Determining Geologic Controls on Remote Springs in Death Valley California Using Geophysical Methods

Springs are an important part of many groundwater flow systems and a critical element of desert ecosystems.  The location of the spring orifice is controlled by several geologic factors that form the terminal portion of the flow system.  These factors can influence the geochemical signature of the water and determine how the spring will respond to local modifications of the hydrologic regime.  Understanding the position of a spring requires information about the stratigraphic and structural conditions beneath the spring.  In many cases springs are located in remote or environmentally sensitive settings where direct investigations such as drilling are limited or impractical.  Geophysical methods can be used in these situations to determine the geologic factors controlling the location of the spring. 
Gravity, TEM, and resistivity surveys were conducted in Death Valley National Park to determine the geologic setting for the Texas and Travertine spring line and the Nevares spring mound.  The Texas and Travertine spring lines were found to be fed by water passing through the Death Valley-Furnace Creek fault system in the underlying Paleozoic carbonate aquifer flowing though about 2,500 meters of alluvial fill by diffuse flow.  The position of the spring line is controlled by the Echo Canyon thrust that juxtaposes coarser grained alluvial fan deposits against finer grained alluvium.  The Nevares spring mound was found to be fed by discrete conduit flow through the Paleozoic carbonate upward to the spring mound.