Chamokane Creek Basin is a 179-square-mile area that borders and partially overlaps the Spokane Indian Reservation in southern Stevens County in northeastern Washington State. In 1979, all water rights in the Chamokane Creek Basin were adjudicated by a Federal court, which gave senior, reserved water rights to the Spokane Tribe of Indians for irrigation and protection of fish in Chamokane Creek.
Because of concerns about the effects of future ground-water development upstream of the basin and outside of the reservation, the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have requested the USGS to study the ground- and surface-water system in the basin. The USGS study will assess the effects of future increased ground-water withdrawals on basin water resources and evaluate the effects of ground-water withdrawals on Chamokane Creek.
9722-D6Y - Water Resources of the Unconsolidated Ground-Water System of the Chamokane Creek Basin, Stevens County, WA - Completed FY2012
Objective - This proposal describes a water-resources analysis of the Chamokane Creek Basin to be conducted in two phases. The objectives of Phase 1 are to characterize the hydrogeologic setting and ground- and surface-water interactions within the basin in order to obtain an adequate data set to be used during the construction and calibration of a ground-water flow model in Phase 2. The objective of Phase 2 is to create a predictive tool to evaluate the possible regional impacts of different ground-water use scenarios.
Relevance and Benefits - This study is consistent with the national USGS mission and goals and to water-resource issues identified in the Center's Science Plan. The study addresses ground-water availability and sustainability, and surface-water and ground-water interactions as related to water-resource management, which are priority issues for both the Strategic Directions of the Water Resources Division 1999-2008 and the USGS Washington Water Science Center's Science Plan. This study also will provide resources managers in the Chamokane Creek Basin with a numerical flow model to assist in protecting its natural resources.
Approach - Existing and new ground-water and surface-water data will used to characterize the hydrogeologic framework and flow system in the Chamokane Creek Basin. A numerical ground-water flow model will be constructed to simulate potential impacts on ground-water and surface-water resources in the Chamokane Basin, and the model will be transferred to the BIA and Spokane Tribe for continued assessment of water-use scenarios in the basin.
Below are publications associated with this project.
Simulation of groundwater and surface-water resources and evaluation of water-management alternatives for the Chamokane Creek basin, Stevens County, Washington
Hydrogeologic framework, groundwater and surface-water systems, land use, pumpage, and water budget of the Chamokane Creek basin, Stevens County, Washington
Chamokane Creek Basin is a 179-square-mile area that borders and partially overlaps the Spokane Indian Reservation in southern Stevens County in northeastern Washington State. In 1979, all water rights in the Chamokane Creek Basin were adjudicated by a Federal court, which gave senior, reserved water rights to the Spokane Tribe of Indians for irrigation and protection of fish in Chamokane Creek.
Because of concerns about the effects of future ground-water development upstream of the basin and outside of the reservation, the Spokane Tribe of Indians and the Bureau of Indian Affairs have requested the USGS to study the ground- and surface-water system in the basin. The USGS study will assess the effects of future increased ground-water withdrawals on basin water resources and evaluate the effects of ground-water withdrawals on Chamokane Creek.
9722-D6Y - Water Resources of the Unconsolidated Ground-Water System of the Chamokane Creek Basin, Stevens County, WA - Completed FY2012
Objective - This proposal describes a water-resources analysis of the Chamokane Creek Basin to be conducted in two phases. The objectives of Phase 1 are to characterize the hydrogeologic setting and ground- and surface-water interactions within the basin in order to obtain an adequate data set to be used during the construction and calibration of a ground-water flow model in Phase 2. The objective of Phase 2 is to create a predictive tool to evaluate the possible regional impacts of different ground-water use scenarios.
Relevance and Benefits - This study is consistent with the national USGS mission and goals and to water-resource issues identified in the Center's Science Plan. The study addresses ground-water availability and sustainability, and surface-water and ground-water interactions as related to water-resource management, which are priority issues for both the Strategic Directions of the Water Resources Division 1999-2008 and the USGS Washington Water Science Center's Science Plan. This study also will provide resources managers in the Chamokane Creek Basin with a numerical flow model to assist in protecting its natural resources.
Approach - Existing and new ground-water and surface-water data will used to characterize the hydrogeologic framework and flow system in the Chamokane Creek Basin. A numerical ground-water flow model will be constructed to simulate potential impacts on ground-water and surface-water resources in the Chamokane Basin, and the model will be transferred to the BIA and Spokane Tribe for continued assessment of water-use scenarios in the basin.
Below are publications associated with this project.