southeast side of the wash, wliiclb. is 

narrower here than at Hanks Well. The well is dug to a
740 THE MOHAVE DESERT BKCH0N, CALIFORNIA

of about 12 feet. On October 14, 1917, the depth to water was $.3 

feet. It is necessary to have a short rope and bucket to obtain water. 

A few hundred feet below the well the wash lies between hills of bedrock, which undoubtedly act as a partial barrier that brings, the-water 

near the surface.

Analysis 1 in the table below shows that the water is rather highly 

mineralized, as it contains 643 parts per million of total solids. 

Nevertheless it is good for domestic use and fair for irrigation.

No. wells are known in the part of the vaMey above Hanks WeH. 

Water could doubtless be obtained in that area, but the depth to 

wates would probably be great. The exact grade of the water table 

between Hanks Well and West Well was not determined, because 

Hanks WeU is dry. However, between the two wells the depth to 

water increases westward on an average at least 10 feet to the mile. 

II this difference persists farther west and northwest, the depth to 

water along the west line of T. 4 N., R. 23 E., would be more than 80 

feet, and where Chemehuevis Wash is crossed by the road to Carsoas 

WeUs it would be about 206 feet.

The quantity of water obtained from wells in any part of the vaEby, 

except perhaps near West Well, probably would not be great, for two 

reasons. The mountainous area is. not large, and the rainfall is low, 

so that the recharge of the- ground water is probably small. Furthermore, ujidoubtedly the ground water moves freely toward Colorado 

River below West Well, so that a large part of the water tkat is 

absorbed eventually leaves the valley.

In the lower part of the valley, where the water table is nearest the 

surface, the land is so broken by arroyos that the irrigation of large 

areas is not feasible. Elsewhere in the valley the depth to water 

is probably so great that water for irrigation can not be pumped at a 

profit*

Analyses of ground waters from Ckemehuevis VaUey? Ca^if.

[Margaret D. Foster and Addle T. Geiger, analysts. Parts per million]

Silica (Si02).._...._...........,.._._.____.._____.._.___,._..__..._.._.._........_

l**«i(Fe)...._..-...,-......_....._._..._..__,_._..____________...... .............

Calcium (Ca) -.-.__.._.._....___._._._..._..__ ._.... .._..- 

MAgruBeium (Mg) _ .

Sodium and potassium (Na-f-K) (calculated) __________________

BfowtoonataradtclMHCOs) . ... ..... __ . _ ................ _ .. __

Sulphate radicle (SO*) __ . __________________ . ___ . _____ .

CMsrld* radicle (Cl) ...........................................................

Nttrate radicle (N0»). .......... ...................................... ..........

Total dissolved solids at ISO6 C............. .....................................

Total hardness as CaCOi (calculated) _________________ , ........

Date of collection-.. _____________________ ______

1

46

.10

21

.6

197

112

ISO

162

8.1

643

55

C)

2

106

.11

28

30

167

453

72

102

1.8

722

230 <*)

' Nov. 14, 1917. Nov. 13, 1917.

1. W«et Well, 38 miles south of Needles, In sec. 17, T. 4 N., R. 24 E. San Bernardlno meridian. Se* p. 78> 

for description.

2. Sample frwrt one of two wells known as Carsons WeUs, 43 miles southwest of Needles, probably IB 

«c. 19, T. 4 N., B. 21 E. San Bernardlno meridian. See p. 741 for description.
COIiOBADO BIVBIt BASIN 

! WATEREBTG PIAOKS UST THB MOUNTAINS ' WeUs and springs m Turtle Mount aim. Several w&lls and springs 

exkt in the Turtle Mountains, but definite information is available 

only in regard to Canons Wells. These wells, two in number, are 

situated near the south end of an embay men t or valley at the northeast end of the mountains, probably in sec. 19, T. 4 N., B. 21 E. 

They are reached by a road that branches southwest from tibe MeedlesParker road about 17 J^ miles south of Needles. The wells at® dug in 

a gravelly wash that is cut about 15 feet below tae valley surface. 

One well is 32.5 feet deep, and on October 13, 1017, the depth tt» 

water was 18 feet. At the bottom of the well there is a 10-foot drift. 

The second well, which is 75 feet southeast of the other, te 10 feet 

deep and has a depth to water of 13 feet. Neither well penetrated 

rock. The shallower well is dug partly in a greenish day. The 

water from the deeper well is said to taste of sulphur at times. Am 

analysis of water from the other well (analysis 2), shows that the 

mineral content is fairly high. However, it is fair for domestic use 

and irrigation.

A trail is said to lead southward from Carsoas WeU» up* a bfoad 

canyon to Coffin Spring, a distance of about 4 miles. The spring is 

so named because the shape of the rocks which ieclose it suggests 

that of a coffin. Another unnamed spring is said to be situated 

along the trail about 2 miles south of Carsons Welte.

Mohawk Spring is reported to be about 2 miles northwest of Carsofifi 

Wells. It is reached by a trail that turns west from tibe road near a 

prospect shaft about 1.1 miles north of the wells and is situated abottt 

a mile west of the road. No definite information is available ia 

regard to it.

Watering places in Whipple Mountains. Water can be obtained 

from several springs in the Whipple Mountains and from Whipple 

Well. None of these were visited. The location of those shown om 

Plate 13 is taken from the Parker topographic map^ WMpplfc Weft 

is the only one reached by a road, but most of the springs raaly be 

reached by trails. Notes on the watering places on tke south sMe of 

the mountains are given on page 747.

VIDAL AND CALZONA VALLEYS

GENERAL FEATURES

Vidal and Calzona Valleys form the southernmost pant of the area 

tributary to Colorado River that is shown on Plate 13 (see also pi. 7'4 

Structurally the two valleys form a single large unit, but a low divide 

that reaches northward from Vidal separates it into two parts. Tlu& 

eastern part of this area, around Calzona, has. been* called Cabona 

Valley, and the name Vidal Valley is suggested to designate the 

western part.

5631 29 48
742 THE MOHAVE DESERT REGION, CALIFORNIA

The branch line of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Kailway that 

runs from Cadiz, Calif., to Parker and Phoenix, Ariz., lies along the 

south side of the valley. A road that is sometimes called the Parker 

cut-off parallels the railroad for most of the-distance. Westward it 

leads to Rice, whence a road leads southward to Blythe and other 

points in Palo Verde Valley (see p. 712) and to the National Old Trails 

Road at Danby and Cadiz. (See p. 689.) Eastward it leads to a 

ferry across Colorado River near Parker, Ariz. From the ferry a road 

leads northwest to Needles, a distance of 61 miles. Either of these 

two roads may be used by travelers in going from Parker to Los 

Angeles and other points in the western part of the State. The road 

along the railroad is 28 to 37 miles shorter than the route by way of 

Needles, depending on the choice of alternative routes, and it has the 

advantage of being close to the railroad for most of the distance. 

However, one stretch of it, between Kilbeck and Cadiz, is rough, and 

better accommodations can be obtained along the other route. Many 

travelers therefore take the road to Needles where they strike the 

National Old Trails Road. On the Needles road no supplies other 

than^ater can be obtained in a distance of 60 miles, so the traveler 

should have plenty of gasoline and oil.

The road along the railroad is connected with the Needles road at 

three places. One road leads northward from Vidal for 11 miles and 

joins the Needles road a short distance south of the place where it 

enters a canyon in the Wliipple Mountains. Another road, which 

leads northward from Calzona, branches within a short distance, and 

the two branches join the Needles road a mile or two apart. Other 

less-traveled roads lead to prospects in the Whipple, Riverside, and 

Turtle Mountains.

Colorado River is crossed near Parker by a ferry. In 1918 the 

charge for ferrying automobiles was $2. This ferry operates practically every day in the year, whereas the ferry between Blythe and 

Ehrenberg, about 40 miles farther south, can not operate sometimes 

during the summer when the river is in flood.

Vidal, the only town in the region, contains a store with post office 

and a few houses. Several years ago a town was laid out at Calzona, 

and a number of houses were built, but about 1915 it was abandoned, 

and in 1917 only one family was living there.

Some mining has been done on a small scale in the Whipple and 

Riverside Mountains. In the Whipple Mountains copper 90 and 

manganese 91 are obtained. The mines in the Riverside Mountains 

have produced mostly gold.92

* Cloudman, H. C., and others, Mines and mineral resources of San Beraardino County, pp. 12, 17, 

California State Mining Bureau, 1917.

« Jones, E. L., Deposits of manganese ore in southeastern California: 17. 8. Geol. Survey Bull. 710, pp. 

189-193,1920.

» Merrill, F. J. H., Mines and mineral resources of Riverside County, pp. 82-84, California State Mining 

Bureau, 1917.
- COLOBADO RIVEB BASIN

Some attempt has been made to irrigate land near Calzona, but 

^apparently with no great success.

The precipitation and temperature in the area are about the same 

as at Parker. (See pp. 71-91.)

The vegetation is mostly creosote bush and the species associated 

with it. Ironwood is abundant in a large wash that lies about half? ft 

mile north* of Vidal.

PHYSICAL FEATURES AND GEOLOGY

The northeastern border of the area is formed by the Whipple 

Mountains, which reach a maximum altitude of 3,350 feet above sea 

level. The geology of the mountains is summed up by Jones 98 as 

follows:

The Whipple Mountains are composed of igneous and sedimentary rocks that 

range from pre-Cambrian to Quaternary in age. Gneiss, granite, hornblende 

schist, and included masses of metamorphosed sedimentary rocks of probable 

pre-Cambrian age are the basal rocks of the mountains. Overlying them unconformably in ascending order are conglomerate and red and brown sandstone with 

interbedded shale and limestone members of probable Tertiary age. These are 

closely associated with and succeeded by andesite and basalt breccias and tuffs 

and finally by basaltic flows, which form the summits of some of the flat-topped 

mountains. Some of the later lava flows may be of Quaternary age. The bench 

lands that flank the Whipple Mountains on'the east are composed of gravel, sands, 

and outwash deposits, intercalated in which are a few thin basalt flows. The 

sand and gravel deposits are believed to be the equivalent of the Chemehuevis 

gravel, named and described by W. T. Lee,84 which is of late Quaternary (Recent) 

age.

Jones states further that the red and brown sediments of probable 

Tertiary age are several hundred feet thick and that they have been 

greatly faulted and distorted. Manganese occurs in these sedimentary beds and in volcanic breccias associated with them.

The Whipple Mountains are highly dissected, and there are numerous sharp peaks and ridges. Monument Peak is a particularly 

prominent rock pillar that rises almost vertically 200 to 300 feet, 

A large part of the mountains drains directly into Colorado River.

The west end of the Whipple Mountains descends to a low, narrow 

ridge that reaches westward to the Turtle Mountains. This ridge 

has the appearance in some places of being composed of alluvium, 

but the presence of several knobs indicates that bedrock probably 

lies at no great depth.

The southern part of the Turtle Mountains, which forms the west 

border of Vidal Valley, is a high, steep, elongated ridge. On the east 

side a large spur extends southeastward to the lower ridge that lies 

between the Turtle and Whipple Mountains. The southern border 

of the area is formed by the Riverside Mountains, which are composed

« Jones, E. L., op. dt., pp. 191-192. t 

" Lee, W. T., Reconnaissance of a part of western Arizona: U. 8. Oteol. Survey Boll. 862, p. IS, 1908.
744 THE MOHAVE DE8EBT BB0ION, CALIPOBNIA

largely of schist, limestone, and quartzite. Between the Turtle and 

Riverside Mountains the divide is composed of alluvium.

The alluvial slope in most of the area slopes southward. Th® low 

divide that extends northward from Vidal (see pi. 7) separates the 

area into two parts in which conditions are somewhat <fissimilar. In 

the eastern part, which forms Calzona Valley, the alluvial slope 

descends continuously southward from the base of th% Whipple 

Mountains to Colorado River. The alluvial slope has been greatly 

dissected by numerous steep-sided arroyos, which extend separately 

from the mountains nearly to the river. The drainage pattern is 

similar to that on the west side of the river near Needles. Near the 

river the alluvial slope ends with an abrupt descent to the river flood 

plain of about 50 feet. Oh the Arizona side of the river the flood 

plain is several miles wide, but west of the river it is less than a mile 

wide. West and northwest of Vidal the alluvial slope is muck less 

dissected than farther east. The drainage is concentrated into a 

large wash that lies between the railroad and low lava hills about a 

mile north of Vidal.

The upper beds of the valley fill consist principally of sand and 

gravel. In a well at Vidal blue clay beds that range in thickness from 

12 to 85 feet were penetrated below a depth of 225 feet. (See log on 

p. 745.) They may be related to greenish clay reported to crop 6ut 

in the terraces east of Colorado River near Parker.95

WATER RESOURCES 

SURFACE WATER

The only perennial stream in the area is Colorado River. As early 

as 1870 water was diverted from the river a few miles above Parker 

for irrigation of lands on the flood plain in the Colorado River Indian 

Reservation on the east side of the river.96 The water could be 

diverted into the canal only during high stages of the river, and since 

1898 during low stages the water has been pumped into the canals. 

In 1920 the system included two pumps with capacities of 50 and 75 

second-feet, 10 miles of canal with a capacity of 50 second-feet, and 

43 miles of smaller canals. Because of inadequate boiler capacity 

both pumps can not be operated together continuously. The total 

area cultivated was 4,105 acres, of which 1,500 acres was cultivated 

by Indians and 2,605 acres by lessees. The total value of crops 

raised was nearly $900,000. The lands cultivated are all on the lowland, which is not more than 10 to 25 feet above the river. It is 

contemplated that 112,000 acres may eventually be irrigated on 

these bottom lands.87 <

« Boss, C. P., The lower Qila region, Adz., a geographic, geriogie, and hydrologie recounai*8an<»: TJ. S. 

Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 498, p, 26,1923.

M Hearings before the Committee on Irrigation of Arid Lands, House of Representatives, 67tb. Gong., 

3d sate., on H. R. 11449, A bill .to provide for the protection, and development of toe Iowa- Colorado Biiper 

basin-, Appendix A, pp. 2, 47-53. « Mem, p. 3.
CO-.OBADO RIVER BASIN , 74$

There has been no irrigation with water from the river west of till 

Colorado, because the flood plain area is sp narrow. Water might 

be pumped to the alluvial slopes above the flood plain, but the lift 

would be 50 feet or more, and the land is so greatly dissected t&at 

agriculture is impracticable except in small areas. Some water has 

been pumped from the river & distance of 2 to 5 miles to mines in the 

Riverside Mountains.

StOUJTD WATER IS THE VAIIBY

The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway has a drilled weH at 

Vidal which is 412 feet deep. The log of the well is as follows:

Log of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway well of Vidal, Cattf, '.

Loose sand and gravel . . . __ <

Blue clay.. _________________________________ . ___ .

Sandy shale __________ . __________________ , _ . _

Blue clay

ThteJoww 

(feet)

226

as

86

20

40

12

DeptU 

(feet)

226

810

848

860

490

412

Water was struck at 315 feet, apparently just' below the first layer 

of blue clay, and rose to 250 feet. In a test at completion the well 

yielded 55 gallons a minute. The casing is screw pipe, 10 inches in 

diameter to a depth of 265 feet and 8 inches to a depth of 385 feel. 

The bottom 65 feet of this casing is perforated. The last 27 feet of 

the well is not cased. As shown by the accompanying analysis, the 

water is rather highly mineralized, containing 642 part® per million 

of total solids. However, it can be used for domestic supplies 

without serious difficulty. It is poor for boilers because of the large 

quantity of foaming constituents present.

Analysis of water from 412-foot well (No. #) of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe

Railway at Vidal, Calif.

[Collected August 11,1910. Analysis furnished by Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Co., recalculated to parts per million from hypothetical combinations in grains per TL B. gallon]

Calcium (Ca)________________________ ° 22

Magnesium (Mg)__________________ (*)

Sodium (Na) __________________________ 216

Bicarbonate radicle (HC08)-___________-__ , 132

Sulphate radicle (SO*) _ _____________________ 176

Chloride radicle (Cl)________________________ 164

Total dissolved solids_________________ _ ___ 642

Total hardness as CaCO» (calculated). 55 

 Calcium and magnesium carbonates reported together and calculated as OaCOt.

At Calzona there is a well reported to be 212 feet deep. The 4«pt_, 

to water is said to be about 170 feet. The well could not be measured.
746 THE MOHAVE DESEBT BEGION, CALIFORNIA

Apparently it is abandoned, as the water used by the only family 

living at Calzona is hauled on the railroad from Vidal. About 4J^ 

miles southeast of Vidal, probably in sec. 16, T. 1 S., R. 24 E., is a 

well 110 feet deep. On November 16,1917, the depth to water measured 108.5 feet. According to railroad survey data the altitude at 

Calzona is 485 feet, and from the reported depth to water in the well 

vthere the altitude of the water table would be about 305 feet. According to contours on the Parker topographic map, this altitude is about 

25 feet lower than the altitude of the flood plain of Colorado River 

at its nearest point. It is entirely probable that in times of flood the 

river stands higher than the water table beneath the bordering lands. 

However, as there is no point of discharge for the ground water 

except downstream, it is not likely that this condition persists so far 

from the river as Calzona. It therefore seems as if the reported depth 

to water at Calzona is inaccurate.

At Vidal the water is apparently confined under pressure beneath 

a clay bed. No information is available as to whether these conditions exist in other parts of the valley, but it is entirely possible. 

The water in the Vidal well stands at an altitude of about 375 feet. 

The grade between it and Colorado River, as nearly as can be estimated from the topographic map, is about 10 feet to the mile. However, the water was struck at a depth of about 310 feet rthat is, at 

about the same altitude as the estimated altitude of the water table 

in the well at Calzona and possibly a few feet below the level of the 

flood plain of the river.

The divide between Vidal Valley and Rice Valley, farther west, is 

composed of alluvium, and possibly there is movement of the ground 

water eastward from Rice Valley. The altitude of the water table in 

a well at Rice (Blythe Junction) is about 580 feet above sea level 

(see p. 715), or about 200 feet higher than in the well at Vidal. The 

distance between the two places is 21 miles, and the grade between the 

two wells, if uniform, would be about 10 feet to the mile that is, 

about the same as between the Vidal well and Colorado River. If 

the water table extends uniformly between Rice and Vidal, the depth 

to water at the divide, near Grommet, would be a little more than 

400 feet.

Data in regard to yield are available only for the Vidal well, in 

which the quantity pumped in a test was small. It is not certain 

whether this quantity is the capacity of the well. However, as the 

formations below the water level consist of blue clay, sand, or sandy 

shale, without any gravel, it is improbable that the yield of wells in 

this vicinity would be very large.

The prospect of obtaining water from wells for irrigation is poor, 

not only because the yield of wells is likely to be small but also because 

throughout the area that is level enough for farming the pumping lift
COLOBADO RIVER BASIN 747

will be excessive. It is believed, however, that water sufficient for 

mining may be obtained in almost any part of the valley at depths 

of 100 to 500 feet, depending upon location, provided the weE is not 

drilled so near the mountains as to strike bedrock before reaching 

water.

WATERING PLACES IN THE MOUNTAINS

Several springs and wells exist in the Whipple and Turtle Mountains, but none are known in the Riverside Mountains. Most of 

these watering places are far from the main traveled roads and are 

used only by prospectors/ Two the D. & W. mine and Chambers 

Well are on the Needles-Parker road, 18.9 and 17.3 miles, respectively, northeast of the Parker ferry. Water at the D. & W. mine 

is pumped from the shaft and accordingly is obtainable only when 

someone is living there to operate the pump. Chambers Well is 

an o\'d dug well on the west side of the road 1.3 miles north of the 

junction of the Needles-Parker road with the branch road from Vidal. 

The well is 48 feet deep. When measured in October, 1917, there 

was only about 6 inches of water in it, and it was fouled by dead animals. A force pump, apparently in good condition, was in the well, 

but no water could be obtained from it, probably because there was 

so little water in the well. The location of several springs in the 

Whipple Mountains is shown on the Parker topographic map. Trails 

lead to some of these springs, but no data are at hand in regard to 

them. Water is said to be available from several natural "tanks" 

in hollows in the rocks, including Hons Tanks, shown on Plate 13.

A spring indicated on some maps as Turtle Spring was reported 

by Mendenhall 9S to emerge near the southeast end of the Turtle 

Mountains, about 15 miles northeast of Browns Well, on the road to 

West Well. No definite information was obtained in regard to the 

spring. The road referred to, if it still exists, is seldom traveled.

w Mendenhall, W. C., Some desert watering places in southeastern California and southwestern 

Nevada: IT. S. Qeol. Survey Water-Supply Paper 224, p. 77,1909.

INDEX

A Face 

Abrams, Leroy, cited_____.______ 6 

Acknowledgments for aid_ _______ 4 

Adelanto, public water supply for____ 419-420 

supplies available at.._________ 373 

Afton, water available at..________ 373,609 

Agriculture in the area ___ 39-41 

Agua de Tomaso. See Bitter Spring. 

Alkali in soils.... _______ ...... 61-63

analyses showing_________,__ 67

effect upon vegetation__________ 62-63

Alluvium, age of ._ .. 109

nature and distribution of. _______ 108-

109,449-460,457-458

plates showing. ____. 108,388,444

Alpine Reservoir. See Harold Reservoir.

Alvord Mountains, features of_______ 637

Alvord Well, location of... ________ 284

Amargosa Basin, general features of___ 672-573

Lower Amargosa Basin, climate of_... 678

mineral deposits in____ 676,681,583-584

physical features and geology of.... 678-586

routes to______________ 576-578 

water in . .____ 586-590

analyses of _._________ 588 

Middle Amargosa Basin, general features

of... _........ 573-575

mineral deposits in. ________ 575

routes to 574

water in______________ 572,575

Amargosa Creek, draigage basin of_____ 313

Amargosa Desert, features of ....__.... 573

Amargosa River, features of...__ 572-573,579,586 

Amboy, supplies and accommodations at __ 690 

Amboy Lake, extent of _______ 696 

American Trona Corporation, water supply

for.._____________ 177-180,182 

Ames Valley, description of_________ 633 

Ames WeU, location of..___________ 633 

Analyses. See Soils; Water. 

Animals of the region_____________ 57-60 

Antelope Valley, agriculture hi 39,290-297 

artesian conditions in_____ 20,294,317-319 

plate showing flow from uncapped

well.:. ______________ 268 

climate of...._____________ 306-310

geology of ________,_..___..._ 304-306

ground water in 314-371

conservation of...... .... 345-346

diagram illustrating occurrence of.... 318

discharge and recharge of.____ 319-325 

quality of....____________ 343-844

irrigation in._____________ 290-297

quantity of water used for 325-328

map showing______.. ___.... 292

oil and gas prospects in.. 36 

physical features of..__ .___ 299-304

Paa»

Antelope Valley, precipitation in____ 807-810 

routes to......._._ _. . _.__«_._-««» 3190

run-off in________________ 810-S14 

soils in .._______ ____. 297-298 

springs in...____._...._____.__«_,. 32ft

vegetation in , *. 39S-2W 

water-bearing formations ln__ 305-906 

water table in, effect of Little Rock Creek

upon, diagram illustrating..._... 88t 

fluctuations of.______ 826-386,864*871 

diagram illustrating... _ .__ 828 

wells in, construction and equipment oL» MIMI

height of water in_____ 328-83ftSSS-Sa 

number of_____._.__.._._ . 394 

records of _____________ 84*r*0. 

Antimony, occurrence of ________'._ - 4Bt 

Appleton Land, Water & Power Co., holdings of............. 882,414,416,420-431

Archer, water available at 690

Argus Range, features of.. ,. ITS

springs in...______.__. ___ _.»...... ISO

Argus Springs, features of 180 

Arrow Weed Spring, location of 88? 

Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Co., history

of...____._____ 382-383,421-428 

Arrowhead Trail, route of- .... . 148

Artesian conditions, general features of 138 

hi Antelope Valley.-_____ 

in Coyote Valley ______ 

hi Cruoero Valley ..__ 637 

In Fremont Valley....______,__. SJ7-218

in Harper Valley....____.... . SBO-SRSi

in Lower Mohave Valley____ 483-484 

Asbestos, occurrence of 39 

Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Raflway,

water available at aidings along.. 373 

Atolia, supplies and accommodations at . 291 

Atolia district, mineral deposits of. 227-228 

Ausland Well, features of.____...._, S4&-3SO

Avawatz Mountains, mineral deposits in 

physical features and geology of.. 

Avawatz Valley, description of...

routes to.. 

Aztec Spring, location of. 

Bagdad, supplies available at.. 

water supply tor 

Baker, C. L., cited 

Baker, water available at. 

Ballarat mining camp, location of.,.. 

Bannock, water available at_ . 

Barbers Well, location of. . ... 

Barnwell Sink. Sw Lsnfalr Valley. 

Ban Well, description of, ,

148
760 ISTDEX

Page

Barrel Spring, location of__________ 688 

Barstow, supplies and accommodations at. 373,423 

water supply of.. __________ 430 

Barstow formation, age of(________ 106-107 

Baxter, water available at__________ 609 

Beal, water available at ___________ 730 

Bedrock Spring, location of-________ 180 

Beecher Spring, location of. ________ 687 

Bergland, Eric, explorations by_______ 19 

Bessemer Valley, description of______ 631-632 

mineral deposits in _________ 631 

Bicycle Dry Lake, location of. _______ 257 

Bicycle Valley, description of_______ 257-259 

plate showing north side of..______ 388 

Big Rock Creek. See Rock Creek. 

Big Rock Creek Irrigation District_ 291,292-293 

Birds of the region .._________ 58 

Birnie, R., jr., explorations by____.___ 19 

Bitter Spring, description of . 546-547 

Blackwater Well, description of ___.__ 230-231 

Blair Well, location of.___________ 633 

Blind Spring, location of. ______-__ 686-687 

Bolo, water available at. _ _ _ 690 

Bonanza King mine, production of....___ 679 

Bonanza King Well, description of _-___ 686 

Bonanza Spring, description of. _ .. 687-688 

Borate district, production of ___ 438-439 

Borax, occurrence and production of ____ 26, 

27,33,176,202,438-439

Borosolvay, water supply for _ _. 180

Boss mine, location of..___________ 32

Box S Springs, description of.________ 621

Bradbury Well, description of._______ 590

Bristol and Cadiz Valleys, climate of..__ 690-691

mineral deposits in.__________ 691-692

physical features and geology of. _ 692-696

playasof __________

routes to... ___...

water in._____.____________ 696-704

quality of- . ._ .___- 700,701-703

wells in, descriptions of _____ 

Bristol Dry Lake, description of____

mineral deposits of ___________ 695 

Bristol-Lanfair Basin, general features oL_. 660-661 

Broadwell Valley, description of_____. 656-660 

mineral deposits in..__________ 656 

routes to. _ .. 656 

water in________________ 658-660 

Brook Spring, location of.__________ 198 

Brooklyn mine, location of _________ 649 

Brown, J. S., descriptions by_______ 638-650 

Brown, supplies and accommodations at__ 144 

Brown Valley. See Indian Wells Valley. 

Browns Well, description of..._______ 714 

Brace Canyon, springs in. _________ 180 

Building stone, production of________ 35 

Barns Spring, location of.._________ 637 

Bosh, R. D., cited. ____________ 37

Cache Peak fauna,-age of __________ 107

Cactus, water stored by . 40

Cadiz, water available at __ 690

Cadiz Dry Lake, description of ____._ 694-696

mineral deposits of___________ 695-696

"self-rising" ground on surface of, plate

showing .._ __. 660

Page

Cadiz Valley. See Bristol and Cadiz Valleys. 

Cady Mountains, features of.... ... 516-517,657 

Cady Springs, description of_________ 498 

Calcium chloride, production of. __. 36 

Calico, location of___. ________ 23

plate showing;__ 44 

Calico district, silver in____________. 2SHS0 

Calico Dry Lake, features of __ 448 

Calico Mountains, features of__...__ 442

mineral deposits in 438-439

view of ________ ____ 44 

California Rand mine, production of.___.. 30 

Calzona Valley. See Vidal and Calzona

Valleys.

Cambrian rocks, distribution of _ __ 108-104 

Cameron, wells at 212 

Cane Dry Lake. See Kane Dry Lake. 

CantU, supplies available at 202 

Carboniferous rocks, nature and distribution

of....______________ 104-106 

Carson, Kit, in the Mohave Desert 11,18 

Carsons Wells, description of. 741 

Castle Mountains, gold in 666 

Cattle raising in the area 40-41 

Cave Canyon, description of _. 509^512

water in._______ __ ___ 511-4512 

Cave Springs, description of ______.__ 588 

Cave Springs Wash, stream piracy evidenced by.____...____.. 582-H58S 

Celestite, occurrence of _..___ _ 584,656

See also Strontium.

Cement, production of 26,27,35 

Cerusite, occurrence of 599

See also Lead.

Chambers Well, location oL._ 747 

Chaparrosa Springs, location of 637 

Chemehuevis gravel, age of 109 

Chemehuevis Mountains, features of. 738 

Chemehuevis Valley, description of_ 736-739

routes to__ . 736-737

water in_____ 739-741 

analyses of_ 740 

Chicago Valley, wells in 575 

China Dry Lake, features of.. 148-149 

China ranch, spring on 675 

Cima, supplies available at 548,608 

Clark Mountain, mineral deposits of 599 

Climate of the region , _____ «8-97

influence on human activities.______ 98-97 

Cobarts Valley. See Fifteenmile Valley. 

Coffey, G. N., cited. 60 

Coffin Spring, location of. 741 

Colorado River, flood plain of, between

Mohave City and Topock.. 732

flow of________________ 733 

Colorado River Basin, area studied. 716

Mohave City to Topock, description of. 728-732 

irrigation in_ 733,734,735-736 

routes to.___ __ _ 728-729 

water in __ . 732-736 

quality of.. 7B4-738 

Colorado River Indian Reservation, irrigation on._._.__!_«_.___.- ' 744 

Colton Well, description of.._______ 685-686 

Columbia Colonization Co., proposed dev^

opment by..._ _ ..___ 881 

Conehilla Desert, location of...._____.. 840
INDEX

Page

Confidence Hills, features of ________ 57tt 

Cook's Well, location of..... . 686

Coolgardie field, gold placers of __..._ 30,266

Copper, occurrence and production of__... 27,

31,244,439,599,679,691,742

Copper City Well, description of .... . 264

Copper Mountain Valley, description of 646-646 

Copper World mine, location and production

of.... ._______ . 599

Cornfield Spring, description of_ _ 554 

Coso Basin, features of..... 150-151,153

Cottonwood Spring (Former Valley), location

of...... . 687

Cottonwood Spring (Johnson Valley), description of___ . . 629 

Cove Spring, location of- 687 

Coyote Dry Lake, features of. 280-281,282 

water near... 283-285 

Coyote Holes, location of . 645 

Coyote Valley, description of.._____. 279-288 

map showing..-._ . 260 

routes to_. _____________ . 279

water in..____ 282-288 

analyses of__.______ . 288

wells in, descriptions of______ 282-285,288 

Coyote Well (Copper Mountain Valley),

description of____ .__ 645-646 

Coyote Well (Coyote Valley), description

of. ....___ .___.__ 283-284

Crackeriack mining camp, location of_..... 199

Cresotebush, description of__ . 43,44 

distribution of _______.___. 46-47 

plates showing._' 44

Crescent Wells, Nev., location of . 610

Cronise Spring, location of_ ._ . 545-546

Cronise Valley, fossils in.. 538

ground water in, depth to.. 542-543

quality of___________-__ 544-545

irrigation in...'.....________ 541-542,547

map showing_____________ 516 

physical features and geology of. 536-539 

playas in________________ 538-539 

routes to_________ . ._ 536 

soils in________________.__ 539-540 

springs in.__...__ 545-547 

surface water of_________ ... 540-542 

vegetation in. __ . 540 

wells in, descriptions of_ ... - 542-545 

Crncero, water available at__.__...... 373,514

Crucero Valley, agriculture in...__..... 534-535

artesian conditions in 527 

climate of.-.. .__.... . ... 522

ground water in, depth to____.._._. 523-527 

quality of-- 531-533

temperature of^--. . . 533-534 

irrigation in.. 534-536

map showing____________._._.. 516 

panoramic views of.________-.... 516

physical features and geology of 514-519 

routes to..______________ 513-514 

soils of. .. __.-__-_._ 519-521 

springs in________r............. 528-531

surface water in____________ 522-523 

vegetation in_.. 521-522

Crucero Valley, water table, fluctuations of

wells in, records of . 51% 524-636,538 

Cuddeback Dry Lake, features of_.___ ,227 

Cuddeback Valley. See Golden Valley. 

Cushenbury Springs, description of_.... 620-821 

Cut Spring, location of... . 618

Daggett, supplies available at ..___ 373,437 

well supplying water for.___..__ 4%,491 

Daggett ditch, history of . 606-507 

Dale mining district, location of.. __ 80 

Dale pumping plant, location of. ___- 660 

Dale Valley, description of- 660-081 

Danby, supplies available at_ .... 678

Danby Dry Lake, description of __ 706-788 

salt beds of__-__.. 707-708

views across....___..._ _.... 680

Danby Spring. See Bonanza Spring.

Dead Man Hole, location of _ 636

Dead Mountains, features of 718-710

Deadman Valley, features of._ 411

Death Valley, climate of--_____-__. 74,678

crossing of, in 1849__... 13-18

lowest point in United States. .__ 57&

nitrates in.. .. 38

physical features and geology of-.. 677-680

precautions for travel in. ___ . 676

routes to--_____ _ 676-578

water in . _. ________- __- 686-599

analyses of.._ ... 588

Deer Spring, location of-- 571

Del Sur, supplies available at _ ....... 260

Denning Spring, description of... 589-690 

Desert King Spring, description of 197 

Desert King Well, description of.-. 197,198 

Desert soils, characteristics of___ 60-68 

Desert Spring, features of_- __ _ 218 

Desert vegetation, characteristics of .41-44 

plates showing ____.__ 44 

Desert watering places, guides to.. IX-X 

Devil's Garden, location of ____ 640 

Drainage of the region 97 

plate showing________ In pocket. 

Drinkwater Springs, location of 198 

Dripping Spring, location of._ 687 

Dry lakes. See Playas; names of individual

dry lakes.

Dry placers_______ _ . 30 

Dunes. See Sand dunes.

E

Early's Spring, description of_____ 190-191,193

East Cronise Dry Lake, features of 588-63$

Eastwood, Alice, acknowledgments to. 54

cited- . 48

El Mirage Valley, ground water in and near.405-_10 

El Paso Mountains, features of . 147-148,204-206 

Epsom salt, production of________ 593-968 

Epsom Springs, description of - 529 

Essex, water available at . 876 

Evaporation, records of , . ... 7.5-77,120 

Everet Well, location of- __........ "187

Exploration and settlement of toe region ._ 9-28, OS
752 IHDBX

F Page

Fairnwnt, sapplies available at........ .... 290

Farnham, T. J., cited.._ ...____ 12 

Faults, occurrence of __ _____ 117-121 

Fauna. See Animals.

Feldspar, occurrence of __ 39 

Fenner, supplies available at-- ______ 676 

Fenner Spring, location of __________ 688 

Fenaer Valley, mineral deposits in ___ 679 

physical features and geology of -.... 677-678

precipitation in. _". .. 679-680 

routes to .. _____ 676 

soil and vegetation in__________ 680 

water in. ............I ........ 680-688

depth to .-..- .. .. 680-684 

profile indicating....________ 684

quality of................. ...... 684-686

wells and springs in, descriptions of _ 680-682,

Field, water available at.._____.. 373,438,509 

Fifteenmile Valley, features of______ 411-412 

Fishes, as evidence of drainage relations_ 566-568 

of the Mohave River Basin..__ 59-60,566-568 

Flora. See Vegetation.

Fluorspar, occurrence of. . _____ 39 

Fort Mohave Indian Reservation, area included in..___._______ 730 

Francis Spring, description of.-______ 603,604 

Fr&aont, J. C., explorations by.______ 11-13 

Fremont Valley, agriculture in.._____ 219-220 

artesian conditions in_________ 217-218 

description of. ____ 201-223 

drainage system of __ ______ 206-207 

irrigation in...______._____ 219-220 

map showing . .....___ 212 

mineral deposits in___ _____ 202 

routes to...__.____________ 201-202 

water in.______._______ 207,209-223 

analyses of ______________ 223 

wells in, descriptions of____ 209-218,221-222 

Frost, records of. _ ____ 72 

Fry Valley, description of....________ 625 

Fuller's earth, occurrence of. ________ 39

Q

Gaines Well, features of_...______ 234,236 

Garcfe, Francisco, journey through the Mohave Desert_.. ..____ 10 

Garlic Lake. See Bicycle Dry Lake. 

Garlic Springs, description of ______ 262-263 

Oarlock, wells near______________ 214 

Garlock fault, location of...._______ 118-119

Geologic history of the region _____ 121-123 

Geology of the region____________ 98-123 

list of reports on...____________ 99 

See also descriptions under individual

valleys. 

Goffs, supplies and accommodations at...... 676

Gold, dry placers . __ ______ 30 

occurrence and production of ______ 27, 

28, 30-31, 202, 227, 244, 266, 439, 699, 631, 666, 

679, 691, 712, 717, 742

Golden Valley, description of_______ 223-237 

irrigation in..... . ...... 237

,map showing. ....... 224

mineral deposits in__ ___ 227-229

Page 

Golden Valley, routes to $23-228

water in . ..... .... 229-237 

quality of. ..........- ....... 5OMB7

wells in, descriptions of. .. 230-234 

Goldstone mine, location of -----.. 256 

Goldstone Valley, description of 266-267

map showing ' ... 288 

Goler Wash, gold placers in ______. 80 

Goler Wells, description of ________ 218-214 

Goodsprings, Nev., supplies available at 608 

Graham Spring, location and yield of ____ 180 

Granite, production and use of. 36 

Granite Mountains, features of.. ... . 104,196

plates showing 108,388 

Granite Springs, location of. 871 

Granite Tank, features of . 711 

Granite Valley, location and features of 200-201 

Granite Well (Fenner Valley), location of . 687 

Granite Wells (Pilot Knob Basin), description of 191,192

Grapevine mining district, location of. 29 

Grays Well, location of. ^ 714 

"Great American Desert," location and area

Of 1

plate showing____ 4

Great Falls Canyon, springs in.. .__.. 180

Ground water, discharge of. _-____ 124-127

quality of ................ 127-128,139-140

quantity of . 126 

relation of surface water to . 493,467 

source of 124 

temperature of . 128-131 

utilization of_____ 127 

See also descriptions under individual

valleys.

Gyp Well, location of 714-715 

Gypsum, occurrence and production of...... 27,

34-35,684, «95,712 

H

Halleck post office. See Oro Grande.

Halloran Spring, description of S71

Hanks Well, location and features of . 739

Harold Reservoir, location of.. __ 29$

Harper Dry Lake, description of ..__.. 269

plate showing.. .. 888

Harper Valley, description of. 266-379

irrigation in 279

map showing 268

mineral deposits in.. 266

routes to * $66

water in 270-279

quality of - 277-^278

wells in, descriptions of . 270-276

Harpers Spring, description of. 698

Harpers Willow Spring, description of-__- 598

Harvard, water available at 373,418

Hawes, water available at ._.. 268

Hector, water available at - _-__ 488

Helendale-Hicks area, water in ______ 127-428

Henry Spring, location of 571

Hesperia, public water supply of ...... 416

supplies available at . 873 

Hesperia Land & Water Co. See Appleton

Land, Water & Power Oo. 

Hesperia Water Go. See Appleton Land, 

Water & Power Co.
TlffBBX 763

Page 

Hicks, supplies available at ...... .... 373,423

wells near._________.____ 427-429 

Hksks-Hinkley-Barstow area, water in.... 428-430 

Bidden Spring, description of. 599-594 

Hinkley, supplies available at__.... 266,373,423

wells near..._._____.......... 428-429

Hinkley VaUey, location of.....-. .-...... 423

Hinton, R. J., cited_____________ 292 

Hole in the Wall Spring, location of. _... 640 

Homer, water available at______i...... 717

Honeymoon Spiing, location of..,_____ 688 

Hons Tanks, location of.. .._......._. 747

Hopps Wells, location of___________ 728 

Humidity, records of.. 73-75 

Hyt&n's Spring, location of....._.......... 571

Hyten's Well, description of________. 571

Ibis, water available at..... ._______ 717

Igneous rocks, occurrence of..______ 114-116 

Imperial Lode mine, location of_______ 652 

Imperial Utilities Corp., water service of __ 430 

inch, miner's, definition of... .. 218 

Indian ceremonial ground, description of__ 730

plate showing 730 

Indian Creek, water from . __ 571 

Indian Joe Spring, location and yield of...... 180

Indian Spring, description of . 253-254

plate showing... ........__ 108

Indian Wells Valley, agriculture in_____ 166

description of .... ... _____ 144-170

fossils in......._____.__.....__ 155

; irrigation in___h _____...__ 166-170

map showing .. 149

routes to . ______ 144 

' water in............................... 151-170

1 quality of......_______.__... 165

' wells in, descriptions of.____.__ 154-164 

Infusorial earth, occurrence of. ....___ 39

Insects of the region _____________ 59 

Inyokem, supplies and accommodations at.. 144 

tnyokern Valley. See Indian Wells Valley. 

Iron, occurrence and production of _____ 32, 

508,598,631,679,691

Iron Mountain (Ward Valley), features of_ 706 

Iron Mountains (Bristol Valley). See

Marble Mountains. 

Irrigation, early attempts. . ____ 20-21

See alto under individual valleys. 

Ivanpah, supplies available at _______ 608 

Ivanpah Mountains, mineral deposits of__ 599 

Ivanpah Valley, features of ____ 608-610 

Ives, J. C., explorations by_________ 18

Java, water available at _ ______ 730

Jean, Nov., supplies available at______ 608

Johannesburg, supplies and accommoda-

 tlons at......_________. 202,224

Johnson Valley, description of- _____ 625-630

routes to. ..____ 625

water in. _. _______,____ 627-630

analyses of. ______ 630

Jones, E. L., cited ___________ 743

Joshua tree. See Yucca.

Juniper Well, location of.__________ 728

Kane Dry Lake, description of.... ........... 908

ground water near . , , 2U&-230 

profile showing water table...., ... 217

mineral deposits of _,. P 302 

Kane Spring, location of . 497-498 

Kaolin, occurrence of .... ..... 89

Kelso, supplies available at , ....-_ 648

wells at______._______ .,! ' $53 

Kelso Valley, description of -.-.. .-. 54MM 

routes to . ... 648 

sand dunes in __.__ _.__ 551-552 

water in........ ........ 54%J}5»"*M

analysis of___....____....., « 653

wells in, descriptions of.. ..... 680,5«%563

Kennedy Water, location of.. * 728 

Kessler Spring, location of . . ... 610 

King, water available at 373 

Kingston Range, features of................ 600

Kingston Valley. See Lower Kingston Valley; Upper Kingston Valley. 

Klant, A. J., acknowledgments to.__ - 180 

Klondike, water available at..... ... 690,701

Koehn Springs, location of____. ...... 21$

Kramer, supplies available at.... ,~ 366

Kramer-Barstow region, oil prospects in .. 86 

Kramer district, borax deposits in__ ... 38

Lakes, criteria of types of...._.__.... 867 

deposits in, nature and distribution of.. 10&-113 

See alto Playas; Pleistocene lakes; names 

of individual lakes.

Lancaster, supplies and accommodations

at...................__-..--. 280

Lane Mountain, features of. ........ 282 '.

Lane's Well, description of... 888

Lanfair Valley, agriculture in.......... 074-475

climate to_.. ... 68HJ87 

map showing...._ _......._ 680

mineral deposits in . 666 

physical features and geology of... : 66SM!SI 

routes to . 662-663 

vegetation in . 687-098 

water in.._ . ....... .. 668-675

quality of. . 87fc-*74 

wells in, records of ... ... 6W-678

Langford Dry Lake, location and features

of............................. a*an

Langford Valley, description of 389-983 

map showing ....... ... 260

routes to_._......__.____.. S8B>

water in 90SMMB 

analyses of....... ...... 288

Langford Well, description of. 392 

Las Vegas Vslfey, location of *....... 610

Lavic, water available at.........._ .. 681

Lavic Valley, ground water to , . 688-666 

ground water in, analysis of. 864 

depth to, hypothetical section illustrating....._....___............. 655

physical features and geology of __ 652-663

routes to________.___...__ 851-fflO

Layton Spring, location of.__.__ ISO

Leach Spring, description of..... ... i$8*Jfjft198F

plate showing IftS
754 EETDBX

Page

Leach Valley, description of ___\ . 192-195 

routes to. ____ 182 

water in__.___...._....... 192,196-198

analyses of __ ________ 198 

Lead, occurrence and production of.. 27,31,244,599 

Leonis Valley, water to _________ 313 

Lewis Holes, description of _________ 728 

Lime, .production of. ...____ 35 

Limestone, production of _________ 35 

Little Bear Valley Reservoir. See Arrowhead Reservoir & Power Co. 

Little Mohave Lake, location of _______ 539 

Little Rock, supplies available at ____ 290 

Little Rock Creek, discharge of___. __ 310-311 

discharge of, effect upon the water table. 337-338 

irrigation on..__............. 291-292,293-294

Little San Bernardino Mountains, features

of_________________ 643 

Location of the area___. _________ 4-5 

map showing . ____ 4 

Logs of wells. See well records and descriptions under individual valleys. 

Lone Willow Spring, description of._ 190-191,192 

Los Angeles aqueduct, features of______ 21-22 

Lower Kingston Valley, description of - 604-606 

routes to .. . .........____ 605

water in ..__........ ......... 605-606

Lower Mohave Valley. See Mohave River

Basin.

Lucerne Dry Lake, features of _____ 613-614

Lucerne Valley, description of ______ 610-624

ground water in... . __. 616-624

depth to . 615-617,619

movement of.___________ 619-620

quality of.... ..... ......... 622-624

map showing.__ _ .._..*__ 616 

physical features and geology of.___ 612-615 

routes to . - ... ..__. 610-611 

wells to, records of...-.________ 614,619 

Ludlow, supplies and accommodations at_ 656 

water supply for. ....__..____ 660

M 

McAdie, A. G., cited . . 74

Magnesite, occurrence of .- ____ 39 

Malpais Spring, location of. .... . 728

Manganese, occurrence of _ 32,581,742

Manix Lake, deposits of 111-112,450-458,510-511

plate showing.... __ ___. 444

Manix Wash, drainage of ________ 280-281 

terraces near mouth of ___. 444 

plate showing.. _________ 444 

Map of arid region of the United States showing areas covered by water-supply 

papers. ... _ 4 

of Mohave Desert region, reconnaissance

geologic. .___...._ In pocket.

index, showing areas covered by

Plates IX-XIII.. ............ 4

showing boundaries of drainage 

basins and character of playas... 

. .. .. _ In pocket. 

Showing desert watering places

(Sheets I-V) ______ In pocket. 

Marble, occurrence of _ -__________ 35

Marble Mountains, iron in 691 

Marl Spring, description oL___...___ 558-654 

Mascot Spring, location of . TOG-701 

Means-Valley, description of....: 632

Meinzer, O. Ev cited_._......____ 319-320

preface by . Cc-33 

Mercury, occurrence of . 33,679 

Mesquite, occurrence of . . 62-63 

plate showing 44 

Mesquite Spring (Crucero Valley), description of ^ 528-529 

Mesquite Spring (Twenty-nine Palms Valley), description of- .. 647-«48 

Mesquite Valley, features of 606, 607-008 

name of_ _ ...... ..... 033-634

Metamorphic rooks, occurrence of......... 114-116

Mexican Well, location of .. . 610 

Middle Amargosa Basin. See Amargosa

Basin. 

Middle Mohave Valley. See Mohave River

Basin. 

Midland Trail, route of 141-142

Milligan, water available at.' . 704 

Mineral resources, statistics of production 26-28 

Miner's inch, definition of 218 

Minneola, water available at 438 

Moelhausen, Baldwin, cited 18 

Mohave, application and spelling of name 5,6 .

See also entries beginning Mojave, 

Mohave Desert, application of name 6-7 

Mohave Indians, area inhabited by : 730 

Mohave Lake, description of.. 563-567 

plate showing outlet channel of 566 

Mohave Mountains, features of. 732 

Mohave River, channel and flood plain of. 375^376,

443-448

discharge oL ... - - 378-181 

diversion of water from.... 381-384,418,422-423

effect of, on ground water supply 276,

434,497,585-136

fishes of.... __ - - .... 666-568

name of.. 12 

terraces of. 444 

views along ...... i 44,372,388,«4

Mohave River Basin, headwater region, description of ........ . 386-387

industries in..._.. 373-374

irrigation in.. 381-384

Lower Mohave Valley, agriculture in *04

artesian conditions in . 483-484

ground water in, loss and recharge

of . - 498-4»7 

quality of 500-6Q4

temperature of - 504 

irrigation in.. i.............. WMHS09

map showing_ *.. 436

mineral resources of- 438-439

physical features and'geology of 439-468

precipitation and run-off in 461-463

routes to .. - '.~ 437

sand dunes in ___________ 444-445

relation to ground-water level 478,

481-482

soils in...... . . 458-480

springs in_____________ 497-500
INDEX

i ' ' , Page 

Mohave Jthwr Basin (5oatinued.

Lower Mohave Valtey, vegetation in.. 460-461 

water table in, depth to.,.......... 472-482

fluctuations of. '- .......... 489-493

generalised sections showing 478, 47S

wells in, records of- 452-457,

463-471,482-493

maps showing ... 268,388,436

Middle Mohave Valley, agriculture in... 433

ground water in, depth to ___ 427-431

quality of ............ 431-433

irrigation in_ ...._. 433-434

map showing . 268 

physical features of. .. ... 424-426 

precipitation in . ......____ 427

routes to ----- 424

soils of -- .......... 426

vegetation in..._____.____ 426-427

wells in, records of- . 434-436

mineral deposits in.. ........ 373-374

physical features of __________ 374-376 

precipitation in . ..-. 376-378 

settlements in..i__-_....___..... 373

surface water in. . ..... 378-381

transportation in. _- 372-373 

Upper Mohave Valley, agricultural development to . . 417-420 

artesian conditions in _. __. 403-404 

ground water in .... 393-414

quality of. ... ... . 415-417 

irrigation in.. ............... 418-423

map showing 388 

physical features and geology of... 388-393 

routes to__* ......_ _ 372

soils of__-_-_.---___._... 393 

wells in, records of 395-402,403,407,408 

Mohave River Commission, cited... ____ 380 

Mohave River Irrigation District, history

of 421-423

Mohave Valley. See Colorado River Basin,

Mohave City to Topock.

Mohawk mine, location of-. - - 599 

Mohawk Spring, location of-________ 741 

Mpjave, public water supply of. . 212 

supplies and accommodations at .- 202 

See also entries beginning Mohave. 

Mojave River Land & Water Co. See Yermo

Mutual Water Co.

Mojave Water & Power Co., holdings of- 383 

Mollusks of the region. '. 59 

Molybdenum, occurrence of 33 

Mormon battalion, journey through the Mohave Desert..---.- 13 

Morongo Canyon, description of 640-641 

Morongo Valley, description of 641-642 

routes to. _ , ......... - 638-641

Mount Pisgab cinder cone and lava fl°w, description of ... 652-653

plate showing..____. ... . 652 

Mountain Well, description of -. 210-211 

Mouser Water, features of . 728 

Myrickite, occurrence of. 35 

Myrick's Spring, location of I- 191-192 

"Mystic maze," ancient Indian ceremonial

ground, description of--- 730 

plate showing...... ... 516

N Pag*

National Old Trails Road, route of____ 133,142 

Needles, public water supply of 784-736

supplies and accommodations at 729 

Needles Water, Ice & Light Co., service by.. 734 

New Dale, location of _ _....._.___ 649 

New York Mountains, features of..... 664,80{N)66

tungsten deposits in__.. ....___, <J6fl

Newberry, supplies available at... 873,437-438 

Newberry Spring, description of.___w.. 498-496 

Nickel, occurrence of... 1 88 

Nipton, supplies available at.. ....... 608

Niter, occurrence of .. 39 

Nitrates, occurrence of 38, 675, 679, 583, 684

Ocean to Ocean Highway, route of..... 142-148 

Oil, prospects hi the region ._ 88-88

test wells drilled for.__.____._, 86-87 

Old Camp Cady, springs at._.______ 498 

Old Virginia Dale, water at........ . 8®

Old Woman Mountains, mineral deposits in. 879

springs in..... * 780 

Old Woman Springs, description of .. 629-630 

Old Woman Springs Valley. See Johnson

Valley.

Opals, occurrence of. i... 35 

Orange Blossom mine, location of . 091 

Ord Mountains, mineral deposits in... 439 

Oro Grande, supplies available at.... .... 873 

Otis Valley. See Yermo Valtey. 

Owens Lake, Pleistocene relations of . 110 

Owl Head mine, location of - 881 

Owl Holes, description of- 58S"88t 

Owls Head Mountains, manganese in... 581

Pachalka Spring, location of. <304 

Paehanca Springs. See PaChalka Spring. 

Pacific Mines Corp., mines of... * ,, . t9l 

Pack, R. W., cited. -. , 36 

Pahrump Valley, features of .-» WMSQ7 

Paint ore, occurrence of 689 

Palen Dry Lake, location of 704 

Palladium, occurrence of.-- 32 

Palmdale, supplies and accommodations at. 290 

Palmdale Irrigation District.............

Palmdale Water Co., development by., 58 

Panamint Basin, description of , , 182-187

routes to.. -.188

water in. .- 187,189-493

analyses of 192 

Panamint Lake, description of 185-187 

Panamint Range, features of..... 184-185

Paradise Springs, description of.r - 285-288

map of vicinity of... '. ®6 

Petroleum. See Oil. 

Pilot Knob, description of . 242-213

plate showing.-. _ ...,. , 108 

Pilot Knob Basin, description of -"- 187-189

water in., ..-- 189-feWl, ISi, 192 

analysis of . J® 

Pinto, water available at , 678 

Pipes Wash Well. See The Windinut. 

Piute Range, features of ...-'.-..I-. 

Piute Spring, location of ..'. .1-'-
756

Page 

Piute Valley, general features and geology

of............................. 716-720

Irrigation prospects in.......______ 727

mining in .... 717

routes to . ___ 717 

springs and water holes in _____ 727-728 

water in, quality of- <......... 722,724,726

wells in, descriptions of . .... 720-724

map showing location of.______ 721 

Platinum, occurrence of- . 32 

Playas, definition of term.... ...____ 109

deposits in....... ... 34-36,38,109-113

soilsof --... _ .............. 64-67

analyses of.... ......._ 67

travel across.. _......_____T _ 136

types of. ... 125 

plate showing In pocket, 

vegetation on and around 44,53,65-66 

See also names of individual playas or

dry lakes.

Pleistocene lakes, Amboy Lake . 696 

evidences of.____...____.__ 110-113 

in Antelope Valley. ................ 302-304

in Death Valley ................. ... 668

in Preraent Valley...______._. 208 

in Harper Valley- 270 

Little Mohave Lake _ __.__. 539,566 

Manix Lake .......... 111-112,450-452,468

Mohave Lftk*. 663-667 

Owens, Searles, and Panamint Lakes

system 110-111,149-160,173-178,185-187 

Ward Lake ___................ 708

Population of the region .._.____ 23-26 

Potash, method of recovery from Searles

Lake ........................ 176

occurrence and production of- 27,33,176,202,695 

Pre-Tertiary rooks, nature and distribution

of.... .............. 103-106

Precipitation, records of 77-^95 

Precipitation indices for stations in Mohave

Desert _____ . _______ 83-86

method of computing. __ ..__ 83

Pumping plants, types of ....... 344-345,439-420

Quail Mountains, features of ........... 193,194

QoaBty of water.. _____. _ 127-128,139-140 

See alto descriptions under individual

valleys. 

Quaternary deposits, nature and distribution

of__......._.___....... 108-114

Babbit Holes, location of...._______ 605 

Babbit Springs, description of.______ 621-622 

Rainfall, records of ....._..... 77-96 

Band Mountains, features of ...... 226

mineral deposits in ____ 227-228 

Randsburg, public water supply of........ 210-212

supplies and accommodations at___ 202,224 

Randsburg mining district, production of_ 30 

Randsburg Water Co., service by____ 210-211 

Red Pass Valley, description of._____ 264-266 

Bedrock Canyon, well in_____- ____ 212 

Beptlles of the region ...__.___._ 67-58

Pace

Resting Springs, location of..,,.. ..... 576

Rhodes Spring, description of._...... .. 690

Ricardo, supplies available at. » 202 

well at ..........,,... ..... 212

Ricardo formation, age of ............_ 108-107

Rice station, supplies available at 712 

well at...__.......................... 713-714

Rice Valley, description of ............ 711-715

routes to 712

water in. . . 713-715

analysis of _ ....._... 714

Riggs Dry Lake, features of- 897 

Riggs Valley, description of .... 694-598

iron deposits in. . *.. 596 

routes to ,. . 694*596 

water in ... 596-598

Rio del Llano. See Rock Creek. 

Riverside Mountains, gold'mining in. 742 

Roach, Nev.,, supplies available at 608 

Roach Valley, features of. 608-610 

Road material, production of- 35 

Roads, difficulties in traveling .. 134-186 

Rock Corral Spring, description of- 630 

Rock Creek, irrigation on .MT 291,292-293 

run-off of ........................... 311-312

Rock Springs, location of 669 

Rogers Dry Lake, features of.. 303 

profile showing water table near . 217 

Rosamond, supplies and accommodations at. 290 

"Rosamond series," age of 106-107 

Rose Valley, features of . 161 

Roseberry Spring, location of . .... 610

Routes into the desert -n . 141-143 

Rubber, plants yielding...... . ... £4

S

Sablon, water available at 704

Sacramento Mountains, features of. .. 732

Saddlerock Spring, location of. 638

Salsberry Spring, description of. 888

Salt, occurrence and production of- 27,

34,2f», 584,692,695,707-708

Salt Basin, mineral deposits in. 9*4

Salt Spring,-description of. 609-006

Salt Wells Canyon, description of 174

water in, analysis cf.. . 181

Salt Wells stage station, analysis of water at.. 181

Salt Wells Valley, location and name of... 144,170

physical features of. .- 178-174

routes to.. . 170

water in ............................ 180-183

analysis of 181 

San Andreas rift, location of-. . 117-118 

San Gabriel Mountains, faulting in 300-301 

Sand, crossing areas of..... 134-136

Sand dunes, character and distribution of.. 113-114,

444-446,561-562,580

plates showing....____1_."____ 44,444

relation to ground-water level 478,481-482 

Sands station, wells at 653 

Saratoga Hills, nitrate deposits in_____ 588 

Saratoga Springs, description of. 886-688 

Scheelite, occurrence of. 228

<S« alto Tungsten. 

Scofield, C. 8., dted......... ........ 63
INDEX

Page

Searchlight, ground-water conditions near. 720-723 

map showing location of wells and mines

near_______. ...__._ 721 

prospects for irrigation near...*.......... 727

supplies and accommodations at... 717

Searchlight district, mineral production of... 717

Searles Lake, description of ______ 110,174-176

mineral deposits of.-____,____ 175-176

Searles Springs, location and yield of........ 180

Searles Valley, description of.____. 110,170-176

routes to . 170-171

water in.. _._. 177-180,182

quality of ____._. 178-179

wells in, records of. .. _ ...... 182

" Self-rising'' ground, analyses of soil of. __ 67

characteristic of moist playas.. 64,

126,148,269,707

plates showing 268,660 

Settlements in the region.,.. .. .._ 16-25 

Shadow Mountains, mineral deposits in..... 599

significance of name. . .._. 600 

Sheep Creek Spring.yiescription of 589 

Sheep Creek Wash, geologic features of... 584 

Shoshone, supplies available at.............. 574

water near......__ ... _...___ 575

Siam, water available at 676

Siberia, water available at. . ..__ 690

Sidewinder Valley, features of. ______ 412

plate Showing ... 388

water in.... . . . . .. 413

Sierra Nevada, faulting of,- 119

Signal district, mining in .. 679

Silurian Dry Lake, ^ee Riggs Dry Lake.

Silver, occurrence and production of. 27,

29-30,229,244,438,599,679,691

Silver Lake, description of_________ 559-563

fish in,. . . ..- . 566-568

ground water near..._.. .. 560-562,568-570

pijofile showing level of. 562

shore features of... ... _ ... 563

turquoise mined near 556

view ol. . 556

Silver Lake, supplies available at__....... 555

Silver Lake Valley. See Soda Lake and Silver Lake .Valleys.

Slaughterhouse Springs, location of 610 

Smith, J. S., journey through the Mohave

Desert... 11 

Snowfall, records of._ _ . 92 

Snyder, J. O., cited.... . ........ 567-568

Soda Lak$, description of . 559-563 

gold-recovery plant at.. 556 

grounp water near.____ 531,559-562,568-570 

profile sh/owing level of 562 

view of ________ - . 556 

Soda Lake and Silver }Lake Valleys, description of 554-572

fossils in._.... ___ . 557

ground water in.. 560-362,568-572

quality of __._ - - 532,570

irrigation in___ ... 572

lakes and playas in __ 559-568

map showing. . 616 

mineral deposits in.. 556 

physical features and geology of 556-568 

routes to . 666

5631 29 49

Pa*

B39-6S?

108-11

Soda station, springs and wella near. 

Soils, alkali in .« 

of the alluvial slopes. .,

of the desert region. .>

of the playas .» . .* ... 6A~6f 

analyses of <..,.,»,-. «..

of the river valleys. .... ,, ,... .,

See also descriptions under individual

valleys. , , . South Antelope Valley .Irrigation Co. See

Palmdale Water Co. 

South Death Valley. See Amargosa Baain,

Lower.

Southern California Improvement Co., development work by... 

Spanish Trail, route of IS 

Springs. See Ground water; also list of wells 

and springs on pp/129-131, names 

of individual springs, and descriptions under valleys. 

Squaw Spring Well, description of - 

Stagg post office. See Lodlow. 

Stock raising in the region. , 

Stoddard Valley, watei in . 

Stoddard Well, description of , 

Stratigraphy of the region . 

Stringer district, location of . 

Strontium, occurrence of. »,' 189,684,86$ 

Structure of the region ,.....

Sudworth, G. B., cited -. 

Summit Diggings, gold placers of. 

Sunflower Spring, features of.....

Sunshine mine, location of........

Superior Valley, description of....

irrigation in.... -j. S58*"26* map showing.. *. 28S

profile through .

routes to.-- .

water in. ..... 

analyses of -. .

wells in, descriptions of ---i! :S*4,347-26^ 

Supply mine, location of. . . 

Surprise Spring, location of | 

Surprise Valley, description of.* '«.]... 683-68lt

routes to.--.. - . <;-.. 68*i

water in __._ . ^ 635-fS i 

Sutor Valley, location of- . i I 6H \ 

Sweetwater Spring, description of- ...L. 4W-60H

Tait, O. E., acknowledgments to ,..|...*. 

Talc, occurrence of , - + * 

Taylor Spring, location of- i «2 ! 

Tecopa, springs near i . 67 

' . 67-i 

813-31-: 

.. 70-7! i

-:. 116-12$ 

4MI> 

. 31 > 

 71! . 

flfli! 

237-25)1

248-2®t

... 26$

supplies available at. 

Tehachapi Mountains^ run-off of 

Temperature of the regioxu

Temperature of the water of w«Ite

springs..,;.,...,*. ., 

Temple Bar conglomerate, age of 

Tertiary rocks, nature and distribution oL. 106-19' 

The Pipes, location of ,.,r«»?. 

The WindmUl, location of,-..,.. '-. 

Todd, water available ail . . 

Travel in the region ..

and

138-W.

69 i
758 INDEX

Page

Irons, domestic water supply at-- -____ 179

springs and wells near 177-18$ 182

supplies and accommodations at ___ 171

Trona, occurrence of ___________ 176

Troy Dry Lake, features of.. - __ 443

Tule Springs, location of __________ 575

Tungsten, occurrence and production of .. 27,

31-32,202,227-229,584,599,679

Turquoise, occurrence of___________ 35

Turquoise Mountains, features of. .... 557-558

Turtle Mountains, features of-_-_____ 738

. water in . . 741,747

Twenty-nine Palms, springs and wells at _ 646-647

Twenty-nine Palms Valley, description of- 646-648

Two Springs, description of.._______ 197-198

U

Upper Kingston Valley, description of-_ 598-604 

mineral deposits in ____________ 599 

routes to. . _ 599 

water in - ..... __ 602-604 

analyses of.---____________ 603 

Upper Mohave Valley. See Mobave River 

Basin.

V

Valley Cultivating Co., proposed development by.... ._ 541-542

Vanadium, occurrence of ________ 33,679 

Vaader Leek, Lawrence, cited 37-38 

-Van Winkle Spring, location of_. _____ 687 

Vegetation, list of species collected in the

area__ _ ____ 54-57 

moisture-conserving devices of ____ 43-44 

of areas with ground water near the surface._ _ 51-54

of the alkaline soUs. 53-54,62-63

of the alluvial slopes ... . 46-51

of the desert region...___________ 41-51

plates showing- __ ____ 44

of the mountains ___________ 45-46

Victor Valley Irrigation District, history of 383,

421-423

Victor Valley Mutual Water & Power District Association, proposed development by..________ 421-422 

Vietorville, public water supply of- 407-408,414-415 

supplies and accommodations at____ 373 

view across Mohave River Valley at__ 388 

Vietorville Domestic-Water Co. See Appleton Laud, Water & Power Co. 

Vidal, supplies available at. ___ ____ 742 

Vidal and Calzona Valleys, description of- 741-744 

irrigation in... . _ 744-745,746 

mining in. _ ...... 742

routes to ___. __________ 742 

water in _ . 744-747

analysis of ._-________ 745

wells to, descriptions of._._____ 745-746

Vulcan iron deposit, location of_______ 679

W

'Wall Street Canyon in CaMco Mountains,

plate showing..___.____ 44

Page

Ward, water available at : 70* 

well at, description of. 7(38-710 

Ward Lake, evidence of existence of 708 

Ward Valley, general features and geology

of 705-708

mineral deposits of-- . 7Cff>-798 

routes to. 704-706 

'water in, analyses of. 710 

wells and springs in..._......._ _ 708-711

Warren Valley, description <£.............. 642-645

water in... ............... 644-646

analysis of 644

Warrens Tank, location of._.., ... 642-643

Warrens Well, description of 643

routes to_____ . . 644

Water, analyses of 165,

| 178, 181, 192, 198, 236, 252, 263, 278, 288,

343, 417, 433, 501, 532, 545, 552, 588, 594,

603, 623, 630, 644, 654, 674, 685, 700, 710,

714, 726, 735, 740, 745.

quality of 127-128,139-140

See alto Ground water; danferiptions under

individual valleys. 

Water table, position of. See descriptions

under individual valleys.

Watering places, location of 138 

roads to.. 136-137

types of.___ . - 137-138 

Weavers Well, location of- - 688 

Wells. See Ground water; also list of wells 

and springs on pp. J29-131, names 

of individual welte^and descriptions under valleys.

Welsh Well, features of._ 736 

West Cronise Dry Lake, features of. __ 538-539 

West Well, location and features of 737 

Westend, supplies available at 171 

water supply for. 180 

Wheatstone Spring, location of 610 

Wheeler Spring, location of. 198 

Whipple, A. W., explorations by_ ...... 17-18

Whipple Mountains, geology of -.......... 743

mining in _.. . . 742 

water in.. _ _ '. 741 

Whipple Well, location of-. _ - 741 

White Rock Spring, location ol 610 

Whiting, production of. 1 39 

Whitney Spring, location of.. ..__ 198 

Wild, water available at . 423 

Willard Valley. See Golden Valley. 

Williams Well, description of- . - -.-- 277 

Williamson, R. S., cited.. .......:' 58@i561

explorations by. 17,18 

Willis Well, location of- 500 , Willow Creek, springs on 575 

Willow Spring, location of a 700 

Winds, direction of.- ... 76 

Wingate Valley, description of..k.-~. 591-694 

Epsom salt in___......._ 5»1,592-593

routes to___._______ . .. 591 

water in _ ... .... 593-594

analysis of ._.____ 694 

Wright Act, irrigation districts organized

under . 291
INDEX 759

Y -Page

Yellow Aster mine, production of._____ 30 

Yeoman Hot Springs, location and features of. 575 

> Yermo, supplies available at_______ 373,437 

Yermo Mutual Water Co., history of __ 507-509 

Yermo Valley, location of_____....___ 437 

Young, Erving, journey through the Mohave

Desert.____..__.____ 11

Yucca, description of. . .......

plates showing -._._.... .

Yucca Valley. See Warren Valley.

Z

Zabriskie, wells and spring near. 

Zinc, production of 

O

44

snt

27,

'K :, t/