Water-Supply Paper No. 217 tai.{J; 

DEPAETMENT OF THE INTERIOR

UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

GEORGE OTIS SMITH, DIRECTOR

WATER RESOURCES

OP

BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH

BY

WILLIS T. LEE

WASHINGTON

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 

1908

CONTENTS.

Page.

Introduction _______________________________ 5

Location and extent of the area examined_-_-_____ 5

Purpose and scope of work_ _________________ _ __ 5

Cooperation __________________________ _-____ __ 6

Geography ___________________ ______________-- 6

Plateau province ______________________________- 6

Basin province ________________________________ 6

Deserts ___________________________________ 6

Isolated basins _____________________________ 8

Residual lakes___________________. ______ ,___ 8

Drainage __________________________________ 9

Geology ___________________ ___________ __________ 9

Formations_________________________________ 9

Granite ____________________________________ 9

Paleozoic sediments ________________________ 11

Effusive rocks________________________________ 11

Younger sediments_____________________ 12

Structure _____________________________________ 13

Water supply______________________________________ 15

Precipitation __________..________..____________ 15

Surface waters _____________________________ 17

Source______________________________________ 17

Measurements of flow_______________________ 18

Utilization ___________________________________ 19

Underground waters ______________________________ 19

Springs ___________________________________ 19

Number and distribution_______________________ 19

Sulphurdale ________________________..____ 19

McKean _________________________________ 20

Minersville __________________________ 21

Dotson __________________________________ 21

Thermo __________________________.___^__ 21

Other springs ___________________________ 22

Seepage waters__________-________ ._____..____ 22

Location _____ _______________________ 22

Volume ________________________________. 22

Deep wells __________________________________ 23

Classification ____________________________ 23

Beaver district ______ -____________________.__ 28

Barton ______________________________ 23

Cemetery ___.________________-___ - 23

Mumford _____________________________ 24

Nower _________ ______________________ 24

Shepherd ____________________________- 24

Wolfenden & Murdock well __________________ 25

Other Beaver wells______________________ 25

Greenville district__________ - - ~ 25

Greenville school____________ -_ -_ 25

Other Greenville wells___________________ 25

Adamsville district ~ . __ 25

Griffith ________________ 25

Parkinson _ _ _ 26

Other Adamsville wells___________ 26

3
4 CONTENTS.

Water supply Continued.

Underground waters Continued.

Deep wells Continued. Page.

Minersville district________________________ 26

Baker & Walker_________________ _______ 26

Goodson____________________________ 27

Van Patten____________..___ __________ 27

Other Minersville wells___.._________________ 27

Milford district____________________________ 27

Milford ______________________________ 27

Lewis _________________________________ 28

Winberg __________________ .__________ 28

Railroad _______________________ ______ 29

Milwaukee Leasing Company_______________ 29

Mining and Smelting Company____.___________ 30

Beaver Bottoms___________________.._____ 30

Railroad wells outside of Beaver Valley______________ 30

Beryl _________________________________ 31

Lund ___________. _________ ___________ 31

Thermo _______________________________ 32

Neels ____________________________'____ 32

Oasis ____________________ ___________ 33

Lynn _________________________________ 34

Statistics of deep wells_____________________ 34

Shallow wells______________... __________ _____ 37

Tabulated data____________________._______ 37

Water-bearing material____________________ 40

Changes in water level________________________ 41

Chemical character of waters______________________ 42

Methods of determination______________ __________ 42

Streams__________.________ _______________ 42

Springs __________________________________ 43

Deep wells-_________. ______ _____ -__ _______ 46

Shallow wells_________________ ___ __ 46

Beaver wells _______________________________ 47

Sanitary analyses_________________ __ - 49

Other exact analyses_______________________ 49

Possibilities of development ________-_____________ 51

Surface waters ________________________________ 51

Underground waters _____________ _ _ 51

Drainage ___________________ __ 51

Pumping plants___________ 52

Artesian conditions ___________________ _ 54

Index___________________________-_________ 55

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

PLATE I. Map of Beaver Valley________ 5 

FIG. 1. Map of Utah showing location of Beaver Valley with an outline of

Lake Bonneville ________ _____ 7

2. East-west section across Beaver Basin_ 14

3. Map of Beaver_______________ 48
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 

H3°I5' R.I2 W.

R. 10 W, R.8 W. WATER-SUPPLY PAPER NO. 217 PL. I 

R.7 W. R. 6 W. U2°30'

113*15'

SKETCH WELLS.

WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

By WILLIS T. LEE.

INTRODUCTION.

Location and extent of area examined. Beaver Valley is located 

in Beaver County, in southwestern Utah, about 175 miles south of 

Salt Lake. It lies between the Tushar Mountains on the east and 

the Beaver Mountains on the west. The principal town of the valley is Beaver, which is most conveniently reached from Milford, a 

station on the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Kailroad. The 

valley, together with its neighboring highlands, occupies the eastern 

third of Beaver County, an area of about 1,200 square miles. A large 

part of this area, however, is rocky upland and unproductive desert, 

the tillable land comprising a comparatively small area in the immediate vicinity of the streams.

Purpose and scope of work. The purpose of this paper is to present information concerning the waters of Beaver Valley and to 

point out ways and means of increasing their usefulness.

The presence of a large amount of water in Beaver Valley results 

from local topograhic conditions, the water being supplied by precipitation in the highland to the east. Its conservation and distribution 

result from geologic conditions, the water being held in loose gravel 

and sand, which are more or less confined between ridges of consolidated rocks. The rock basins were formed partly by erosion and 

partly by faulting and surface deformation. In order to accomplish 

the purpose in view it is therefore necessary to describe the geographic and geologic conditions in Beaver Valley and neighboring 

regions.

The investigation included the determination of the flow of streams 

and springs, of the manner of occurrence and quantity of the underground waters as shown by the geologic and geographic conditions of 

the region and by the distribution of springs and wells, and of the 

chemical character of the waters with reference to their adaptability
6 WATEE RESOUKCES OF BEAVEK VALLEY, UTAH.

to domestic use and to irrigation. The chemical data were obtained 

(«) by field assays, which are approximately correct and probably of 

sufficient accuracy to be of value in comparing the various waters; 

(5) by more exact analyses, some of which were made in the laboratory of the United States Geological Survey by "W. M. Barr, and 

others by Herman Harms, State chemist of Utah, for the San Pedro, 

Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad; and (c) by sanitary analyses, 

made also by Herman Harms.

Cooperation. The work was done during the summer of 1906, the 

United States Geological Survey cooperating with the State of Utah 

through Caleb Tanner, State engineer, and with the county of Beaver 

through the supervisors of the county. In collecting the information 

the writer was assisted by J. F. Hoyt, of-Nephi, Utah.

GEOGRAPHY.

Southwestern Utah is divided into two general provinces the 

plateau province and the basin province. These are separated sharply 

by a succession of high cliffs extending in a northeasterly direction 

from St. George through Beaver and northward. At the foot of these 

cliffs are located the principal towns of the southwestern part of the 

State for example, St. George, Toquerville, Kanarraville, Cedar 

City, Parowan, Beaver, and Fillmore. To the east of the cliffs lie the 

High Plateaus of Utah, well known through the writings of Button, 

Powell, Gilbert, and others; and to the west of them lie the barren 

deserts of the Great Basin.

 PLATEAU PROVINCE.

The High Plateaus lie at an elevation several thousand feet above 

the Great Basin, and isolated mountains of volcanic origin rise to 

altitudes considerably greater than that of the general surface of the 

plateaus, the highest in the vicinity of Beaver being Delano Peak, 

which has an altitude of 12,240 feet. These plateaus and mountains 

are of the greatest importance in considering the water supply, since 

owing-to their altitude the rainfall is greater there than in the basin 

region to the west. The streams which yield the water supply of 

southwestern Utah all rise in the highlands of the plateaus.

BASIN PROVINCE. 

DESERTS.

The Great Basin consists of broad sandy deserts, from the surface 

of which rise more or less isolated groups of rock mountains. The 

Great Basin has been described by Gilbert 0 and others, who show

" Gilbert, G. K., Lake Bonneville: Mon. U. S. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, 1890.
GEOGRAPHY.

that the lowest parts were formerly occupied by a lake known as 

Lake Bonneville, an outline of which is shown on the accompanying 

map (fig. 1). Sands, gravels, and clays were deposited in this lake 

to a great though unknown depth, filling the low places generally 

and transforming into nearly level plains large areas which may prePIG. 1. Map of Utah, showing location of B 

ville. (After G. K. Gilbert, Mon. TJ

aver Valley and outline of Lake BonneS. Geol. Survey, vol. 1, 1890.)

viously have had very uneven surfaces. The Escalante Desert, a 

part of which lies within the region described in this paper, represents the southernmost extension of'Lake Bonneville, called by Gilbert 

Escalante Bay. A comparatively narrow strait, here about 6 miles 

wide, connected Escalante Bay with the main body of Lake Bonne-
8 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

ville to the north. The bed of the old lake is now represented by the 

level bottom lands of the desert. Rock mountains rise abruptly from 

the plains, and material from the mountains, borne out by the streams 

and deposited as alluvial slopes and cones, from the gentle outwash 

slopes, characteristic of the desert region.

ISOLATED BASINS.

Between the High Plateaus and the Escalante Desert there are several comparatively small basins, some at an elevation but little 

greater than that of the Escalante Desert, as Eush Lake Valley; 

others several hundred feet higher, as Parowan Valley, which is separated from the main desert by highlands except where they are cut 

by a narrow canyon through which the valley was formerly drained, 

but which is now dry; and Beaver Basin, 1,000 feet or more above 

the floor of the Escalante Desert, with which it is connected by a 

canyon at Minersville, carved by Beaver River through the Mineral 

Mountains.

These basins, as described in detail in the case of Beaver Basin, 

are partly filled with sediments similar to those of Lake Bonneville, 

from which it might be inferred that they were formerly small embayments of the lake that were later elevated to their present position 

by crustal movements. This inference finds some confirmation in recent earthquake disturbances that are known to have occurred in this 

region, and in the fact that the basins lie in a zone of profound faulting, which has been subject to the differential movements that have 

resulted in the great differences of elevation between the High Plateaus and the Great Basin. It seems more probable, however, that 

these basins formerly contained isolated lakes that were tributary to 

Lake Bonneville and lay at altitudes somewhere greater than the main 

lake, much as Utah Lake is tributary to Great Salt Lake at the present time. Beaver Basin, the only one of these small basins within 

the area described, will be referred to frequently, and for convenience 

the deposits filling it may be called the Beaver Lake beds and the 

body of water in which they were laid down may be called Beaver 

Lake.

RESIDUAL LAKES.

In certain places where the water supply is sufficient the lower 

portions of the old lake bed still contain small salt lakes, such as 

Sevier Lake, Little Salt Lake in Parowan Valley, and Blue Lake 

near Deseret. In other places water gathers in the depressions during 

wet weather and forms mud flats, one of which, known as Beaver 

Bottoms, is within the area here described. Many parts of the 

Escalante Desert are so nearly level that rain water accumulates at
DRAINAGE. 9

the surface and stands practically motionless until absorbed into the 

ground, and during wet weather much of the desert becomes an impassable bog.

DRAINAGE.

The drainage with which this paper is concerned is entirely that of 

Beaver Eiver and its tributaries. All the permanent streams entering 

the valley rise in the Tushar Mountains to the east, and the trunk 

stream of the system supplies the greater part of the water, since it 

has its origin in the highest part of the range among such lofty peaks 

as Delano (altitude 12,240 feet), Baldy (altitude 11,730 feet), and 

Belknap (altitude 12,200 feet). The main tributaries are South 

Creek, Burch Creek, North Creek, Indian Creek, and Wildcat Creek, 

all of which rise in the Tushar Mountains and join the river within 

Beaver Basin. There are no other tributaries having perennial flows, 

and after leaving Beaver Basin the river rapidly decreases in volume 

until at Milford it also becomes intermittent. Still farther to the 

north the trunk channel subdivides into the distributary channels 

of Beaver Bottoms. The river is nominally a part of the Sevier Lake 

drainage, but according to report it is only occasionally that a flood 

has sufficient volume to find its way into the lake.

The greater part of the water passing Minersville finds its way 

quickly into the sands and gravels of the Lake Bonneville beds. The 

sediments swept from the canyon are deposited upon the plain to the 

west of Minersville, forming a delta fan. The fan is so nearly flat 

and its surface is so regular, as compared with the outwash slopes of 

the mountains near by, that the delta character is inconspicuous. Its 

presence is made clear, however, by the distribution of the streams. 

Beaver Eiver at the present time follows the northern edge of the 

delta, but the water diverted from the river at Minersville for the 

irrigation of the fields southwest of the town finds its way westward 

near the southern edge of the delta, gradually turning to the north 

and finally entering the river again about 2 miles south of Milford. 

The low ground obviously marks an abandoned course of Beaver 

Eiver, and it would apparently require little effort, perhaps nothing 

more than a clogging of the present channel with debris during some 

flood, to turn it back into the old course.

GEOLOGY.

FORMATIONS.

GRANITE.

The oldest rocks exposed at the surface in the Beaver region are 

supposed to be the granites of the Mineral Mountains. They underlie 

and are apparently older than the Paleozoic sediments. They have
10 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

been subjected to comparatively recent movements, as is made evident 

by the occurrence of faults and zones of crushing and shearing and 

by the presence of hot springs in the shear zones. It is possible, however, that the granites, instead of being pre-Paleozoic in age, are due 

to comparatively recent intrusions. The region is one in which great 

crustal disturbances have taken place, as is indicated by the faulted 

and tilted sediments described on page 14 and by the great masses of 

extrusive rock found in the Tushar Mountains and elsewhere. The 

volcanic disturbances have occurred repeatedly, as shown by the alternation of early Tertiary lavas and sediments and the occurrence of 

basalt included within the Quaternary gravels and resting upon them 

in the form of sheets and volcanic cones.

Section of rocks exposed in Beaver Canyon .'/ miles east of Miners ville.

1. Basalt, several hundred feet.

2. Rhyolitic flows, tuffs and breccia, many hundred feet.

3. Andesitic flows, tuffs and breccia, several hundred feet. Feet.

4. Uncemented gravel and bowlders of limestone, quartzite, and andesite 250

5. Coarse consolidated conglomerate consisting of limestone, quartzite, 

and various crystalline rocks, the bowlders having a maximum 

diameter of 5 feet_____________________________ 90 

Unconformity.

i3. Red shale__________.____________________________ 60

7. Earthy-gray limestone_______________-_--__ - 15

8. Red shale_______________________________________ 10

9. Gray limestone___________________________________ 10

10. Red shale and ripple-marked sandstones____; ___ _ 40

11. Blue limestone-____________________ _ 10

12. Red shale and ripple-marked sandstones__ _ _ 120

13. Limestone containing Aviculipecten weberensis, Aviculipecten aff. occidentalis, Myalina aff. perattenuata, Bakewellia n. sp., Pleurophorus 

sp., Schizodus sp_________________________________ 15

14. Shale_________________________________ -________ 40

15. Limestone containing same fossils as No. ]3___ ___ ___ __ 35

16. Buff shale with a subordinate amount of limestone____________ 95

17. Shale and limestone containing Aviculipecten n. sp., Pleurotomariaf 

sp., Bakewellia n. sp., Naticopsis sp., Xenodiscus? sp., undetermined 

ammonoids_____________________________________ 100

18. Red shale _______________________________________ 35

19. Yellowish brown shales alternating with ripple-marked sandstones__ 40

20. Quartzitic basal conglomerate __________________________ .10 

Unconformity.

21. Cherty limestone containing Zaphrentis? sp., Fistulipora sp., Septopora 

sp., Productus aff. subhorridus, Meekellaf sp., Spirifer aff. cameratus, 

Squamularia aff. perpleaoa, Spiriferina aff. kentuckyensis, Spiriferina 

sp., Composita aff. subtilita, Hustedia aff. meekana, Pugnax aff. 

osagensis ___ ________________________________ 450

22. Yellowish quartzite _________________________________ 200

23. Cherty limestone containing Squamularia? sp. and Hustedia aff.

meekana ______________________________________'___________ 500

Base not exposed where section was measured,
GEOLOGIC FOEMATIONS. 11 

PALEOZOIC SEDIMENTS.

A thick series of massive limestones overlies the granite and is well 

exposed in the Mineral Mountains north of Minersville. These limestones are overlain in turn by red sandstones, shale, and volcanic 

products, as shown in the section on the preceding page.

The massive cherty limestone at the base of the section is referred 

with little doubt to the Aubrey. The fossils were examined by 

George H. Girty, of the United States Geological Survey, who states 

that they probably belong in the Aubrey fauna, although many 

of the most characteristic forms of that fauna are wanting. The 

stratigraphic position and general field relations of the limestone 

show that it is probably the same as the typical Aubrey limestone of 

the Grand Canyon region farther to the south.

The red sediments overlying the cherty limestone yielded a number 

of well-preserved fossils which also have been examined by Doctor 

Girty, who states that the fauna is the same as that of the Permian 

beds of Walcott's a Grand Canyon section and of the " Permo-Carboniferous " of the Wasatch Mountains.

In Colob Plateau, about 50 miles south of Beaver, a thickness of 

. more than 8,000 feet of strata was measured between the base of the 

Permian and the top of the Benton. Of this great thickness only 

565 feet of the base of the Permian remain in Beaver Canyon, the 

upper beds having been eroded away. The red beds are overlain by 

a coarse conglomerate, presumably equivalent in age to the Eocene 

conglomerates of the plateaus, and these are covered in turn by extensive masses of volcanic rock.

EFFUSIVE ROCKS.

The oldest of the lavas covering the red beds and the overlying 

conglomerate are dark-colored andesites. These are most conveniently seen in the Beaver region in the canyon east of Minersville. 

They consist of flow sheets, tuffs, and volcanic breccias and occur also 

as bowlders in the underlying conglomerate.

Above the andesites are extensive masses of light-pink to white 

rhyolite. These are especially large in the Tushar Mountains, where 

they occur as flow sheets, tuffs, and breccias, constituting a large part 

of the range. The rhyolites are best known locally as the soft pink 

rock found near the mouth of Beaver Canyon and elsewhere, that is 

used for building purposes. It is a fine-grained, consolidated rhyolitic tuff which, on account of its softness, is easily quarried and

" Walcott, C. D., The Permian and other Paleozoic groups of the Kanab Valley, Arizona : Am. Jour. Sci., 3d ser., vol. 20, 1880, pp. 221, 225.
12 WATER RESOURCES OP BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

dressed, but which is resistant enough to make a good building stone. 

In many places masses of this tuff are not well consolidated and 

resemble beds of light-colored sand and clay.

After some, at least, and probably after all of the rhyolites of this 

region had been extruded they were extensively eroded, as shown by 

the occurrence of beds of conglomerate made up largely of pebbles 

and bowlders of rhyolite. These conglomerates of rhyolite occur in 

Beaver Canyon at Minersville, in Bakers Canyon, 5 miles east of 

Beaver, and elsewhere. At Minersville they are well stratified, but 

consist mainly of angular fragments of rhyolite. In Bakers Canyon they are several hundred feet thick and made up of well-rounded 

pebbles and bowlders of many kinds of rock, the largest bowlders consisting of rhyolite.

Basalt overlies the rhyolitic rocks and rests in some places upon 

the conglomerates and in others upon the tuffs and breccias. The 

basalt is the black rock used to a considerable extent as a building 

stone in Beaver Valley. It occurs in sheets near the mouth of Beaver 

Canyon, in the canyon east of Minersville, in Black Mountain north 

of Beaver, and elsewhere. It also forms the volcanic cones, one of 

which is located 13 miles north of Beaver and another 20 miles north 

of Beaver near the Cove Creek sulphur beds.

YOUNGER SEDIMENTS.

The sediments to the west and north of Minersville, the only 

part of the Escalante Desert within the region here described, constitute a part of the Lake Bonne ville beds. The Escalante Desert, 

an outline of which is shown in fig. 1 (p. 7), has a general elevation greater than that of the main part of the old lake basin 

and was included in the lake as Escalante Bay, at least during 

the closing stages of sedimentation, only during the maximum extension of the lake, as shown in Gilbert's map, PL XIII of the Bonneville monograph. For this reason the shore lines, so conspicuous 

along the mountain sides in the vicinity of Salt Lake, are practically 

absent in the vicinity of Milford, the altitude of the more conspicuous ones near Salt Lake being less than that of the surface of the Escalante Desert. For the same reason the wave-built terraces are not 

so conspicuous as they are in other places, although they occur as low 

sand and gravel benches at a greater or less distance from the hills 

and in many places near the center of the desert.

The lack of vertical exposures of any considerable thickness renders impossible a detailed description of the sediments except those 

near the surface. Such well records as are available, however, show 

that the beds consist principally of clay and fine sand with a subordinate amount of gravel. The wells at Thermo and Milford, the
STEUCTUEE. 13

drillers' records of which are given, on pages 29,32, are within the area 

described and give the most exact information available regarding 

the character of the Lake Bonneville beds in Beaver County.

The maximum thickness of these beds is not known. The only 

well that penetrates through them is located at Neels, and shows a 

thickness of sediment of nearly 2,000 feet. It is possible that the 

lower parts of these sediments may be of pre-Bonneville age, but there 

is no indication in the driller's record (given on p. 33) that they do 

not all belong to the Lake Bonneville beds. It is noteworthy also 

that Neels is located in a narrow strait of Lake Bonneville, and it is 

altogether probable that in the broader parts of the basin the sediments may be much thicker.

The sediments of Beaver Basin consist of unconsolidated clay, sand, 

and gravel in alternating layers, as shown in detail in the well records 

(pp. 23-26). Their character and distribution, as well as their similarity to the Lake Bonneville beds, seems GO warrant the inference 

that they are lake deposits. A thickness of several hundred feet is 

exposed in the mesas near Beaver, and an additional thickness of 

nearly 500 feet is shown by the wells, but the total depth of the sediments within Beaver Basin is not known.

The Beaver Lake beds are similar to the Lake Bonneville beds in 

general character, degree of consolidation, and association with flows 

of basalt. For these reasons the Beaver Lake beds are believed to be 

of the same age as the Lake Bonneville beds, although they lie at an 

elevation 1,000 feet or more above the Lake Bonneville sediments of 

the Escalante Desert. This difference in elevation, as previously suggested, may be due to recent elevation, but is more probably to be 

accounted for as the result of deposition in a lake tributary to Lake 

Bonneville and lying at a greater elevation.

STRUCTURE.

The geologic structure in the Beaver region is somewhat difficult 

to make out owing to the occurrence of the great quantities of eruptive 

rock and to the recent accumulation of sediments the Beaver Lake 

and the Lake Bonneville beds which cover or obscure the faults. 

Farther south, however, the older sedimentary rocks are better exposed and their structural relations are plainly discernible.

Along the western border of the High Plateaus of Utah, between 

Beaver and St. George, several basins have been formed apparently 

by faulting and the displacement of large crust blocks. Rush Lake 

Valley (or Cedar Valley, as it is sometimes called) and Parowan Valley are perhaps the most conspicuous of these basins. The strata of 

the plateaus to the east lie essentially horizontal, except where faulted 

blocks have been displaced, but the same formations to the west of
14 WATER EESOUECES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

the cliffs that form the western margin of the plateaus dip eastward 

beneath the basins. In order to avoid possible misunderstanding, it 

should be noted in this connection that the hills west of Parowan, 

mapped by Button a as trachyte and rhyolite, were found to consist 

mainly of sandstones and conglomerates similar to those of the 

plateau east of Parowan, which, as stated by the same author, are 

sediments of Cretaceous and Tertiary age.

The fault at which the great displacements occurred to form these 

basins is known as the Hurricane fault, and the northward extension of the Hurricane ledge of the plateau region of southern Utah 

forms the western margin of the plateaus in Cedar and Parowan 

valleys. The Hurricane fault, or the zone of faulting in which it 

occurs, is traceable from the Grand Canyon northward to the lava 

fields between Parowan and Beaver valleys, where it could not be 

followed through the effusive rocks. But a number of facts indicate 

that Beaver Basin, like Parowan Valley, was formed by faulting and 

crust-block tilting. Among these facts are the following:

PIG. 2. East-west section through Beaver, showing structure of Beaver Basin and relation of Beaver Lake beds to Lake Bonneville beds. 1, Volcanic breccia (Tertiary) ; 

2, Aubrey limestone (Carboniferous) ; 3, red sandstone and shale (Permian) ; 4, andesite and rhyolite.

The sedimentary formations of the plateau region occur in the 

Tushar Mountains beneath the igneous rocks. They are exposed, 

according to Dutton,6 in the eastern flanks of these mountains, and are 

said to occur also in the western flanks in small detached blocks, one 

of which, at least, is limestone from which lime is obtained for local 

uses. The writer did not see these sediments, but in the Mineral 

Mountains the Paleozoic formations, a section of which is given on 

page 10, were observed dipping steeply to the east and passing underneath lavas identical in kind and constitution with those of Tushar 

Mountains. These in turn are finally buried by the sands and gravels 

of the Beaver Lake beds. The sedimentary rocks terminate abruptly 

at the west against the breccias composed of volcanic rock which have 

been described as younger than the rhyolites. This is evidently due 

to the presence of a fault along the western face of the Mineral Mountains. The probable structural relations are shown in the sketch 

section, fig. 2.

« Dutton, C. E., Tertiary history of the Grand Canyon district: Mon. U. S. Geol. Survey, vol. 2, 1882, atlas sheet No. 21.

6 Dutton, C. E., Geology of the High Plateaus of Utah, 1880, atlas sheet No. 6, sec. 

No. 4.
WATER SUPPLY. 15

Further evidence that Beaver Basin is in a zone of faulting is 

found in the prevalence of earthquakes. A number of severe shocks 

have occurred within recent years, the zone of greatest disturbance 

following in general the fault zone at the edge of the plateau. In 

this same zone also occur the volcanic cones north of Beaver, the beds 

of sulphur at Sulphurdale that have been described by the writer a 

as being still in process of accumulation, and numerous large springs, 

some of which yield waters that are hot and highly mineralized.

WATER SUPPLY.

PRECIPITATION.

Few rainfall records sufficiently complete to be of great use are 

available from southern Utah. Those that are close enough to the 

region here described to indicate the precipitation in this region are 

given below. From these records, representing 11 stations, it appears that the average rainfall, computed from the 78 complete yearly 

records only, is 10.81 inches.

TABLE 1. Records of precipitation at stations in southwestern Utah.

BEAVEE. (ALTITUDE, 5,970 FEET.)

Tear.

1891- _______ ..

1892_. _ . _ .. .

1893 _ __ .

1904» _____ _____

1905 _____ __-.

1QTIR

Jan.

1.03

.41 

.81

.45

.06

1.10

Feb.

0.67

1.17

1.38

2.35

1.09

Mar.

0.53

.33

1.17

1.45

1.34

3.59

Apr.

0.60

1.09 

1.12

2.04

1.13

1.62

May.

1.20

.12

.61

.50

2.49

1.86

June.

0.86

Tr.

1.14

.10

.00

.00

July.

0.38

.51

1.36

1.20

1.20

.47

Aug.

1.93

.44

1.25

1.13

.95

2.04

Sept.

0.40

1.22

1.24

.38

2.07

1.27

Oct.

1.62

.17

Tr.

.67

.30

Nov.

0.14

.27

.00

.00

.85

.85

Dec.

3.79

.50

1.50 

1.75

.40

.20

Total.

6.06

10.10

12.21

"Ten years' record wanting. 

BLACKROCK. (ALTITUDE, 4,872 FEET.)

1901-. . __ . _ .

1902 ___ . _ .....

1903. ... __ .

1904- _ -_. ...

lonf;

1906- __ ___ .

0.40

.26

1.11

4.10

48

1 59

1.43

.20

1.30

1.00

2.26

0.34

1.15

2.00

.93

1.74

1.29

.16

2.59

.26

1.28

3.31

0.78

.23

1.72

1.64

1.52

.91

0.94

Tr.

.33

.04

Tr.

.12

0.15

.40

.41

.05

.65

1.02

.19

1.75

.56

.75

1.12

0.00

.84

.92

.30

2.57

2.33

0.56

.53

.95

.65

.88

.03

Tr.

1.97

.10

.00

2.11

0.70

.45

.18

.55

.97

7.61

6.38

13.36

6.39

DESERET. (ALTITUDE. 4,541 FEET.)

1891 .... _ .

1892- ___ -__. _ .

1893 __ . _ .

1894 _ .

1895- _ 

18QA

1QQQ

1900 _ - ____ _ _

1901 _ _ _

1902 _ .- ___ .....

1903 ____________

1904 __ _______

1905- - _ . _ - .._

1906. . --,

0.53

.54

.35

.40

.32

.36

.10

.48

.94

.15

.42

.31

1.30

.61

1.35

53

.05

1.67

.30

1.30

.97

1.25

.41

1.84

1.85

.53 .63

.29

Tr.

.80

.82

.40

1.55

1.06

2.10

0.71

1.40

.64

.84

.47

2.85

1.02

.36

.90

.13

1.36

1.63

1.81

.67

.43

.10

1.90

.32

1.53

2.13

1.35

1.06

0.14

.00

1.29

Tr.

.03

.62

Tr.

.40

.60

.00

.19

0.42

.21

.25

Tr.

Tr.

.03

.08

Tr.

Tr.

.00

.58

.91

.23

Tr.

Tr.

1.54

.04

.08

.20

1.15

.63

0.62

.06

.46

1.67

.80

Tr.

1.12

.03

.40

.67

.32

1.79

.95

0.05

1.12

.05

.39

.45

1.23

.39

.50

.20

.72

.32

Tr.

Tr.

0.00

.10

.14

.00

.84

.34

.48

.04

1.65

Tr.

.00

1.25

1.38

0.21

.83

.82

.88

.38

.80

.00

.76

.20

.05

.77

.13

.94

9.47

7.66

8.01

5.38

9.01

4.85

6.99

7.14

9.76

11.77

Bull. U. S. Geol. Survey No. 315, 1907, pp. 485-489.
16 WATER RESOURCES. OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

TABLE 1. Records of precipitation at stations in southwestern Utah Continued.

FILLMORE. (ALTITUDE, 5,100 FEET.)

Year.

1892- ___ _ ___ . 

1893 _ -

1894- __ . _ ...

18&5 ______ 

1896 _____ _ 

1897 ___ - ___ -

1898 ___ _..... _

1899 __ . __

1900 .

1901 __ - _ . __ _. 

1902. - ____ 

1903 - __ .__

1904 .. . ...

1905 _ _ _ __

1906 _ __ _ __ .

Jan.

0.8l"

.70

1.93

.75 

2.15

.15

.50

1.25

.35 

1.03

1.44

1.89

.90

.72

Feb.

"or

.50

2.15

.16 

2.17

1.20

1.40

.45

2.00 

1.03

1.26

1.90

2.48

1.16

Mar.

"iTsiT

.94 

2.89

3.07

5.00

.15

1.51 

2.59

1.19

2.16

2.66

3.88

Apr.

2.11 

2.09

2 43

1 9^

1.47 

1.26

.59

1.45

3. IS

2.35 

.36

2.66

.26

1.53

4.38

May.

2.03

1 IV4

64

1 51

1.06 

.03

4 44

.85

.35

1.92

2.27

2.81

2.45

2.18

June.

0.82 

00

2 ft4

.80

.01

.96

.57 

09

.04

9£

Tr.

.40

July.

0.29 

.48

0*

56

2.36

.01

Tr.

.41 

.49

.27

.07

.58

1.27 1 97

Aug.

0.47 

1.71

1 19

97 i!e9

.06

°8

.14

.90 

.16

.38

.62

Sept.

0.06 

1.21

1.94

1.66

.85

1 P»fi

Tr.

nn

1 58

.00

1.00

2.81

2.38

Oct.

1.07 

46

93

.37 

3 59

60

.72 

.58

1.06

.62

.51

.15

Nov.

0.53 

1.11OT

1.17 

1.15

].27

1.06

.66

.15 

2.70

.00

.00

1.13

2.93

Dec.

1.20

1.79

1.77

1.10

.33

.76

.03

1.97

.40

.95

fii

.63

Total.

"15759

-ID 07

11.16 

17.04

14 59

14.48

9

00

12.88 

11 90

11.97

16.16

21.28

FRISCO. (Altitude, 6,250 feet.)

1897 ___ - __ - _

1898- __

1899 ______ _ .

1900 _________

1901 _ - ___ __

1902 _ -- -

1903 _ . __ -

1905 ____ _ ____ 

1906 __ _

0.42

.10

.11

.35

.95

.75

.50

.66 

.10

0.30

.10

.65

.04

2.36

.02

1.66

.64

1.44 

.56

.12

2.56

.03

.28

.72

.68

.97

1.71

Tr,

1.01

1.73

.86

.10

1.49

.10

.58

0.20

.08

1.42

Tr.

1.88

2 A.Q

1.44

0.11

.04

.97

Tr.

.66

.02

.81

Tr.

1.76

.74

.72

86

.58

.18

.05

.64

.82

1.12

.83

1.04

1.21

.00

Tr.

1.41

Tr.

.47

.82

.45

2.32

1.50

.31

.51

.77

.68

.15

.85

.41

.89

.15

.28

.55

Tr.

1.22

.02

.83 

98

1 00

Tr.

.05

.75

.39

.07

.22

.30 

.95

6.88

10.07

5.58

10.72

7.58

11.81

GARRISON".

1904 ________ 

1906 ___ - _____

0.66

.07 

.37

0.60

1.49 

1.30

Tr.

0.20

.62 

.30

2.47

0.38

.06 

.99

1.58

1.16

.97 

1.83

.77

0.54

.41 

Tr.

.06

0.05

.93 

.10

.33

0.55

.95 

.83

0.38

.55

.85

.50

0.23

.94 

.00

.10

Tr.

0.00 

2.14

1.98

Tr.

0.22 

.11

.58

4.75

7.21

8.82

MINERS VILLE.

1897__ 

1898 _ _ _______ 

1899 _ - ___

IQArt

1901. - _ - _

1902 _________ 

1903 -

1904 ___ ___

1.49 

.57

.45

.91 

.14

.70

1.75

.57 

38

.20

2.21

.29 

.94

1.70

2.40

2.08 

2.40

.34

.51

1.22 

1.10

.25

.12

2.35 

.65

.32

1.05

.07

0 f)3

.46 

.17

.55

0 91

.51 

1.20

.86

.41

.94 

.63

1.60

.48

2.07

.11 

Tr.

.02

.97

1.57

.08 

1.38

.62

.70

.10

Tr.

.66 

.52

1.33

.16

2.70

1.52

.29 

.63

.05

.72 "Too

9.79 

9.24

9.70

MODENA. (ALTITUDE, 5,479 FEET.)

1902 _ _ .

1903 ___ - _ 

1904 _________ .

1906 ____

0.33

.12 

.20* 

.86

.67

0.32

.&5 

1.01 

1.79

.47

0.54

.74 

.98 

2^09

3.22

0.13

.61 

.02 

1.05

2.91

0.19

.55 

1.55

.72

1.31

0.02

.13 

.11 

Tr.

.00

Tr.

0.14 

.69 

.81

2.30

1.58

.92 

1.52 

1.71

3.40

0.76

1.48 

2.02 

1.26

.91

0.04

1.39 

.50 

1.00

.34

0.89

.00 

.00 

.90

1.40

0.29

.00 

.23 

.20

2.13

5.09

6.93 

9.83 

12.39

19.06

PAROWAN. (ALTITUDE, 5,970 FEET.)

IftQfll

1891 _______ -

1892 ____ ...

1894 _ _ __ _ __ -

1896 _________ . 

1897 __ _ _ 

1898 _______ . 

1899 ______ - _ .

1.46

.47

.84

1.65

1.94

.16 

1.50 

1.99 

.12

2.07

1.03

1.03

.85

2.82

.48 

3.45 

1.20 

1.10

2.57

1.79

1.23

2.65

1.93

.71 

3.76 

1.66 

2.18

1.57

2.03

1.42

1.27

.47

.83 

.95 

.64 

1.20

1.14

.83-

1.34

.55

.87

.93 

.51 

3.35 

1.19

0.20

.04

.00

.57

.06

.08 

.02 

.24 

.82.

1.24

.66

2.08

.78

.70

1.69 

.79 

1.19

 .72

0.76

1.24

1.65

1.40'

.23

3.00 

1.56 

1.46

.82

0.93

2.10

.00

 1.11

.72

.29

.47 

1.84 

.25 

.08

0.59

.00

2.32

Tr.

.65

.58

.36 

2.48 

.30

.78

0.43

.00

.20

1.38

Tr.

1.28

.30 

.73 

.72 

.31

0.34

1.13

.39

.72

1.88

.90

.16

.88 

.82 

1.60

14.24

11.00

12.80

12.97

12.07

9.17 

 18.47 

13.82 

10.92
WATEK SUPPLY. 17

TABLE 1. Records of precipitation at stations in southwestern Utah Continued. 

PARC WAN. (ALTITUDE, 5,970 FEET) Continued.

Year.

1900 . __ ..

1901 ____ __ . 

1902 . __ .....

1903 ______ _ _ .

1904 ______ .....

1905 _ .......

1906 . ___ _ ..

Jan.

.51

.63 

1.18

1.10

.43

.52

1.4

Feb.

.23

1.84 

.31

.77

1.46

1.54

.93

Mar.

.18

.85 

1.83

2.11

2.29

3 QO

Apr.

2.64

1.61 

.21

1.66

1.27

.66

1.95

May.

.61

.88 

.18

1.10

2.07

1.99

.62

June.

.13

.50 

.06

.07

Tr.

Tr.

July.

.11

.04

.41

98

.75

1.71

Aug-.

.84

3.35 

.76

1 46

.37

Sept.

.82

.04

XA

1.00

3 49

Oct.

.56

.32 

.61

.74

.12

Nov.

.34

.03 

1.86

Tr.

Tr.

1.11

2 no.

Dec.

.07

.96 

1 03

53

79

.32

1.18

Total.

11.05

9

fur>

U

qo

13.47

20.87

PINTO. (ALTITUDE, 5,907 FEET.)

1897- _ _ _____ .

1898. ______ ____ -

1899 __ __..

1900 . -.

1901 __ . ______ 

1902 _ . ___ 

1903..- _ ________

1904 ____ ....

1905 _ ____ ____

1906.. _______ .

1.28

.25

.38

1.72 

.61

.93

.80

.64

2.72

.68

.35

.27

2.74 

.95

1.06

1.91

1.88

1.52

4.11

1.33

2.17

.34

.23 

2.66

1.57

1.72

2.28

6.45

0.78

.39

.40

2.31

.85 

.25

1.30

.44

1.48

2.15

0.52

2.30

.58

.65

.85 

.19

.80

1.90

2.09

.93

0.05

.25

.77

.25

.45 

Tr.

.17

.00

.17

0.90

.07

.05

.13

.80 

.01

Tr.

3.25

1.41

1.64

0.89

.60

1.06

.08

5.07 

1.71

1.74

1.97

1.83

2 82

2.17

.00

.00

1.32

.00 

.20

1.37

.99

4.82!

1.82

3.76

.00

1.75

.77

1.43 

.93

1.75

.91

.77

.10

0.40

.11

.67

3.16

.39 

3.09

.00

.00

1.67

2.43

1.16

.11

.49

.05

'70

21

.17

.08

2.85

7.12

8.54

9.71

15.10 

11.30

10.40

18.95

25.60

PIOCHE, NEV.

1877 _ _ ___

1878 __ __ 

1879 __ ___ _ _ .

1880 ____ __ 

1881 ________ _ .

1882- __ _ _ . ....

1883 __ . ___ . _

0.46

1.12

.21

.47

.38

.20

1.67

.17

.36 

.29

.55

.28

0.73

.121

.12

.47

.30

.59

1.31

1.68

.46 

1.08

.98

1.15

1.27

.03

.01 

.21

.29

.33

0.04

.40

.03 

.03

3.23

0.29

.17

.18 

.23

.21

0.18

.97

.46

.47 

1.73

.95

0.16

.22

.00

.18 

.00

.03

0.48

.35

.66

.52 

.56

.60

0.00

.63

.38

.29 

.10

.71

0.95

.42

1.75

1.84 

.08

.08

8.36

6.94

4.67 

5.25

8.31

SURFACE WATERS. 

SOURCE.

The waters of Beaver Valley are derived almost entirely from the 

Tushar Mountains and result directly from the heavy precipitation 

about the lofty peaks, from which they enter the valley as streams. 

The rate of run-off from the mountains is regulated by the porous 

condition of the rocks and by the accumulations of snow. The elevation is such that the snow which falls during the winter melts gradually and feeds the streams during the spring and early part of the 

summer. The loose volcanic tuffs and breccias absorb large quantities of the water derived both from the rainfall and from the melting 

snows, and these waters are held back because of their slow movement through the rocks and finally issue in the form of springs having a comparatively regular flow. This conservation of the waters is 

of the greatest importance to the agricultural regions dependent 

upon the run-off and will be greatly enhanced by the forest reserve 

which has recently been established in the Tushar Mountains.

3693 IEE 217-
18 WATER BESOUECES OF BEAVEB VALLEY, UTAH.

MEASUREMENTS OF FLOW.

Little is known thus far of the actual quantity of water entering 

Beaver Valley. The settlement of the valley has taken place gradually, the first settlers appropriating all the water they wanted and 

the later ones taking what they could get. All the summer flow has 

long since been appropriated, although much of it is misused.

There is imperfect adjudication of rights and little knowledge of 

the actual volume appropriated in any particular case. The canals 

and ditches are poorly constructed. In some of them the water flows 

too rapidly and actively erodes the beds, thus increasing the volume 

carried. Others have not fall enough and the water fills them with 

silt, thus decreasing the volume carried. The amount of irrigated 

land is approximately as follows:

From Beaver River, 9,500 acres, of which 4,036 acres are supplied only during 

high water.

From South Creek, about 200 acres. 

From North Creek, about 1,297 acres. 

From Indian Creek, about 363 acres. 

Total acreage in Beaver Valley, 11,360.

No measurements were obtained from Milford or from Beaver 

Bottoms. The only consecutive measurements of volume of the 

streams that have been made are given in the following table, the 

four streams named yielding practically the entire inflow:

TABLE 2. Discharge measurements of Beaver River and tributaries, in acre-feet.

Stream.

1905."

Stream.

1905."

North Creek _ _ __ . ________ .. __. .

South Creek.. ...

Stream.

1906. 6

Jan.

1,994

129

92

Aug.

2,25

33

23

5

9,

4

Feb.

1,493

122

78

Sei

1,

Mi

flj

)t.

913

?74 2H

ir.

160

fifi

?3

(

Apr.

4,04(

191

16

>t.

1,824

240

184

June

9,52<

18

3,511 84h

 i

7

>

^

1

J

May.

5,341

228

197

Nov.

1,892

161

131

July.

7,190

578

2,728

2,290

June.

4,327

304

232

Dec.

2,047

135

129

Aug.

4,600

314

1,556

2,070

July.

2,446

344

258

Year.

31,827

2,631

2,039

Sept.

2,450

1,382

1,570

"From weir measurements by L. L. Nunn, for the Telluride Power Company. 

6 Measurements by J. V. Hoyt.
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 19 

UTILIZATION.

The surface waters are all diverted for irrigation during the summer, but the winter flow is not utilized, although some opportunity 

is offered for the construction of storage reservoirs. One small dam 

has been built by the water users of Minersville, across Beaver River 

in the canyon, 5 miles east of the town, but the reservoir is too small 

to hold the waters of even a moderate-sized flood. It might be enlarged, however, at comparatively slight cost and its usefulness 

greatly increased.

UNDERGROUND WATERS. 

SPRINGS.

Number and distribution. 'A. large number of springs occur in 

Beaver Valley, some in the consolidated rock formations, but most 

of them in the unconsolidated sediments of the Beaver Lake beds. 

In the vicinity of Beaver they are especially numerous and some of 

them are not distinguishable from the seepage where the return waters 

of the underflow produce swampy conditions over considerable areas. 

They are most numerous at the foot of the gravel benches, especially 

where the benches are irrigated, as east of Beaver, where the return 

water produces a continuous flow along the foot of the bench during 

the irrigation season, as shown in fig. 3 (p. 48). A few of the springs 

have peculiarities worthy of special description, but the essential 

facts regarding most of them are contained in Table 6 (p. 44).

Sulphurdale. Sulphurdale is located about 20 miles north of 

Beaver, a little beyond the northern border of the area shown on the 

map (PL I). The sulphur deposits, locally known as the Cove 

Creek beds, are located at this place. Small quantities of water which 

would ordinarily reach the surface as a spring, but which on account 

of the mining operations carried on there may be classed as mine 

water, issue from the sulphur beds. The water is highly mineralized, 

as shown by the subjoined analysis, sulphites, sulphuric acid, and 

iron being especially abundant. Sulphureted hydrogen (H2S) 

escapes from the beds in great quantities, and the sulphuric acid is 

apparently the result of the oxidation of this gas. The oxygen of the 

air first combines with the hydrogen (H), leaving the sulphur (S), 

most of which remains in the solid state and constitutes the sulphur 

deposits; but some of the sulphur is still further oxidized to sulphur 

trioxide (SO3 ), which combines with water (H2O) to form sulphuric acid (H2SO4 ).
20 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

Analysis of water from Cove Greek sulphur beds.

[Parts per million. Analyst, W. M. Barr.]

Dissolved solids at 1SO°___._________________________._ 8,816 

Dissolved solids at 130°_______________________ _____ 10,810 

Suspended matter______________________________ 52

Silica (SiO2 ) ____________________________________ 124 

Ferrous iron (FeO) ________________________________ 560 

Ferric iron (Fe2O3 )_________________________________ 802 

Aluminum (Al) _____________________________ 0

Calcium (Ca) ___________________________________ 158 

Magnesium (Mg)_____________________________ 232

Sodium (Na) ____________________________________1 

Potassium (K)______________________________J

Carbonate radicle (CO3 )_____________ ___________. _ 0 

Bicarbonate radicle (HCO3 )_________________________ 0 

Sulphate radicle (SO*)_____________________________ 7,602 

Free sulphuric acid (HoSO*) ___-. _____________________________.__ 4,523

Chlorine (Cl) ___________________________________ 79 

Nitric radicle (NO3 ) ________________________________ 1.7 

Free sulphur (S)_________________________________ 3.6

Constant loss of dissolved solids occurs when heated above 130°. Heated at 

180°, not constant. Sample had free hydrogen sulphide (H2S) when collected, 

with possible presence of sulphur dioxide (SO2 ).

McKearis spring (Koosevelt Hot Spring: sec. ?, T. 27 S., R. 9 

W.) P. B. McKean's hot springs, of which there are several, are 

located on the western slope of the Mineral Mountains, northeast of 

Milford. The largest of these springs, having a discharge of about 

10 gallons per minute, has been improved and a bath house built, to 

utilize the water for medicinal purposes. The spring is inclosed, so 

that the temperature of the water as it issues from the rock could not 

be measured, but as it issues from the pipe leading from the spring it 

has a temperature of 190° F. Within the spring the water is boiling 

and steam escapes also from crevices in the rock for a distance of several feet about the spring. The water contains a large amount of 

mineral in solution, as shown by the analysis in Table 9 (p. 50), and is 

strongly charged with hydrogen sulphide (H2S). Much of the silica 

(SiO2 ) contained in solution as the boiling water issues from the 

rocks is deposited as the water cools and does not appear in the analysis. The silica is precipitated as a light-green jelly which changes 

to white, spongy masses when artificially dried, but which in nature 

builds about the springs compact stony mounds. On analysis this 

deposit was found to consist entirely of silica.

The origin of the heat at this place is a matter of considerable 

interest. The springs are in the zone of faulting which follows the 

western face of the Mineral Mountains and which, although wholly 

in crystalline rock at this place, is well marked by a conspicuous
SPRINGS. 21

shearing and brecciation of the rock. On the mountain slope to the 

east is a mass of black obsidian of recent origin, and on the eastern 

flank of the range occur the volcanic cones which still retain their 

original form in great perfection. The heat may be caused by the 

friction or by the crushing of rock in the fault zone or may be residual heat from a mass of intrusive lava.

Spring 4 miles north of Minersville. This spring, like the Roosevelt Hot Spring, is located on the western slope of the Mineral Mountains in the zone of faulting. It has deposited large quantities of 

mineral matter, presumably silica, building up a mound subcircular 

in outline and about a quarter of a mile in diameter, but the water, 

unlike that of the Roosevelt Spring, is not notably warmer than that 

of ordinary springs. The water issues from the mound at several 

points. The flow from the main opening was estimated at 50 gallons per minute, but the total flow was not determined.

The presence of warm springs in the zone of faulting to the north 

at the Roosevelt Hot Spring and to the south at Minersville (Dotson's spring, described under the next heading) suggests that this 

may formerly have been a hot spring. The suggestion is strengthened by the presence of the large amount of silica constituting the 

mound. Silica is being deposited at the present time by the hot 

waters of the Roosevelt Spring and the Thermo springs, but apparently not by the cooler waters of the spring north of Minersville.

This spring is favorably situated for supplying the town of Minersville with drinking water. The residents of that town are now 

dependent on wells, the water from which is very bad, and on the 

river, the water from which during the summer, at least, is derived 

chiefly from the seepage of the lands in Beaver Basin.

The field assay of the spring water, as given in Table 6 (p. 45) 

shows it to contain a large amount of dissolved solids, and it would 

not ordinarily be considered a good drinking water. It is much 

better, however, than the Minersville well waters, and although it 

is more saline than the river water, it is from a sanitary standpoint 

the best supply available for the town so far as is now known.

Poison's spring (sec. 7, T. 30 S., R. 9 W.). R. W. Dotson's 

spring is located in the bank of Beaver River about a mile east of 

Minersville. The water issues at the rate of 57 gallons per minute 

from an opening on the fault at the western edge of the massive 

limestone of the Mineral Mountains. No use is now made of the 

spring except for bathing, a small tank having been built for that 

purpose. The water has a temperature of 97° F. and is hard and 

saline, as shown by the field assay given in Table 6 (p. 45).

Warm springs near Thermo. There is a group of warm springs 

about 3 miles south of Thermo, a siding on the San Pedro, Los
22 WATER RESOURCES OP BEAVER VALLEY,, UTAH.

Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad. The springs occur in two conspicuous mounds built up from the surface of the plain by silica deposited from the spring waters. The southermost mound is about 

10 feet high, 160 feet wide, and 3,000 feet long, and the northernmost one is 15 to 20 feet high, 500 feet wide, and about 5,000 feet 

long. Water issues from these mounds at many points, but no one 

of the springs yields any great volume of water. The water has 

a temperature of 140° F. and contains hydrogen sulphide (H2 S), 

much of which escapes as gas. The results of a laboratory analysis 

of this water are given in Table 9 (p. 50). The water contains also 

a large amount of silica in solution, most of which is deposited at 

the surface when the water cools and does not appear in the analysis. 

Other springs. Data were obtained of 23 other springs. The information is largely chemical in nature and is given in Table 6, in the 

section describing chemical character, on pages 42-45.

SEEPAGE WATERS.

Location. In the lower portions of Beaver Basin the surface of 

the ground water is at or very close to the land surface. During 

spring and early summer the ground-water level gradually rises, and 

during late summer and early autumn a considerable part of the lowlands of the valley between Beaver and Adamsville is transformed 

into a marsh. Many of the roads are rendered impassable and many 

of the fields useless for tillage or even pasturage. Nearly half of the 

town of Beaver was thus affected during the summer of 1906. Some 

of the principal streets were impassable. Water was found flowing 

freely from dug wells and from cellars, in some cases making houses 

uninhabitable. The area rendered swampy within the city is shown 

in fig. 3 (p. 48).

The lowlands in the vicinity of Milford and to the north, especially 

in Beaver Bottoms, are similarly affected, although on account of the 

large area of lowlands and the limited water supply swampy conditions are not so serious in the Milford region.

Volume. The volume of return water is known to be very large in 

comparison with the flow of the streams, but no measurements are 

available at the present time. Some conception of the volume, however, may be obtained from the fact that 2,000 acres of the cultivated 

land of the valley are irrigated wholly by seepage waters. Besides 

this a large proportion of the seepage finds its way directly into the 

river and can not be measured separate from the stream flow. The 

chemical character of the seepage waters is shown in Table 5 (p. 43).
UNDERGROUND WATERS. 23 

DEEP WELLS.

CLASSIFICATION.

The wells of Beaver Valley may be conveniently described in two 

divisions: (a) the bored wells, including both flowing- and nonflowing 

wells, and (&) the shallow or dug wells. For the purpose of easy 

reference it will be convenient also to subdivide these by districts, each 

district being named from the town that it surrounds, except in the 

case of the railroad wells, which for convenience are described as 

being in the Milford district, although some are far from the town of 

Milford.

The following descriptions of the more important deeps wells are 

arranged in order from Beaver westward through Greenville, Adamsville, Minersville, and Milford including Beaver Bottoms.

BEAVER DISTRICT.

Barton well. J. H. Barton has a 3-inch bored well in Beaver. It 

is 66 feet deep and yields an ample supply of water. Saturated sands 

and gravels extend more or less continuously from top to bottom. 

The clay partings are apparently not continuous for any great distance, as the water is under no pressure. The driller's record is as 

follows:

Record of J. H. Barton's well, Beaver.

Soil __________ _ .. ____ . _ .. __ .. __ . ____ ... _________ .

Clay __ . __ _ ___ ..... _ ............ __ .._. ___ ...-. ____ . __

Clay ___ - - ___ - . _ _ _ . __ . . _ ... -

Thickness.

Feet. 

1

25

3

12

21

Depth.

Feet. 

1

26

29

41

66

Cemetery well. There is a 2-inch drilled well at the Beaver cemetery, 180 feet deep. A gravel stratum which has water under considerable pressure, although not sufficient to produce a surface flow, 

was encountered at a depth of 170 feet.

Record of Beaver cemetery well.

Soil ..... ____ .. _____ .. _ ...... ....... . ___ _________ -

Clay . .- 

Thickness .

Feet. 

1

3

7

169

Depth.

Feet. 

1

4

11

180
WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

Mumford well (sec. 28, T. 29 S., E. 7 W.). George Mumford has 

a 2-inch bored well, 200 feet deep, located south of Beaver. The well 

is not now in use, but is of interest especially in showing the character 

of the Beaver Lake beds and for the reason that an oil stratum was 

penetrated at a depth of 140 feet. The evidences of oil were not 

sufficient, however, to indicate the presence of any large quantity.

Record of George Mum ford'ft well, near Beaver.

Soil... ____ ______ ___ _ ._ ______ ___ ... _______

Sand _ _ ______________ __ _______________-___ ______________ 

Clay. __

Sand _ __ _______ ..

Clay. ---.-___

Gravel _ __ _ ... _ ______ _ _ _.

Sand __ ... _ _ _ _ . ... ._ _ . _ _____ __

Thickness.

Feet. 

30

15

16

35

28

35

25

Depth.

Feet. 

30

112

140

175

200

Nower well (sec. 27, T. 29 S, E. 7 W.). J. A. Nower has a 3-inch 

bored well, 213 feet deep, located near the point of the mesa south 

of Beaver. The water rises to a level 17 feet below the surface and 

has a temperature of 54° F.

Record of J. A. Noiecr'a well, near Beaver.

Soil....___ _ ______ _ ________________ __ .

Clay ___ _____ __

Thickness .

Feet. 

3

3

79

123

Depth.

Feet. 

3

6

85

90

213

Shepherd well (sec. 20, T. 29 S., E. 7 W.). Warren Shepherd has 

a 4-inch bored well, 300 feet deep, located about a mile west of Beaver, 

in which the water stands 2 feet below the surface of the ground. It 

is noteworthy that in boring this well black volcanic rock, probably 

basalt, was penetrated, indicating that the Beaver Lake beds, like the 

Lake Bonneville beds, contain sheets of basalt within the sands and 

gravels.

Reeord of Warren Shepherd's well, west of Beaver.

.

Soil.. __- __ _ 

Clay -

Thickness.

Feet. 

4

2

6

31

257

Depth.

Feet. 

4

6

12

43

300
DEEP WELLS. 25

Wolfenden & Murdochs well (sec. 22, T. 29 S., R. 7 W.): This 

well is located at the grist mill about a mile east of Beaver and is 60 

feet deep. It does not reach beyond the influence of the surface 

changes described under the heading of shallow wells (p. 37), as do 

many of the deeper wells of the Beaver region, the water level being 

about 40 feet lower in February than in July.

Record of Wolfenden d- Murdoch's well, east of Beaver.

Soil __ - __ _._ _ . _____ . _ - .... _ ... _ _ _____ . ___ .. .

Clay . _ __ _ - . .- ..-..._ ..._.. _ __ ..

Clay ____ . _ ... _____ - ____ ... __ __ -. _ ... ... __ ..-_.

Sand . _ . .

Thickness .

Feet. 

2

28

2

10

8

Depth.

Feet. 

2

30

32

42

52

60

Other Beaver wells. Other deep wells were found in the Beaver 

district, but little was learned of them further than the meager information contained in Table 3 (p. 35).

GREENVILLE DISTRICT.

Greenville school well (sec. 25, T. 29 S., R. 8 W.). This is a 3-inch 

bored well located in the town of Greenville. It is 244 feet deep and 

encountered water under pressure at 180 and 244 feet. The surface 

flow is about 11 gallons per minute and the quality good.

Record of Greenville school well.

Soil _ . ___ _ ... _ . __ _____ _. ____ ....... __-.- __ - -

Thickness .

Feet.

2

178

61

3

Depth.

Feet. 

2

180

241

244

Other Greenville wells. Several flowing wells have been bored in 

the vicinity of Greenville, but few definite records of the rocks penetrated are available and little information was obtained other than 

that given in Table 3 (p. 35).

ADAMSVILLE DISTRICT.

Griffith well (sec. 30, T. 29 S., R. 8 W.). J. M. Griffith has three 

bored wells near the town of Adamsville. One is a 3-inch well 30 feet 

deep and flows 4 gallons per minute, another is a 2-inch well 100 feet 

deep and flows 3 gallons per minute, and the third is a 3-inch well 475
26 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY; UTAH.

feet deep, which, on account of its location on ground higher than 

the others, does not flow. The driller's record of the third well is 

given below.

The artesian conditions of Beaver Basin are well illustrated at this 

point. Wells located in the lowest ground, whether deep or shallow, 

yield flowing water. Wells located on ground a few feet higher, 

although they penetrate much deeper beds 475 feet in this case do 

not yield flowing water. The wells in the low ground flow apparently not because of pressure caused by an impervious layer overlying 

a water-bearing stratum, but because these wells afford places of comparatively easy escape for water which would eventually reach the 

surface by natural means but which is somewhat retarded on account 

of the friction within the beds through which it passes.

Record of J. M. Griffith's well No. 3, near Adamsville.

Gravel __ _ _ __ ._ __ _ ._ .. ... . __ . _ ....... ..

Clay __ __ _ _ .. _ . . . . __ - .. __ __ _

Clay ___ _ _ . __ __ . _ . __ .. ___ .__. .. ..._.... ....... ___ - __ .

Clay . . __ ... .. . __ _. __ .,

Thickness .

Feet. 

14

14

32

47

68

300

Depth.

Feet. 

14

29

60

107

175

 475

Parkinson well (sec. 28, T. 29 S., R. 8 W.). Earl Parkinson has a 

3-inch bored well, 385 feet deep, about 2 miles east of Adamsville. 

This well differs from most of the wells in the vicinity of Adamsville 

in that it does not flow, the water standing 13 feet below the surface. 

The material penetrated also differs notably from that in the other 

deep wells, being mainly fine sand and clay.

Record of Earl Parkinson's well, 2 miles east of Adamsville.

Thickness .

Feet.

27

358

Depth.

Feet.

27

385

Other Adamsville wells. Several other wells have been put down 

in the Adamsville district, but little information was obtained other 

than that contained in Table 3 (pp. 35-37).

MINEESVILLE DISTBICT.

Baker & Walker's well (sec. 8 (?), T. 30 S., E. 10 W.). This well 

is located about 5 miles west of Minersville. It is a 3-inch bored well 

223 feet deep. Water-bearing gravel was encountered at a depth of 

185 feet, but the water is not under pressure.
DEEP WELLS. 

Record of Baker & Walker's well, 5 miles west of Minersville.

27

Clay soil _ ___ __ _ __ _ _ __ _ .

Clay . ___ . __ _ ____.

Clay . . 

Thickness.

Feet. 

10

165

10

5

33

Depth.

Feet. 

10

175

185

190

223

Goodson well (sec. 8, T. 30 S., K. 10 W.). E. J. Goodson lias a 3- 

inch bored well, 124 feet deep, about 6 miles west of Minersville. 

Water was found from 96 feet downward, but is under no pressure. 

A well belonging to Henry Baker, located about 2 miles southwest of 

Mr. Goodson's well, is 210 feet deep, with water under little pressure 

at 180 feet.

Record of E. J. Goodson's well, 6 miles west of Minersville.

Soil . _ .. ______ .......... . - - _ . _ - . _ . Gravel- _ _ , _ _

Clay ...

Thictness.

Feet. 

6

84

6

10

18

Depth.

Feet. 

6

90

96

106

124

Van Patten well. F. A. Van Patten has a 3-inch drilled well, 125 

feet deep, at Minersville. Water was not found below a depth of 

95 feet, and the casing was drawn back to that depth.

Record of F. A. Van Patten's well, Minersville.

Soil _ ... _-

Clay _.__

Thickness. Depth.

Feet. Feet. 

I 1

24 25

90 115

10 125

Other Minersville wells. There are several bored wells in Minersville, but little of interest was learned of them. The scanty information is to be found in Table 3 (p. 36).

MILFOED DISTRICT.

Mil ford town well. The town of Milford is supplied with water 

from a bored well 425 feet deep, located at the foot of the gravel 

bench which occurs at the west edge of the town. The upper 300 

feet of the well is cased with 6-inch pipe, from the lower end of 

which a 4-inch pipe extends to the bottom of the well, the water
28 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

coming entirely from a depth of 425 feet. The water has a pressure 

of 6 pounds per square inch at the surface, flows 30 gallons per minute., and has a temperature of 72° F.

The natural flow of the well is not sufficient to supply the town, 

and the water is pumped by a 10-horsepower gasoline engine to a 

cement reservoir, 28 by 72 feet and 6^ feet deep, located on the gravel 

bench 60 feet above the town. The pump ordinarily discharges 156 

gallons per minute, and the well readily yields this amount. No 

determination has been made of the maximum possible yield of the 

well, but it would apparently supply much more than 156 gallons per 

minute.

The surface water at Milford is brackish and for this reason is 

cased out of the town well. The analysis in Table 9 (p. 50) shows 

that the water from the depth of 425 feet is very good for domestic 

purposes.

Lewis well. A. B. Lewis has a bored well in the town of Milford 

that is cased to a depth of 450 feet with 4-inch pipe, inside of which 

a 2-inch pipe extends to a depth of 750 feet. From the outer pipe 

water flows at .the rate of 37 gallons per minute and has a temperature of 80° F. Water also flows from the inner pipe at the rate of 

2 gallons per minute, and since it is surrounded by the water of the 

outer pipe it issues with the same temperature, 80° F. The water 

from the 750-foot, level differs from that at 450 feet in containing 

much more mineral matter in solution, as shown in Table 3 (p. 36), 

and also in containing hydrogen sulphide (H2S).

Record of A. B. Lewis's well, Milford.

Soil. _ _.. _ - __ .._._.. ________________________ -___ __.

Clay _____ _ _- __ __ - __ __._ _ . ___ ___ __

Clay __ . . - - . -

Sand _

Thickness .

Feet. 

12

48

390

80

5

215

Depth.

Feet. 

12

60

450

530

535

750

(?)

Winberg well. A. W. Winberg has a 2-inch bored well at the 

steam laundry in Milford. It is 326 feet deep and penetrates waterbearing strata at depths of 260, 285, 310, and 326 feet, all four beds 

yielding flowing water. The pressure at the mouth of the well is 6 

pounds per square inch and the flow 9 gallons per minute. The 

quality of the water is excellent and is practically the same as that 

from the town well.
DEEP WELLS. 

Record of A. W. Winberg's well, Milford.

29

Clay __ . ___ ____ _ . _____ .. ____ .... . __ __ ....... .. _ ... .

Thickness .

Feet. 

16

44

Depth.

Feet. 

16

60

326

Railroad well. The San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad has three flowing wells at Milford. Two of them are 2-inch 

wells about 400 feet deep, each discharging 18 gallons per minute; 

the third, a 12-inch* well, 310 feet deep, located near the railroad 

station, ordinarily flows 30 gallons per minute, the pressure at the 

surface being about 6 pounds per square inch. Ground water here 

occurs at a depth of 8 feet and artesian flows at 170 and 310 feet. The 

flow is not sufficient to supply enough water for railroad use at this 

station, and water is pumped from the 12-inch, well at the rate of 270 

gallons per minute. The driller's record of this well follows, and an 

analysis of the water is given in Table 10 (p. 51).

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad 12-inch well,

Milford.

Soil. _ ......... __ ..._...._...'..._ ...... ..... _ . .. _ .._. ____ __. _ ....

Sand __ . _ _ - _ . - . __-- . - .___

Sand ____ _. ____________._._.________.__. ...........-_...... ....

Sand _____ _ _- _ _ ... -

Clay . 

Sand __ .... . __ __ __ 

Yellow clay

Thickness .

Feet.

6

22

33

10

35

25

35

15

5

81

10

5

8

10

17

5

Depth.

Feet. 

4

10

32

65

7^

115

154

174

255

265

270

278

288

305

310

Milwaukee Leasing Company's well (sec. 31(?), T. 28 S., R. 11 

W.). This well is located about 8 miles southwest of Milford, at the 

Milwaukee Leasing Company's stamp mill. It was originally a 6-inch 

drilled well, 90 feet deep, with water at a depth of 45 feet. Later an 

open shaft was dug to water level. The water is pumped for use in 

the stamp mill in sufficient quantity to supply the 20 stamps operated.

East and south of the mill and on lower ground water is found 

under considerable pressure. Large so-called artesian springs are reported there, and one well drilled several years ago still flows to 

some extent.
30 WATER BESOUECES OF BEAVEB VALLEY, UTAH.

Majestic Copper Mining and Smelting Company^s wells. There 

are four flowing wells at the smelter 2 miles south of Milford, 95, 340, 

465, and 470 feet deep. The smelter is not now in operation, and little 

information regarding the wells could be obtained. The flow is slight, 

owing probably to the location of the wells on a bench several feet 

above the valley bottom.

Wells in Beaver Bottoms. J. C. White reports 20 flowing wells in 

Beaver Bottoms, many of them bored by himself. Water having 

pressure sufficient to produce a slight surface flow from wells located 

on the lowest ground occurs in beds of sand and gravel at depths of 

180 to 200 feet below the surface. The wells are all very small, the 

casing varying from 1 to 2 inches in diameter, and the flow is only 

1 to 3 gallons per minute.

An attempt was made several years ago to find other water-bearing 

strata, and a well was sunk on the Ryan ranch near Eead (formerly 

Smith's station) to a depth of 860 feet. The sediment encountered 

was all very fine. Some sand was found with the clay to a depth of 

300 feet, but below this the material penetrated was wholly clay.

The waters of Beaver Bottoms are strongly charged with saline 

matter, the artesian waters more so than the surface waters. In this 

respect the relations at Milford, 10 miles to the south, are reversed. 

The surface waters of Milford and of Beaver Bottoms probably do 

not differ greatly in salinity, but the artesian waters of the latter 

place are so strongly saline that the surface waters seem good by 

comparison. The field assays of water from James Forgie's dug well, 

18 feet deep, and artesian well, 215 feet deep, are shown in Table 3 

(p. 36).

A laboratory analysis of water from J. C. White's artesian well, 

185 feet deep, located in Beaver Bottoms about 2 miles east of James 

Forgie's well, is given in Table 9 (p. 50).

RAILROAD WELLS OUTSIDE OF BEAVER VALLEY.

No great thickness of the Lake Bonneville beds is exposed at the 

surface in the Escalante Desert, and the character of the sediments 

is best shown by well records. There are few carefully kept records 

available within the limits of the area described in this paper, and 

for this reason it is thought advisable to include some obtained from 

places outside of Beaver County, but within the limits of the Escalante 

Desert, and therefore having a direct bearing on the discussion of underground waters in Beaver Valley. Several wells have been bored 

for the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Eailroad in the Escalante Desert between Beryl and Lynn, the locations of which are 

shown in fig. 1 (p. 7). J. A. Shanahan, one of the officials of the 

railroad, has very kindly furnished the following information for 

use in this report.
DEEP WELLS. 31

Beryl. The railroad has a 13-inch bored well at Beryl, 208 feet 

deep. Water was encountered at depths of 23, 180, and 203 feet and 

rises within 19 feet of the surface. During a pumping test of twentyfour hours the well is said to have yielded 183 gallons of water per 

minute.

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad well at Beryl.

Soil __ . _______ . ____ _ _ _ _.... __ __ ____ .......

Gravel and clay _

Clay ________ _ __ - _ _.... __ ... __ - _ ... ... ._ 

Clay . -

Thickness.

Feet.

8

8

7

15

80

57

5

20

3

5

Depth.

Feet. 

8

16

23

38

118

175

180

200

203

208

Lund. The well at Lund, completed in 1903, is 585 feet deep. 

Flowing water was encountered at five horizons, as shown by the following log. The well is cased with 12-inch pipe at the top, but this 

is reduced below to 10, 8, and finally to 6 inches. The well flows 20 

gallons per minute and when pumped yields 100 gallons per minute, 

with a temporary depression of the water surface of less than 20 

feet.

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad well at Lund.

Sand __ . _____ . - .. __ . ____ .

Blue clay

Sand _

Blue clay

Clay _ 

SandDark clay _ _ . _

Thickness.

Feet. 

2

4

6

4

49

4

80

4

12

159

6

70

20

10

10

3

11

8

13

3

6

2

8

10

4

14

3

2

3

19

1

23

10

2

Depth.

Feet. 

2

6

12

16

65

69

149

153

165

324

330

400

420

430

4-43

454

462

475

478

484

486

494

504

508

522

525

527

530

549

550

573

583

585
32 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVEK VALLEY, UTAH.

Thermo. The well at Thermo, completed in 1905, is 401 feet deep 

and encountered water at several horizons. It is cased with 12-inch 

pipe to a depth of 337 feet. During a pumping test the well supplied 

100 gallons of water per minute, with a temporary lowering of the 

water surface of less than 16 feet.

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad tveU at Thermo.

Soil ______ . __ . . __ . __ . _ ... __ _ __ .

White clay_. _ ._ __ ______ _ _ _-_--__-

Sand __ - _____

Sand __ _ _ _ . . _ __ _ .----- _ .

Thickness.

Feet. 

5

5

3

25

3

54

45

27

13

25

20

10

9

31

41

12

1360'

Depth.

Feet. 

5

10

13

38

41

95

140

167

180

205

225

23.5

244

275

316

328

341

401

Neels. The well at Neels, completed in 1906, is 1,998 feet deep. 

Water was encountered at several horizons, as indicated in the following log, but nowhere under pressure enough to force it to the 

surface. All of the water is said to have been hot, and steam escaped 

freely from the well during the process of boring. The water at 

every horizon was found to be of poor quality, although a large 

quantity was obtained, 260 to 300 gallons per minute being pumped 

during a test lasting continuously for twenty-four days. This test 

was made with the hope that continuous pumping would clear the 

well and improve the quality of the water, but no improvement was 

shown. An attempt was then made to sink the well deeper into the 

granite, but the rock was found to be fractured and the crevices deflected the drill laterally and otherwise proved so bothersome that 

the well was abandoned.

A slight amount of oil was found at several horizons in this well, 

and gas under great pressure was encountered at a depth of 1,802 

feet.
DEEP WELLS. 33 

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad Well at Neels.

Sedimentary (alkali) _ __ .. . _. _. __ . . _ _ __ __ __ .

Water-bearing quicksand . _ __ _ _.

Shale and soapstone. _ __ . _ _ _____

Rock (sedimentary) . _^_ ._ _ » _ _ __ _ Water-bearing quioksand __ _ _ _

Fireclay .. ____ __ . . _ _ _ __ _ ___ _ __ __ _ __

Gray shale and clay mixed _ - _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _ __ __ ____

Silt 

Volcanic deposit, ash, and bowlders; gas under pressure sufficient to raise

Thickness.

Feet. 

4

5

H>

9

21

6

3

11

39

4

12

34

7

36

12

12

6

25

6

28

7

10

16

5

27

110

15

2417 '

50

11

8

3

53

12

v' 34

117

9

210

18

13

4571 :

12

70

24

28

6

70

35

95

35

36

14

68

48

105

6

9

22

6

48

Depth.

Feet.

4

9

 ' 49

58

79

85

88

99

138

142

154

188

195

231

243

255

261

286

 292

320

327

337

353

358

385

495

510

534

551

601

612

 620

623

676

688

722

839

' 848

 1,058

1,076

1,089

1,134

1,205

1,217

1,287

1,311

1,339

1,345

1,415

1,450

1,5-45

1,580

1,616

1,672

1,686

1,754

1,802

1,907

1,913

1,922

1,944

1,950

1,998

Oasis. The well at Oasis, completed in 1905, is 656 feet deep and 

is cased with 12-inch pipe to a depth of 73 feet, below which 10-inch 

casing extends to the bottom of the well. Water under pressure 

sufficient to cause it to flow at the surface was encountered at ten 

different horizons, and there seems to be an unusual quantity of water 

present. During a pumping test the well supplied 200 gallons per 

minute, with a temporary depression of the water surface of only 

3693 IBR 217 08 3
34 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

3 feet. At no horizon, however, was the water found to be suitable 

for boiler purposes. A drinking water of good quality, prized for 

its mineral qualities, occurs at a depth of 350 feet, and the casing 

was shot off, so that the present flow of 30 gallons per minute comes 

entirely from this depth. The drinking water used on the dining 

cars and in the offices of the railroad is supplied by this well.

Record af the Man Pedro, Los Angeles and Malt Luke Railroad well at Oasis.

Thickness. Depth.

Soil ___ ..... _ __ . . .

Sand... _ . . .

Blue clay.. . _

SaiuL-. -_ _ .

Lime and shells ______

Quicksand- _ _ _ _ _ .

Blue clay . . ... _ _

Rand.. . _ ...__. .

Blue clay - _ _. ___

Red clay ..

Sand..... '- .__. ... _ -

Blue clay _ _ _ . .

Sand __ .... .... . - .

Sandstone __ _ . ... _

Sand ________ _ _ - _- _.__-_ __ . . -

Quicksand . -

Clay and sand-- - _ . .. __

Clay ________ _-_-__ __ -. _...... .._ _ ....

Cemonted gravel _ _

Olay. - - _ .. _ .

White clay .. .. _ _ __ _ _ _ _ ... . . . __ . .. ...

Feet.

40

g

20

15

OA

2"5

13

11

£

97

29

10

23

12

7

6

Feet.

cn

fifl

125

165

190

350

408

412

480

500

562

610

617

£S>>

640

Lynn. The well at Lymi, completed in 1905, is 235 feet deep and 

is cased with 12-inch pipe to a depth of 225 feet. The water does 

not flow at the surface, but has been pumped at the rate of 90 gallons 

per minute.

Record of the San Pedro, Los Angeles and Halt Lake Railroad well at Lynn.

Thickness.

Clay - - . __ -__ -- _ ___ - ... - -__-. _ - _ ... -. 

Gravel - -

Sand. ____ - _____ -._ _ - ____._--_ _

Sand.- __- _ ____ _ __ 

Feet.

8

10

12

10

20

95

60

10

10

Feet. 

8

1830"

40

60

155

215.

225

235

Depth.

STATISTICS OF DEEP WELLS.

The following table comprises such information in regard to the 

deep wells of Beaver Valley as can be conveniently presented in this 

form:
TABLE 3. Statistics of deep wells in Beaver V

[Chemical determinations in parts per million. Wells marked with 

No. 

on 

PI. I.

2

3

4

5

6

7

8 

*9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

*18

District and owner.

BEAVER DISTRICT.

Hurst, Wm.. ...............

Shepherd, Warren. ..........

GREENVILLE DISTRICT.

Farnsworth, G. T ...........

ADAMSVILLE DISTRICT.

Griffiths, J. M ...............

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

Location.

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 28, T. 29 8., R. 7 W . . . .

.....do......................

Sec. 20, T. 298., R. 7 W ....

Sec. 36, T. 29S.,R.8 W.....

Sec. 35, T. 29S.,R.8W......

Sec. 34, T. 29 S., R. 8 W . . . . .

Sec. 35, T. 29 S., R. 8 W . . . . .

Sec. 24, T. 298., R. 8 W.....

Sec. 30, T. 29S.,R. 8W.....

Sec. 19, T. 29S.,R. 8 W.....

Sec. 30, T. 29 S., R. 8 W . . . . .

Character of well.

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

..-..do............

a 

 *>

&

P

Feet. 

66

180

60

40

200

213

300 

62

314

95

35

244

103

100

30

475

Depth to wa- ter horizons.

feet. 

/ 29

V 45 

170

)"45"

I 61

r 200

t 314

( 36 

i 44

I 95 

5

f 180

\ 244

f 8 

37

[ 100

Flow per minute.

Gals.

}.....

}:::::

} '

h

}»

15

3

4

I-"

Temperature.

o p

32

55

54

51

74

68

55

52

51
* * * * * * * * * * t». 

1 tOI- IO IOIO tO tO tO fcp tO IO CO CO WCOtOCO CO CO CO CO *-*-*- ^ T 

?O O ' i IO CO * Cn d *j 00 CO O ' t IO Co ^ Oi c* -1 'OcOQO 1 ^ COtO

.....do............... .....do............... James....... Forgie, 

............ ....do... 

Bros.......... Grace. Mrs. Harrington, & . Sons. Holderman Lewis. A.B.........

_, 5 °° a 

t»

o

. Flowing. 

.....do....

030303^ ' 

!«?*.

ft^&'ft'ft

o o o ?! o 

c : : : g: 

L. E...... Murdock, F. A. VanPatte, A H....... Walker, MILFORD DISTRK

: ? 

en g| 

i ? 

H "* 

o

; 1 o

ft 3 

? 3' 

0 5 

ftft 

o o 

s:

o

8

ft

o

ft 

o

H-^-i tOCOCOCO Mrffc 

OOfcO*.CO CO Cn 00 i 1 ' 1 rfk C^ tO O' 

OCnlOOO Cs OOCjtOOOOCnH**^! 

1 rT ^o^ w w w y Wo: ^ 

& § § g §.£.£.£. 1 2.2 - 

i S3 3 fT&S'oSSS § 

1 F p H - 1- § 0 TO * 

 ? CH 0 g WW M 1 S-? * 

E>2 " ^ <J !^^^* CD 

ff» 1 h" ** M M P " P3 fts 

H " VT* t"* ^i P ^ Q.- ^ 

! ! ! So ' ; ! ! ^! 

02C/:OJ ^Oi^OiaiGCg 

O Q Q C" O d O E" O C' 

§ sg i^l'-^l § 

HH^ ^g:^^i 

b5 io^o S'gp'wgMffl' 

02 *^ . °CB°| y 

W "h-fw : td»fd r^ 

go 5 

a. iftftft ft 

o o o o o o 

5 ^^ =: 

I LL ft| 

5' : : 5' 

TO . TO 

OOCnCO ^^ fcO Cn OfcO Cvi 

CnotO COCOO' Oi** OS 

S

t CO ' - OOOO' CO to CO Cn ' CO 00 wn ' 1 Ui. - tfe. O 

-'tOrf*. 'CnO' OCn'-OOOSCn-CO .Cn.-Cno CO O 

CO 

3--J

000 

50

O3 

4 o""

50

50

H- O 

^J n 

.,. ....... . .... '"tOtO 

: : : : : g a asi s gs ! g 

H ^ 

IT* to oooo o o oot&. 

CO Cn OOiht*00 O i > tOOOOS 

^ ^ (JO 

o o 00^*0 1 t o ocoo 

w 1-1 to - v / 1-3 

: : oi 

i co E SSS 

is away [pumped. bot- water from [Sulphur 

: "-^ 

j |! 

: i| 

01 i 

^ to 

OS °° ; 

to

our S 

.... 1 U 

Cn

S

QO ** 

00 OS 

-i

id

 oo''

00' Cn 

^3g:

o- to 

. i i 

W- o 00 

i * 

 Cn Cn Cn 

Cn CO OS 

O

CO

0

CO

g

^ : 

5s 

o 

A : 

i i 

oo ! o

O

1 

ft

H

~fi

o 

GO

»

XI

ft=

g

ADAMSVILLE DISTRICT- -Con. Grimshaw. F.T............

CO

X

CO

S) 

X

i5'

9

 *!

5

1

^

p '"p 

District andowner.

i Location.

!

5"

o 

ff.

Depth.

wa- to Depth 

horizons. ter 

min- per Flow 

ute.

Temperature.

(Fe). Iron 

alkalin- Total 

CaCOa. as ity 

car- Alkaline 

bonate.

rad- Sulphate 

). 4 (SO icle 

hard- Total 

). 3 (CaCO ness 

(Cl). Chlorine 

Remarks

Cr>

^

O

S. -! 

saoanosaa ao 
*4fi

*48

*50

*51

53 

54

*55

*56

*57

58

*59

*60

*61

6?

*65

66

Murdock, J. M.... ..........

Ryan ranch .................

San Pedro, Los Angeles and

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

.....do.............'..........

.....do.......................

.....do.......................

Winberg, A. W. .............

White, J.C. .................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

T.28S., R. 11 W. ..........

Milford .....................

Sec. 18, T. 26 S., R. 10 W....

Sec. 5, T. 26 S., R. 10 W..... 

JMilford.....................

Beryl.......................

Sec. 5, T. 28 S., R. 10 W ....

Sec. 32, T.27S., R. 10 W ...

Milford.....................

See. 17, T. 26 S., R. 10 W ...

Dug..............

.....do............

.....do.... ........ 

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

.....do............

280

60

425

35

90

45

180

860 

310

400

208

585

401

1998

656

235

286

370

403

326

185

45

}"m\

1 310J

f 260 

I 285

1 310 

[ 326

7

30

30

18

20

30

8

8

18

I ,

]

6

5

7

7

7

6

6

For exact analyses of water from railroad wells see 

SHALLOW WELLS.

Tabulated data. There is little to be said of individual shallow wells 

best presented in tabular form. For convenience of reference these w

districts, and in order to avoid duplication the chemical analyses describ
TABLE 4. Statistics of shallow wells in Beave

[Chemical determinations in parts per million

District and owner.

BEAVER DISTRICT.

Baldwin, M. D ...............

Bastian, L. H ...............

Do.......................

Burt, William...............

Briggs, John ................. 

Day, Joseph .................

Gale, O.W.. ................

Gale, M.H..... ..............

Goodwin, I. S.. ..............

Harris, H....................

Harris, L. H.................

Howd.S.F. ....... ..........

Do.......................

Manhardt, W. M. ...........

Muir John J........ .........

Location.

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 21, T. 28S.,R. 7 W....

Sec. 9.T.29S..R. 7 W.....

Sec. 2, T. 29 S., R. 7 W..... 

Sec. 35, T. 28 S., R.7W.....

Sec. 21, T. 28 S., R. 7 W.....

Do.....................

Sec. 3, T. 29 S., R. 7W.....

Sec. 4, T.29S., R. 7W.....

Do.....................

Do.....................

Sec. 28, T. 29 S., R.7 W....

Do.....................

Do.....................

Do.....................

Sec. 3 T. 29 S., R. 7 W . . . . .

.....do............ .........

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 31, T. 28 S., R. 6 W . . . . 

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

"a

O)

fl

Feet.

29 

52

8

50 

14 

22

23

35

30

42

37

33

10

30

24-

20

47

Fluctuation of

water surface.

Feet. 

16

14 

44

7

""io"

19

18

22

15

29

30

6

13

20

15 

31

'oT 

o

M

0

0

0

2

0

0

"Tr."

0

Tr.

Tr.

0

0

0

0

Tr.

Tr.

0

0

3

0

0

0

Tr.

0 

0

0

0

Total alkalinity at CaCos.

223

281

255

253

142

"iis"

223

157

233

207

273

233

202

182

252

283

195

253

298

273

243

250

152 

223

234

245

Alkaline car- bonates.

0

0

0

0

0

0

""6" 

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0 

0

0

0

Sulphate radicle (SO4).

Tr.

<35

0

<35

<35

0

"<35~ 

0

-

<35

s- QK

Tr.

Tr.

0

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

<T35

<T35

<35 

Tr.

Tr.

 C35

Chlorine (Cl.).

35

70

24

50

19

28

'"ih~

20

186

198

30

43

51

10

80

28

60

53

47

141

80

65

70

24 

25

33

63

Low 

Low 

Low 

D

Wate

Low 

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

Samp

Samp

Low 
Owens, G. E .................

Smith, SethW.... ...........

Swindelhurst, E. B. .........

Twitchell, W. A. ............

Twitchell, D. F.... ..........

Wolfenden, C..... ............

Whitaker, O. A. .............

Wilden K

Woodbury, Chas ............ 

Wolfenden & Murdock... . . . .

GREENVILLE DISTRICT.

Farnsworth, G. T ...........

ADAMSVILLE DISTRICT.

Johnson, C............. ...... 

Jones, Cutler & Fennemore..

MINERSVILLE DISTRICT.

Banks, W.H. ...............

Walker, H. A................

Sec. 28, T. 29 S., R. 7 W . . . .

.....do......................

Sec. 22, T. 29 S., R. 7 W . . . .

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 31, T. 29 S., R. 6 W.....

Sec. 21, T. 28 S., R. 7 W.....

Sec. 35, T. 28 S., R.7W.....

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 10, T. 29S..R. 7 W..... 

Beaver ......................

Sec.35,T.28S.,R. 7W......

Sec. 25, T.29S..R.8W......

Sec. 35, T.29S..R. 8W...... 

Sec. 24, T. 29 S., R. 8 W.....

Sec. ?, T. 29 S., R, 8 W..... 

Sec. 32, T. 29 S., R. 8 W..... 

Sec. 29, T. 29 S., R. 8 W.....

.....do......................

.....do......................

.....do ............... ......

T. 80S., R. 11 W. ...........

40

17 

33

25

46

20

15

12

44

101 

60

85

5

35 

20

7 

49 

-23

28

21

13

23

80

23

10

12 

29

22

38

15

4

4

3

""46"

1

0 

0

7 

20

16

7

0

0

0

0

2

0

0

0

0

0

""6"

0

0

Tr. 

Tr. 

0

0

0

0

Tr.

0

253

243

on A

344

308

405

496

284

370

360

125

370

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

""6"

0

0

0 

0 

0

0

0

0

Tr.

0

0

0

0

^-qc

Tr.

0

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

0

"<35"

,,'QC

<35

<35 

Tr. 

<«

^-QE

265

168

<35

0

85

49

303

35

46

40

65

18

35

30

25

"'76'

63

81

141 

121 

132

41

232

125

80

50

161

Low 

Low 

Low 

Var

Low 

Low 

Wa

No 

Low 

Wa

Low 

Wa

Low 

Tot

Low 
40 WATER RESOURCES OP BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

Water-bearing maternal. The material near the surface of the 

Beaver Lake beds consists mainly of coarse sand and gravel and 

is but slightly consolidated. Some of it is made up of sand and 

rounded pebbles, presumably lake, sediments, deposited before Beaver 

basin was drained by the down cutting of the river in the canyon at 

Minersville, and some of it is coarse and subangular, deposited by the 

streams. In some places the gravels are exposed at the surface over 

considerable areas and in others they are covered with a thin veneer 

of soil. In no place observed had soil or silt accumulated to any 

great depth. The wells are nearly all in gravel, as illustrated in 

Mr. Boyter's well, a record of which is given below:

Record of A. Boyier1 !* well, Beaver.

Soil __ __ ._ __ .... _. __ __ .. . ._______.-_-_- ___ ... _ ... __ .

Gravel. __..._ .. . _ __ _ .. __ ... .. _ _ __ _ .. _ -

Clay _ _ __ _ . .. _ - - .

Sand. ._ . ..... ..

Thickness.

Feet. 

1

24

2

24

1

Depth.

Feet. 

1

25

27

51

52

The abundance of unconsolidated gravel near the surface and the 

scarcity of surface soil are due, in part at least, to the steep grade of 

the streams, causing current velocities that preclude the possiblity 

of deposition of the finer materials. The gravels exposed at the surface allow the rain water, the stream water, and the irrigation water 

to sink readily into the ground and the absence of fine material from 

the gravel beds makes it possible for water to move rapidly through 

them.

Where the Beaver Lake beds are exposed to view through any considerable thickness, as in the bench south of Beaver and in similar 

exposures to the east and north, they are found to contain a much 

greater proportion of fine material than is encountered in digging 

wells in the center of the valley. This is probably due to the varying 

conditions under which the material was accumulated. The older 

parts of the Beaver Lake beds were laid down in Beaver Lake, and 

coarse and fine materials were deposited together. When the lake 

ceased to exist because of the filling with sediment on the one hand 

and the down cutting of the outlet between Adamsville and Minersville on the other, the river deposited only the coarser material within 

Beaver Basin, carrying the finer material through the outlet to form 

part of the Lake Bonneville beds of the Escalante Desert. There is 

furthermore ample evidence in Beaver basin, as in other places 

throughout the semiarid region of western America, that varied conditions of erosion and deposition have prevailed during recent geologic time. The streams were sometimes depositing sand and gravel
SHALLOW WELLS. 41

and building up the floors of the valleys and at other times eroding 

away the material previously laid down. Both operations have had 

a tendency to cause coarse material to accumulate in the center of the 

valley. While the river was building up its valley, the finer sediments were carried through to Escalante Bay and the coarser material 

was dropped within the basin. On the other hand, while the river 

was eroding, it worked over the sediments previousy deposited in 

Beaver Basin, bearing away such material as it was able to carry and 

leaving the heavier rock fragments. In tljis way the coarser material 

accumulated in the center of the valley both by direct deposition and 

by surface concentration of the gravels.

West of Minersville, however, a different set of conditions prevailed. The water-bearing materials there are the lake sediments of 

the Lake Bonneville beds. The river has deposited comparatively 

little sediment and there has been practically no erosion since the 

beds were formed. The sediments in the midst of the desert, extending from the surface to some unknown depth, consist of clay, 

sand, and fine gravel, as shown by the well records previously given; 

along the margins they consist of coarser material derived from the 

neighboring hills. Since the Lake Bonneville beds are lake deposits, 

the various layers are presumably persistent over considerable areas. 

For these reasons the waters are mainly artesian and the surface waters of comparatively little importance, as stated in the description of 

the deep wells of the Milford district.

Changes in water level. On account of the coarseness and unconsolidated condition of the gravels in Beaver Basin, the water moves 

readily through them and great changes of level are caused at different times of the year. During the winter much of the precipitation is retained in the mountains in the form of snow and little water 

is spread over the land for irrigation. There is, therefore, in this 

season a minimum contribution to the underground supply and a 

general low-water condition prevails in the shallow wells, the lowest 

stage being reached in February. In the spring, however, the melting snow supplies large volumes of water to the streams, and this 

in turn is not only spread over the land for irrigation purposes, but 

great quantities find their way into the gravels, raising the level of 

the underground water, which reaches its highest stage in July. The 

extreme difference in level is variously reported, as shown under " Remarks " in Table 4 (pp. 38-39), the greatest variation of water level 

being 42 feet.

This rise of the underground water causes serious damage in the 

lowlands, especially during seasons of more than ordinary rainfall, 

such as the summer of 1906. During the writer's investigations in 

Beaver Valley from July to September of that year the lowlands 

of the valley were in a boggy condition approaching that of a swamp.
42 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

Fields were observed with crops that could not be harvested because 

of the swampy condition. Eoads were rendered impassable and animals were mired on land which had formerly been dry. In the town 

of Beaver many of the dooryards were swampy and water filled the 

cellars and flowed freely from the dug wells, which during the winter have water only at depths of 25 or 30 feet. Many of the streets 

were impassable, and a general unhealthful condition prevailed 

throughout the town. The area within the town that was made more 

or less swampy by the return waters during July, 1906, is shown 

in fig. 3 (p. 48). The long arm shown on this map extending 

northward to the Beaver cemetery is due to the irrigation of the 

gravel bench east of the town, the return waters issuing at the foot of 

the bench.

CHEMICAL CHARACTER OF WATERS. 

- METHODS OF DETERMINATION.

A chemical outfit for determination of some of the principal elements contained in ordinary waters was taken to Beaver Valley, and 

a large number of the waters were tested. These field assays, though 

much less accurate than those made in the laboratory, give a fairly 

adequate conception of the chemical character of the waters. Although they are not sufficiently exact to be relied on for the minor 

differences in character, the major differences are plainly brought out, 

as will be observed by an inspection of the various tables that follow.

In addition to the field assays, laboratory analyses were obtained 

from three sources: (1) samples of water were sent to the laboratory 

of the United States Geological Survey and analyzed by W; M. Barr, 

of the water resources branch; (2) sanitary analyses of four samples 

of water were made by Herman Harms, of Salt Lake City, State 

chemist of Utah; and (3) the analyses of water used by the San Pedro, 

Los Angeles and Salt Lake Railroad have been kindly furnished for 

this report by E. G. Tilton, chief engineer of the road.

STREAMS.

The waters of the streams at their points of issuance from the hills 

are very pure. Farther down the valley they become more highly 

charged with saline matter, as shown by the assays in Table 5. The 

chlorine of Beaver River, for example, increases from 9 to 53 parts in 

a million parts of water between the mouth of the canyon and Minersville, a distance of only 17 miles. There is also a marked change toward alkalinity, the carbonates increasing from 71 to 225 parts in the 

same distance. It is furthermore to be noted that the alkaline carbonates (sodium carbonate and potassium carbonate), which are not 

contained in the waters as they issue from the hills, are present farther
CHEMICAL CHARACTER OF WATEES.

downstream. This is probably caused by the entrance of seepage or 

return waters that are more highly charged with salts than the 

streams. The spring waters of the valley are also more saline than 

the streams and contribute in some measure to the increasing salinity 

toward the lower parts of the valley.

TABLE 5. Field assays of stream waters. 

[Parts per million.]

Source.

Do.......................

Do.......................

North Creek. ................

North Creek. ................

Do.......................

Do.......................

Seepage (Griffiths, T. M.). . . .

Do.......................

Do.......................

Location.

Greenville. .......................

.....do............................

Sec. 21, T. 29 S., R. 7 W ..........

.....do............................

Sec. 29, T. 28 S., R. 6 W..... .. ...

Sec. 30, T. 29 S., R. 8 W..........

Sec. 20, T. 29 S., R. 7 W ..........

Sec. 19, T. 29 S. R. 7 W ..........

1"

5-

M

0

0

0

0

0

0

Tr.

0

0

0

0

0

Tr.

Tr.

0

:=O

~°3

o3 ^)

S 'o § 

H

71

203

182

71

61

71

203

71

253

263

122

240

410

240

232

t-4

03

O .

CD

2^

JJ.Q

0

21

43

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

,

03 "*"

t* O

^

f"

<35

<35

<35

<35 <-35

<-35

<35

<35

68

<C"35

<35

<35

<35

0

*

OJ

'OQ

So

r«(-J

03 M 

H

49

160

O

2

.9

a 

o

9

30

63

15

3

10

39

4

55

247

25

$5

43

91

.19

SPRINGS.

Laboratory analyses were made of the waters of three springs, as 

previously described (pp. 20, 21), and field assays were made of 15, as 

shown in Table 6. The same change in character found in the stream 

waters is seen also in the springs, the waters being purer in the upper 

parts of the valley.than^ farther down. The average chlorine in the 

spring waters in the Beaver district is 19 parts per million, in the 

Greenville district 39, and in the two springs examined near Minersville a still greater amount. The alkalinity increases from 159 parts 

per million near Beaver to 191 near Greenville and much greater 

amounts at Minersville. This increase in salinity is evidently caused 

by the passage of the water through the sands and gravels of the 

Beaver Lake beds and by the leaching of the land through irrigation.
TABLE 6. Statistics of springs in Beaver V

[Chemical determinations in parts per million.

District and owner

BEAVER DISTRICT.

Co. 

Do.......................

Do.......................

Farnsworth & Bastian Bros.

Gale, O.W. .................

Gillies, Geo. B.. .............

Gillies, D. M.... .............

Greene, Henry. .............

Farkinson, G. A. ............ 

Patterson, Ed. ..............

Sly.T.J. ....................

Warby, Isaac...... ......... 

White, C. D.................

Yardley, W. E. .............

GEEENVILLE DISTRICT.

Ashworth, H. H.. ..........

Do......................

Gillies & Bro. ...............

Green, Henry ...............

White, C. D.................

Location.

Sec. 9, T. 27 S., R. 8W......

Sec. 10, T. 27 S., R. 8 W ....

Sec. 4, T.27S., R. 8 W.....

Sec. 9, T. 29 S., R. 7 W .....

Sec. 21, T. 29 S., R. 7 W ....

Sec. 28, T. 28 S., R. 7 W . . . .

Sec. 4, T. 298., R. 7W .....

Sec. 36, T. 28 S., R. 7 W .... 

Sec. 28, T. 29S..R. 7 W ....

.....do......................

Sec. 27, T. 29S..R. 7 W....

Sec. 22, T. 29S..R. 7 W.... 

Sec. 32, T. 29S..R. 7 W....

Sec. 29, T. 28S.,R. 6W....

Sec. 35, T. 28 S., R. 7 W . . . . 

Sec. 33, T. 28S..R. 6W. ...

Sec. 21, T. 29 S., R. 7 W . . . . 

Sec. 31, T. 29S..R. 7 W....

.....do......................

.....do......................

Sec. 11, T. 27 S., R. 8W....

Sec. 36, T. 28 S., R. 7 W.... 

Sec. 11, T. 27 S., R. 8W ....

Sec. 31, T. 29 S., R. 7 W ....

Flow per minute.

Gals.

7

6

6

50

22

50

305

606

35

332

112 

164

180

270

250 

1

90

256 

27

103 

16

7

112

7

12

Temperature.

°F

Kfi

48

62

52

52

""54"

52

Iron (Fe).

0

0

0

0

0

""6"

0

""6"

0

0

0

0

""6"

Total alkalinity 

as CCO3.

141

1fi9

203

172

"182"

253

"143"

61

132

134

Alkaline carbonates.

0

0

0

0

0

""'6'

.......

0

0

0

0

""6"

£> 

 3

 3 

g^

«o 

|S

"3

Cd

Tr.

Tr.

<35

,-QC

""'6'

0

""6"

.,-35

Tr.

Tr.

0

' Tr." "

Total hardness as 

CaCOs.

63

Chlorine (Cl).

9n

5

4C

15

49

"'is'

34

""16"

5

20

45

30

""45"
TABLE 6. Statistics of springs in Beaver Valley 

("Chemical determinations in parts per million

District and owner.

MINEKSVILLE DISTRICT.

Dotson, R. W ...............

ville.

McKean, P. B ...............

Location.

Sec. 7, T.30S., R. 9 W .....

Thermo....................

T.27S., R. 9 W. ...........

oj

3

_g

£q

h

s<

h

Gals.

57

io

SB

3

 *» 

03

S

ft

§

EH

OJf.

97

140

210

-5-

f*

S

o

M

0

0

0

4-i g £

^H /^

S r^

SH «

03Q

O

^

205

304

i

«

^^ QQ

<C*^

9 a

03

 <

0

0

0

0}

 5

03

w ^^v

®0 "SS

t

02

87

<35

124

ra

03

Oj

*S /"? MQ

 ^o

03

O

H

300

236

A

W

S

o

2

o

70

40

299
46 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

DEEP WELLS.

Field assays were made of the waters of 36 deep wells. In general these show greater quantities of dissolved solids than the springs 

and shallow wells. The average chlorine in the deep wells near 

Beaver is 51 parts in a million parts of water, and the average alkalinity 251. For the Greenville region the average chlorine is 44 and 

the alkalinity 288, for the Adamsville region the average chlorine is 

63 and the average alkalinity 255, for the Minersville region the 

average chlorine is 266 and the average alkalinity 328. A statement 

of averages in the Milford region would be misleading. The waters 

are very pure at Milford and very saline in Beaver Bottoms, where 

the chlorine content reaches a maximum of 1,787 parts per million. 

The chlorine occurs in these waters in the form of common salt 

(NaCl) and gives them a strong brackish taste. Exact analyses 

were made of the waters from two of the wells in the Milford district the Milford town well and J. C. White's well at Beaver Bottoms. (See Table 9, p. 50).

SHALLOW WELLS.

Field assays of waters from the shallow wells are given in Table 

4 (pp. 38-39). From this table it appears that the waters are variaable in character and, like those of the streams, springs, and deep 

wells, increase in salinity toward the west, or away from the source 

of supply.

It is noteworthy in this connection that the samples were taken 

during a time when the water was high, in many places overflowing 

the wells. The salt content is therefore much less than it would have 

been at a time of low water. This is shown by the several assays 

made of water from J. F. Jones's well, in Beaver, given below. The 

water was flowing from the top of the well August 2, when the first 

sample was taken. August 24 it had fallen about 1 foot and no 

longer flowed from the well. September 11 the water surface was 

6 feet below the top of the well. The figures here given are perhaps 

sufficient to show that during the lowest stage the water of some of 

the wells might be very unhealthful.

Field assays of water from J. F. Jones's iceU, Jones Hotel, Beaver. 

[Parts per million. Analyst, Herman Harms.]

Iron (Fe) ____ - __ - -. -- _ - _ - - _ - -

Chlorine (CD- - - - - -

Aug. 2.

0

243

0

>35

65

Aug. 24.

0

273

>35

80

Sept. 11.

0.2

66

99
CHEMICAL CHAEACTEK OF WATERS. 47, 

BEAVEK WELLS.

The variability in character of water in shallow wells is best illustrated by the wells of the town of Beaver, where samples were taken 

at no great distance apart and on the same day. Although a town 

of considerable size, Beaver has no water system and no sewers. 

The people depend for drinking water almost entirely on wells, 

most of them shallow and open. The town is the center of an agricultural district and according to the general custom in that part of 

the country, the ranchmen live in the town, driving their herds into 

the town at night and out of it to pasture in the morning.

Beaver is located in the center of the valley, where the land consists mainly of beds of unconsolidated gravel covered with scanty 

soil. There is little to prevent surface contamination from entering 

directly into the wells, and apparently the only reason for the water 

being in any measure fit for domestic use is that the open condition of 

the gravels allows the underflow to pass rapidly through them, thus 

keeping them in some degree cleansed and free from impurities which 

might otherwise produce serious consequences.

The contamination is strikingly shown by the assays given in Table 

7. Several factors should be carefully considered in interpreting 

this table. The water samples were taken during the highest stage 

of the underground waters, a time when they contain the least quantity of saline matter. During the lower stages some of these same 

waters are reported unfit for use. The river water, which is the 

principal source of the underflow at Beaver, is very pure, as shown by 

the assay of water taken 4 miles upstream. This assay is placed at 

the head of Table 7 for comparison. The high chlorine content 

shown by most of the assays can not be ascribed to residual salt 

(NaCl) in the sediments .of the Beaver Lake beds, in the case of the 

shallow wells, for the obvious reason that the river and irrigation 

waters flowing through them are less saline than that of the wells and 

tend continually to freshen the underground waters.

The only adequate explanation of the large quantities of the various salts in the well waters is that they are due to surface contamination. This explanation is confirmed by the variable amounts of 

chlorine shown by the assays. The chlorine is probably present in 

the form of common salt (NaCl) and is the element that shows surface contamination most clearly. The table is arranged to correspond with the map of Beaver (fig. 3), and the numbers in the first 

column correspond with the location numbers on the map. From an 

inspection of the table and map it appears that wells only a few rods 

apart vary greatly in the quantity of chlorine, the minimum amount 

being 18 and the maximum 303 parts in a million parts of water.
48 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

TABLE 7. Field assays of well ivaters in Beaver. 

[Parts per million.]

No. 

on 

fig. 3.

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

Owner.

Stony, F. J. ___ ___ .. _ .....

Wolfenden, O. - - _ ... . . .. . ......

Smith, SethW __ ... _ ........ __ .._. _ .

Okenden, CBurt, Win __ _ .... . . .

Muir.Jno.J.. _ ___ . __ __ . . ..

Owens, G. E ______ __ . _ - .

Harris, L. H ______ - __ ... . _ .._. . _ .

Goodwin, I. 8 ___ _ -. _______ ____ .

Houd, 8. T _ . ___ . ... __ - _ _ _ .

Iron

(Fe).

0

0

0

o

0

0

0

Tr.

0

2

Tr.

0

Tr.

0

0

0

Tr.

0

0

2

0

3

0

0

Total alkalinity 

as 

CaCOs.

71

304

344

243

241

284

245

233

253

253

252

283

182

263

281

234

2.50

242

121

223

233

253

152

273

Alkaline carbonates.

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Sulphate 

radicle

(SOi).

<35

Tr.

<35

0

<35

0

<35

<33

0

<35

Tr.

Tr.

<35

<35

<35

Tr.

<35

Tr.

0

Tr.

Tr.

Tr.

<35

<35

Chlorine

(01).

9

IS

70

65

308

28

63

198

35

50

28

60

80

91

70

33

70

35

25

40

51

47

24

80

FIG. 3. Map of Beaver, showing seepage area and location of wells included in Table 7.
CHEMICAL CHARACTER OF WATERS. 49

SANITARY ANALYSES.

On account of the obviously unhealthful conditions affecting the 

waters of Beaver, four samples, taken September 1, 1906, were sent 

to Herman Harms, of Salt Lake City, State chemist of Utah, for 

sanitary analysis. The samples represent the principal sources of the 

water used for domestic purposes in Beaver. The results of Mr. 

Harms's analyses are given in Table 8. In commenting on them 

he unqualifiedly condemns the waters as unsuitable for domestic 

purposes.

TABLE 8. Sanitary analyses of Beaver waters. 

[Parts per million. Analyst, Herman Harms.]

Nitrites (Greiss-Islosvay reaction) : Cold _ . _ . __ .

Chlorine (Ol) ___ - _ - _ . __ - __ .

Canal at 

Stake Academy building.

Truce

0

0

0

409

0

0

<w

7.12

Open well 

(Wm. Thomas, jr.).

Slight.

traces.

0

420

0

0

80

.14

3.00

Drilled well 

(J. F. Tolton).

62

Decided traces

0

0

380

0

0

63

87

.05

.12

1.66

Dug well 

(J. F. 

Jones, 

hotel) .

24

TJfwirlorl

traces.

0

0

633

70

115

.16

.35

5.38

OTHER EXACT ANALYSES.

Six samples of water were sent to W. M. Barr, of the United 

States Geological Survey, for laboratory analysis. Three of these 

were from springs and three from wells. Of the springs one is acid 

water from the Cove Creek sulphur beds; one from Roosevelt Hot 

Spring, on "the western slope of the Mineral Mountains, the waters 

of which are supposed to have valuable medical' properties; and 

one from the group of warm springs near Thermo. The samples 

from the wells were selected to represent the shallow wells of the 

Beaver region (Jones's well), the artesian wells of the Milford district (Milford town well), and the artesian wells of Beaver Bottoms 

(J. C. White's well). The analyses are as follows:

3693 IRR 217 08 4
TABLE 9. Laboratory analyses of water from Beaver 

[Parts per million. Analyst, W. M. Barr.]

Name.

,

McKean, P. B .....

Milford. ...........

Utah Sulphur Co..

(?).................

White, J.C........

Location.

-

Sec. 7 (?;,T.27S.,R.9 W....

City........................

Hotel.......................

Source.

Roosevelt Hot Spring . . .

"3

s

TJ t!

3*

1

OQ

1,238

« 540

0

52

0

0

 So

§3 

H

32H °

645

248

520

10,810

1,620

2,937

O 

53

3

03

101

35

40

124

fe

i

M

5

.1

.2

1,362

1.4

24 0

o The suspended matter is largely if not wholly due to the presence of fine sand drawn from the well by t

bearing beds had not been entirely cleared of loose sand when the sample was taken.
POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPMENT. 51

Several analyses of water used by the San Pedro, Los Angeles and 

Salt Lake Railroad have been made by Herman Harms, State chemist of Utah. The analyses were made with reference to the use of 

the waters for boiler purposes. The results are given by Mr. Harms, 

in grams per United States gallon, in the form of combined salts, but 

are here reduced to parts per million and to the ionic form in accordance with present usage of the United States Geological Survey.

/

TABLE 10. Analyses of waters from deep wells of San Pedro, Los Angeles 

and Salt Lake Railroad.

[Chemical determinations in parts per million. Analyst, Herman Harms.]

Location.

Beryl..........

Lund (No. 1) ..

Lund (No. 2) ..

Thermo .......

Milford........

Neels (No. 1) ..

Neels (No. 2)..

Neels (No. 3) ..

a ^ S

SrM

«*OS s.

5"

0*0 ft *

Feet.

207

'585

401

305

1,382

1,398

1,974

-o

0)

o .

Sjl

irl "^

5o

EH

344

485

517

689

330

3,336

3,345

2,888

I

I

K

8

^

33

61

64

68

161

90

48

370

39

 O

a

 s .

 g SB

i 0) 

0) e

^c

49

159

140

244

137

544

488

586

^S

Op

-S?

||q

o 7T

tH § ^

fe

2

4

4

10

3

14

13

10

I

a

'3

"at

44

29

45

32

47

284

197

239

^

be 

S

a

^

I

So

1

12

18

16

15

10

3

15

6

"5"

»' '

S

g 3

o 

cc

27

46

52

57

8

293

691

552

0)

[3

od

"2 C^

r

1o

72

73

93

84

51

20

36

25

0)

13 3

O

_gcc

ft

M

29

23

2

4

0

658

472

458

5

0)

a

^

^

o

43

70

80

87

12

a 1,065

1,063

ft 863

" Samples taken after pumping 190 hours at 75 gallons per minute. 

6 Samples taken after pumping 38 hours.

POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPMENT.

SURFACE WATERS.

The surface waters used at the present time for irrigation in 

Beaver basin might, by proper manipulation, be made to serve a 

greatly increased acreage with no loss to the land now irrigated, and 

even, in the case of tracts that are being impaired by the use of too 

much water, with notable benefit to that land. The distribution of 

irrigation water at the present time is not under the supervision of 

any public official, and is wanting in adequate central control of any 

kind. An effort on the part of the community to bring about the 

passage and enforcement of some law providing for the equitable 

distribution of water Avould undoubtedly result in a great improvement of present conditions.

UNDERGROUND WATERS.

Drainage. The conditions brought about by the behavior of the 

underground water in BeaA'er basin have become serious and are apparently growing worse year after year. According to report, the 

swampy areas caused by the midsummer rise of the Avater are increas-
52 WATER, EESOUECES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

ing in size, and during the summer of 1906 roads and city streets that 

had never before been affected were rendered impassable, and dwellings that heretofore had been regarded as safe became uninhabitable.

An effort has been made by some of the citizens of Beaver, who 

realize the serious consequences to health likely to result from these 

conditions, to secure public action in draining the town or otherwise 

disposing of the superfluous water, but up to the time of the present 

writing nothing has been accomplished. The comparatively steep 

grade of the valley floor renders such drainage possible not only for 

the towns, but for much of the land which is now useless during the 

latter part of the summer. It is probable, however, that the water 

might be controlled more effectively and economically in other ways.

Pumping plants, In many parts of the country where conditions 

similar to those of Beaver Valley prevail, pumping water for irrigation has proved more satisfactory in many ways than obtaining it 

by means of seepage ditches, and in view of the favorable conditions 

in Beaver basin it is probable that the establishment of a large number of pumping plants would not only serve the same purpose as 

expensive drainage systems in satisfactorily disposing of the overabundant underground water, but would render the water thus obtained more useful, since it could be better controlled and placed 

where it is most desired for irrigation.

The underground conditions in Beaver basin, so far as they are 

known, are very favorable for the operation of pumping plants, 

although no pumping experiments have ever been made there. The 

gravels are coarse and unconsolidated and the water moves through 

them with great readiness, as evidenced by the unusual yearly fluctuation of the water level within them. The lift would be small, since 

the water in summer reaches the surface of the ground over a large 

area. It is furthermore to be noted in this connection that the underground water reaches its maximum height during the summer a 

fact especially favorable to the use of pumps, since the available 

quantity of water is greatest and the lift least during the time when 

the water is most needed for irrigation.

It should further be borne in mind that in the spring and early 

summer, when the maximum amount of water is carried by the 

streams, the underground water is moderately low. Later in the 

summer, when the streams are low, the underground waters attain 

their maximum volume. The increase in volume of the underground 

waters, although not coincident in time with the increase in volume 

of the streams, is primarily due to the increase in stream volume and 

secondarily to the use of the stream waters for irrigation. The 

lagging in effect is due to the obstruction offered by the sands and 

gravels to the passage of the water through them. The rain waters, 

irrigation waters, and stream waters enter the ground wherever it
POSSIBILITIES OF DEVELOPMENT. 53

is porous enough to allow them to pass and gradually work their way 

down the valley, not in definite or well-defined underground channels, as is often believed, but as a general sheet saturating the sands 

and gravels of the valley filling. The coarser the material the faster 

will be the movement; hence there may be courses through the valley 

filling along which the water moves more rapidly than along others, 

but these can not be considered as underground channels. The water 

entering the valley filling at the upper end of the valley works its 

way slowly downward, as a general saturation of the sands and 

gravels, the maximum volume reaching a given point long after the 

time of maximum volume of the surface waters. Thus in Beaver 

basin the surface waters attain their maximum volume during May 

and June and the underground waters during July and August.

To judge from experience in other places where large quantities 

of water are pumped for irrigation, wells might be constructed in 

Beaver basin similar to those extensively used in southern California 

and in the Salt River Valley of Arizona,* with casing perforated 

from top to bottom, since the gravels are sufficiently coarse to act 

as strainers, and by means of centrifugal pumps such wells might be 

made to yield large quantities of water. It is within conservative 

limits to state that a single, properly constructed 12-inch well, 100 

feet or less in depth, would easily yield 1,000 gallons of water per 

minute, a quantity more than sufficient to irrigate the average-sized 

ranch in Beaver Valley.

For the economic use of pumps for irrigation a convenient source 

of power is necessary. This is being provided for Beaver Valley. 

The Telluride Power Company has undertaken the construction of a 

large electric plant in Beaver Canyon, known locally as the Puffer 

Lake site, and the work of construction was begun during the autumn 

of 1906. The main object of the company is to produce power for 

use at the mines in the vicinity of Beaver Valley, but one of the transmission lines will pass through Beaver Basin, and power for pumping can probably be furnished at rates much cheaper than it can be 

produced in any other way.

Since no development of the underground waters of Beaver Basin 

has been effected, there is no information at hand by which their 

available quantity can be estimated, but to judge from the quantities 

pumped in Salt River Valley, Arizona, in southern California, and in 

other places where the underground conditions are similar to those in 

Beaver Basin, many hundreds of acres might be irrigated with 

pumped water in this valley. The writer is of the opinion that with 

the proper conservation and distribution of the surface waters, as 

previously suggested, and the development of the underground

" Lee, W. T., Underground waters of Salt River valley, Arizona: Waters-Sup, and Irr. 

Paper No. 136, TJ. S. Geol. Survey, 1905.
54 WATER RESOURCES OF BEAVER VALLEY, UTAH.

waters, the acreage of cultivated land in Beaver Valley might easily 

be doubled.

Artesian conditions. Water occurs under sufficient pressure in 

both the Beaver Lake and the Lake Bonneville beds to produce flowing wells. In the Beaver Lake beds the flow is probably due to the 

comparatively steep gradient of the surface of the underground 

water rather than to confinement of the water under impervious layers of rock. The sediments are apparently porous throughout and 

the underground water tends to return to the surface in the lowest 

parts of the valley. A well bored in the sediments furnishes an easier 

way of escape for the waters than the passage through the gravels. 

The slight pressure of the water in the flowing wells and the fact 

that only such wells flow as are located in or very close to areas 

where the underground water reaches the surface indicates the probable absence of any impervious layer that would tend to hold the 

waters in confinement. In other words, the Beaver Lake beds are not 

constituted in the manner commonly understood as necessary for the 

occurrence of artesian wells. The beds may rather be termed subartesian. Furthermore, the area in which flowing water is to be found is 

very small and nothing more is to be expected of the wells than to 

furnish a moderate supply of water for domestic purposes.

In the Lake Bonneville beds of the Escalante Desert, however, a 

different set of conditions prevail. Here the water is much less in 

volume than in the Beaver Lake beds, but the constitution of the sediments is such that the supply is better conserved. The Lake Bonneville beds are made up of alternating layers of sand, fine gravel, and 

clay. The sands and gravels are porous, allowing the water to work 

its way slowly through them, while the clay is impervious, thus retaining the water in confinement within the porous layers.

Much more is to be expected of flowing wells in the Escalante Desert 

than in Beaver Basin on account of the great volume of the Lake Bonneville beds. Although the small supply of water entering these beds 

is unfavorable to the occurrence of any great quantity of underground 

water within them, the great mass of the sediments and the fact that 

they are now saturated with water assures the permanence of the 

water supply for a long time to come. In the absence of experiments 

it is uncertain whether the underground waters could be obtained in 

sufficient quantity and at a cost sufficiently low to render them useful 

in irrigation; but it is reasonably certain that enough water for 

stock-raising purposes could be obtained throughout the Escalante 

Desert to make useful in this way a large territory that is now practically unproductive.
INDEX.

Page. 

Acknowledgments to those aiding.......... 6

Adamsville district, wells in........ 25-215,35-36,39

Andesite, occurrence of..................... 11

Artesian conditions, existence of ........... 54

Aubrey limestone, occurrence of............ 11

A viculipecten oeci den tails, occurrence of.... 10

weberensis, occurrence of...... ........ 10

sp., occurrence of....................... 10

Baker, Henry, well of...................... 36

Baker, H. F., well of. ...................... 30

Baker & Walker, well of.................... 26,3(5

well of, record of........................ 27

Bakers Canyon, building stone in........... 12

spring in, analysis of................... 44

Bakewellia sp., occurrence of............... 10

Barr, W. M., analyses by.................. 0,42,49

Barton, J. H., well of....................... 23,35

well of, record of........................ 23

Barton, S. R., well of....................... 35

Basalt, occurrence and description of....... 12

Basin province, description of.............. 6-9

Beaver, map of............................. 48

precipitation at ........................ 15

springs near........................... 19

wells in and near................. 23,30,47-49

assays of........................... 48-49

Beaver Basin, location and character of.... 8,

14-15,41-42

section across, figure showing.......... 14

Beaver Bottoms, location of............... 8

wells in................................. 30

Beaver Canyon, section in.................. 10-11

Beaver cemetery, well at................... 23,35

well at, record of....................... 23

Beaver district, springs of, analyses of..... 43,44

wells of........................ 23-25,35,38-39

Beaver Lake beds, character of........ 8,13,40-41

water in................................ 54

Beaver River, description of............... 9

flow of.................................. 18

irrigation from......................... 18

water of, character of.................. 42-43

Beaver Valley, location and extent of...... 5

location and extent of, map showing... 7

map of.................................. 5

Beryl, well at............................... 31,37

well at, record of....................... 31

water of, analysis of................ 51

Black Mountain, rocks of................... 12

Blackner, P., well of........................ 35

Blackrock, precipitation at................. 15

Bonneville, Lake, location of............... 7

location of, map showing............... 7

Page. 

Boyter, A., well of.......................... 40

well of, record of........................ 40

Building stone, occurrence and description

of............................... 11-12

Chemical data, sources of................... 0

Colob Plateau, geology in.................. 11

Composita subtilita, occurrence of......... 11

Cove Creek, spring on, analysis of....... 45,49-50

Deseret, precipitation at................... 15

Deserts, description of......_.-............ 0-8

Dotson, R. W., spring of................... 21

wells of................................. 30

Drainage, description of.................. 9,51-52

Edwards, William, well of.................. 35

Escalante Desert, description of............ 12

location of.............................. 7-8

underground water in.................. 54

water on................................ 8-9

Farnsworth, G. T., well of.................. 35

Faults, occurrence and description of...... 13-14

Fillmore, precipitation at.................. 10

Fistulipora sp., occurrence of............... 11

Forgie, James, well of...................... 30

Forgie, John, wells of....................... 30

Frisco, precipitation at..................... 15

Garrison, precipitation at.................. 15

Geography, description of.................. 0-9

Geology, description of..................... 9-15

Girty, G. H., fossils determined by......... 11

Goodson, E. J., well of..................... 27,30

well of, record of........................ 27

Grace Brothers, well of..................... 36

Granite, occurrence and description of..... 9-10

Greenville district, springs of, analyses of.. 43,44

wells in.............................. 25,35,39

Greenville school, well of................... 25,35

well of, record of........................ 25

Griffith, J. M., wells of.................. 25-20,35

wells of, record of....................... 20

Grimshaw, F. T., well of.................... 36

Gum, F. T., well of......................... 36

Harms, Herman, analyses by.......... 6,42,49,51

Harrington, Mrs., well of................... 36

.Holderman & Sons, well of................. 36

Hollingshead, S. B., well of................. 30

Hot springs, cause of....................... 20-21

Hurricane fault, location and character of.. 14 

Hustedia meekana, occurrence of.......... 11

Igneous rocks, occurrence and description

of............................... 11-12

Indian Creek, flow of....................... 18

irrigation from......................... 18

Irrigation, extent of........................ 18

55
56 INDEX.

Page. 

Irrigation, pumping- for.................... 52-54

Johnson, Samuel, well of................... 26

Jones, J. F., well of, water of, assay of..... 46

Joseph, J. U., well of....................... 26

Kelsey, W. M., well of...................... 36

Lake Bonneville beds, occurrence and de- * 

scription of.................. 12-13,41

Lakes, prehistoric, occurrence and description of.......................... 7-8

Lakes, residual, occurrence and description

of............................... 8-9

Lewis, A. B., well of........................ 28,36

well of, record of........................ 28

Lund, well at............................... 31,37

well at, record of....................... 31

water of, analysis of................ 51

Lynn, well at............................... 34,37

well at, record of........................ 34

McCauley, J. D., well of..................... 37

McGregor, D. A., well of.................... 35

McKean, P. B., springs of.................. 20-21

P. B., well of........................... 37

Majestic Copper Mining & Smelting Co.,

wells of......................... 30

Map of Beaver............................. 48

of Beaver Valley........................ 5

of Utah, showing location of area discussed .......................... 7

Marshall, George, well of................... 36

Meekella sp., occurrence of.................. 11

Milford, wells at...................... 27-30,36,37

wells in, water of, analysis of........... 51

Milford district, wells in.............. 27-30,36-37

Milwaukee Leasing Co., well of............. 29,37

Mineral Mountains, rocks of................ 9

Minersville, building stone near............ 12

dam at................................. 19

irrigation at............................ 9

precipitation at......................... 16

rocks near.............................. 12

section near............................ 10-11

spring near............................. 21

wells in and near .................... 26-29,36

Minersville district, springs of, assays of .... 43,45

wells in........................... 26-27,36,39

Modena, precipitation at................... 16

Mowre, A. W., well of...................... 37

Mumford, George, well of................... 24,35

well of, record of........................ 24

Murdock, J. M., wells of.................... 35,37

Murdock, J. R., well of..................... 35

Murdock, L. E., well of..................... 36

Myalina peratenuata, occurrence of........ 10

Naticopsis sp., occurrence of ............... 10

Neels, geology at........................... 13

well at'................................. 32,37

record of............................. 33

water of, analysis of................ 51-52

North Creek, flow of........................ 18

irrigation from.......................... 18

water of, assays of.....:................ 43

Nower, J. A., well of........................ 24,35

well of, record of........................ 24

Oasis, well at............................ 33-34,37

well at, record of ....................... 34

Paleozoic sediments, description of......... 10-11

Paga 

Parkinson, Earl, well of.................... 26,35

well of, record of........................ 26

Parowan, precipitation at.................. 16-17

Parowan Valley, location and character of. 8,13,14 

Pioche, Nev. precipitation at.............. 17

Piute, precipitation at...................... 17

Plateau province, description of............ 6

Pleurophorus sp., occurrence of............ 10

Pleurotomaria sp., occurrence of........... 10

Power, supply of........................... 53

Precipitation, records of.................... 15-17

Productus subhorrida, occurrence of ....... 11

Pugnax osagensis, occurrence, of............ 11

Pumping for irrigation, advantage of...... 52-54

Railroad wells, location of............... 29,30-34

records of............................ 29,30-34

Rhyolite, occurrence and description of .... 11-12

Roosevelt Hot Spring, location and description of.......................... 20-21

water of, assay of...................... 49-50

Rush Lake Valley, location of.............. 8,13

Ryan ranch, well on........................ 37

San Pedro, Los Angeles and Salt Lake River,

wells of...................... 31-34,37

wells of, records of...................... 31-34

Schizodus sp., occurrence of................ 10

Seepage waters, assays of.................. 43

location and volume of................. 22

Setopora sp., occurrence of................. 11

Shepherd, Warren, well of.................. 24,35

well of, record of........................ 24

South Creek, flow of........................ 18

irrigation from......................... 18

water of, assay of...................... 43

Spirifer cameratus, occurrence of........... 11

Spiriferina Kentuckyensis, occurrence of.... 11

sp., occurrence of....................... 11

Springs, occurrence and description of...... 19-22

waters of, assays and analyses of........ 43-45

Squamularia perplexa, occurrence of....... 11

sp., occurrence of....................... 11

Stratigraphy, description of................ 9-13

Structure, description of................... 13-15

diagram showing..-..................... 14

Sulphurdale, springs at..................... 19

springs at, water of, analysis of........ 20

Surface waters. See Waters, surface.

Swamps, occurrence of.................. 22,41-42

Tanner, Caleb, aid of....................... 6

Tanner, E., wells of........................ 37

Thermo, warm springs near................ 21-22

warm springs near, analyses of....... 45,49-50

well at...........................------- 32,37

record of ........................... 32

water of, analysis of................ 51

Tolton, J. F., well of....................... 35

Tuskar Mountains, rockp of............. 10,11,14

water from............................. 17

Underground waters, description of........ 19-54

Utah, cooperation of....................... 6

Van Patten, F. A., well of.................. 27,36

well of, record of........................ 27

Walker, H. A.-, well of...................... 36

Water-bearing beds, description of......... 40-41

Water level, changes in..................... 41-42

Water supply, assays and analyses of...... 43-51
INDEX. 57

Page.

Water supply, chemical character of....... 43-51

chemical character of, determination of. 42 

development of......................... 51-54

discussion of............................ 15-54

Waters, surface, chemical character of...... 42-45

development of......................... 51

Waters, underground, description of....... 19-54

development of......................... 51-54

supply of..............................: 53-54

Wells, deep, classification of............... 23

descriptions of.......................... 23-34

statistics of............................. 34-37

Page. 

Wells, deep, waters of, assays of........... 46

Wells, shallow, statistics of................ 37-38

waters of, assays of.................... 46

Whitaker, Arthur, well of.................. 37

White, J. C., information from............. 30,37

Winberg, A. W., well of.................... 28,37

well of, record of...........

Wolf end en & Murdock, well of.

well of, record of..........

Xenodiscus sp., occurrence of.. 

Zaphrentis sp., occurrence, of..

29

25

25

10

11

o