Spring Flow into the Colorado River, Lees Ferry to Lake Mead, Arizona
Johnson PW and Sanderson RB. 1968. Spring Flow into the Colorado River, Lees Ferry to Lake Mead, Arizona. Arizona State Land Department Water-Resources Report no. 34. Arizona State Land Department, Geological Survey. Phoenix
In the 300-mi reach of the Colorado River, 4 main tributaries and many small seeps contribute spring inflow. On the Little Colorado, Blue Springs issues from the Redwall limestone and has a nearly constant flow of about 220 cfs--about 160,000 acre/ft/yr. On Havasu Creek, Havasu Spring is a series of seeps from the Redwall limestone with a flow of about 64 cfs. On Bright Angel Creek, Roaring Springs issues from solution channels in the Muav limestone and cascades several hundred feet to Roaring Spring Creek. Electric power generated by the fall is used to pump part of the water several miles and lift it 3,800 ft. to supply national park facilities on the North Rim of the Canyon. Thunder Springs gushes from vertical walls in the Muav limestone and falls 300 to 400 ft into Thunder River, a tributary of Tapeats Creek. The report also describes other smaller seeps and inflows. Tables give the discharge measured at 16 inflow sites, and water analyses from 35 sites on springs and creeks. The purpose of the report is to describe briefly all the springs visited during a 1960 trip, and to compile all known additional discharge data for the springs. Fold-out map, tables, figures, graphs, brief bibliography
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Johnson, P; Sanderson, R
- Date of Issue
- 1968-04
- Publisher
- Arizona State Land Department, Geological Survey
- Units
- GRCA , LAKE
- Keywords
- Aquifers, Blue Springs (AZ), Bright Angel Creek (GRCA), chlorides, Colorado River, Creeks, Discharge, Dissolved Solids, Electric Power, Groundwater, Havasu Creek (GRCA), Havasu Spring (Havasupai Indian Reservation), Hydrology, inflow (streamflow), Lake Mead (LAME), leakage, Lees Ferry (GLCA), Limestone, Little Colorado River, Movement, Muav formation, North Rim (GRCA), Pumping, Redwall limestone, Roaring Creek Spring (GRCA), Seepage, Springs, Streamflow, Surface Water, Tapeats Creek (GRCA), Thunder River, Thunder Springs (AZ), Tributaries, Water Analysis, Water Quality