Water-Level, Water-Quality and Land-Subsidence Studies in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins
Groundwater has been the primary source of domestic, agricultural, and municipal water supplies in the southwestern Mojave Desert, California, since the early 1900s. The population of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins has grown rapidly during the last several decades, increasing from an estimated population of almost 273,000 in 1990 (Mojave Water Agency, 2004) to more than 453,000 in 2010 (Mojave Water Agency, 2014). Increased demands on water supplies have caused groundwater-level declines of more than 100 feet (ft) in some areas of this desert between the 1950s and the 1990s (Stamos and others, 2001; Sneed and others, 2003).
Groundwater Levels
Regional water-table maps of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins have been published in reports by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) every two years since 1992. The water-level studies include water-level contour maps drawn from data measured from wells during each study. Most of the studies demonstrate water-level changes by hydrographs that show long-term and short-term water-level changes, and by maps that compare water levels at individual wells between two consecutively published reports.
>> Mojave Groundwater-Level Studies
Groundwater Quality
Since 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected water-quality data annually from a network of wells and has provided quality-assurance for Mojave Water Agency (MWA) data that are stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database. The USGS compiled maps and time-series plots of concentrations of selected water-quality constituents (arsenic, boron, chromium-6, total chromium, dissolved oxygen, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitriate plus nitrite as nitrogen, total dissolved solids, uranium, and vanadium) in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins using data collected by the USGS and MWA from 2000 to 2012.
>> Mojave Groundwater-Quality Studies
Land Subsidence
Subsidence, in the vicinity of dry lakebeds, within the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins has been evaluated using InSAR, ground-based measurements, geology, and analyses of water levels between 1992 and 2009 (years in which InSAR data were collected). The investigation focused on determining the location, extent, and magnitude of changes in land-surface elevation.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data, Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 2014-19
Regional Water Table (2014) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California (ver. 1.2, September 2020)
Regional Water Table (2016) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Below are publications associated with this project.
Land subsidence in the southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 1992–2009
Preliminary hydrogeologic assessment near the boundary of the Antelope Valley and El Mirage Valley groundwater basins, California
Regional water table (2014) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Subsidence (2004-2009) in and near lakebeds of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins, southwest Mojave Desert, California
Delta Chromium-53/52 isotopic composition of native and contaminated groundwater, Mojave Desert, USA
Status of groundwater quality in the California Desert Region, 2006-2008: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Regional Water Table (2010) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Groundwater quality data in the Mojave study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program
Geospatial Data Used in Water-Level and Land-Subsidence Studies in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins for 2008
Chromium, chromium isotopes and selected trace elements, western Mojave Desert, USA
Water-level and land-subsidence studies in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins
Regional water table (2004) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
The Mojave River: Lifeblood of the Desert
Take a 3D tour along the Mojave River and learn about its contribution to groundwater and surface water supply and the geologic characteristics that control it.
Mojave Groundwater Data
Interactive map of the Mojave and Morongo groundwater basins. Data layers include sites and data for groundwater levels, water quality, and land subsidence. Groundwater data spans 1994 to the present.
Groundwater has been the primary source of domestic, agricultural, and municipal water supplies in the southwestern Mojave Desert, California, since the early 1900s. The population of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins has grown rapidly during the last several decades, increasing from an estimated population of almost 273,000 in 1990 (Mojave Water Agency, 2004) to more than 453,000 in 2010 (Mojave Water Agency, 2014). Increased demands on water supplies have caused groundwater-level declines of more than 100 feet (ft) in some areas of this desert between the 1950s and the 1990s (Stamos and others, 2001; Sneed and others, 2003).
Groundwater Levels
Regional water-table maps of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins have been published in reports by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) every two years since 1992. The water-level studies include water-level contour maps drawn from data measured from wells during each study. Most of the studies demonstrate water-level changes by hydrographs that show long-term and short-term water-level changes, and by maps that compare water levels at individual wells between two consecutively published reports.
>> Mojave Groundwater-Level Studies
Groundwater Quality
Since 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has collected water-quality data annually from a network of wells and has provided quality-assurance for Mojave Water Agency (MWA) data that are stored in the USGS National Water Information System (NWIS) database. The USGS compiled maps and time-series plots of concentrations of selected water-quality constituents (arsenic, boron, chromium-6, total chromium, dissolved oxygen, fluoride, iron, manganese, nitriate plus nitrite as nitrogen, total dissolved solids, uranium, and vanadium) in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins using data collected by the USGS and MWA from 2000 to 2012.
>> Mojave Groundwater-Quality Studies
Land Subsidence
Subsidence, in the vicinity of dry lakebeds, within the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins has been evaluated using InSAR, ground-based measurements, geology, and analyses of water levels between 1992 and 2009 (years in which InSAR data were collected). The investigation focused on determining the location, extent, and magnitude of changes in land-surface elevation.
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Data, Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 2014-19
Regional Water Table (2014) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California (ver. 1.2, September 2020)
Regional Water Table (2016) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Below are publications associated with this project.
Land subsidence in the southwestern Mojave Desert, California, 1992–2009
Preliminary hydrogeologic assessment near the boundary of the Antelope Valley and El Mirage Valley groundwater basins, California
Regional water table (2014) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Subsidence (2004-2009) in and near lakebeds of the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins, southwest Mojave Desert, California
Delta Chromium-53/52 isotopic composition of native and contaminated groundwater, Mojave Desert, USA
Status of groundwater quality in the California Desert Region, 2006-2008: California GAMA Priority Basin Project
Regional Water Table (2010) in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Groundwater quality data in the Mojave study unit, 2008: Results from the California GAMA Program
Geospatial Data Used in Water-Level and Land-Subsidence Studies in the Mojave River and Morongo Groundwater Basins for 2008
Chromium, chromium isotopes and selected trace elements, western Mojave Desert, USA
Water-level and land-subsidence studies in the Mojave River and Morongo groundwater basins
Regional water table (2004) and water-level changes in the Mojave River and Morongo ground-water basins, Southwestern Mojave Desert, California
Below are data or web applications associated with this project.
The Mojave River: Lifeblood of the Desert
Take a 3D tour along the Mojave River and learn about its contribution to groundwater and surface water supply and the geologic characteristics that control it.
Mojave Groundwater Data
Interactive map of the Mojave and Morongo groundwater basins. Data layers include sites and data for groundwater levels, water quality, and land subsidence. Groundwater data spans 1994 to the present.