Residence time of water discharging from the Hanging Gardens of Zion Park

The Hanging Gardens are a unique feature of Zion National Park. Knowledge of the source and residence time of water discharging from the Hanging Gardens is necessary to help preserve these features. Ground-water chemical and isotopic data distinguish the discharge from seeps and springs into two groups, one of low and one of high conductivity. Water with low conductivity likely originates as recharge near the steps and springs, and it only interacts with the Navajo Sandstone. High conductivity water, on the other hand, originates as recharge on the tops of plateaus to the east, where it interacts with marine rocks of the Carmel Formation. Carbon dating of these ground waters indicates that the low conductivity water is essentially modern recharge, while the high conductivity water was recharged 1,000 to 4,000 years ago.The Hanging Gardens are a unique feature of Zion National Park. Knowledge of the source and residence time of water discharging from the Hanging Gardens is necessary to help preserve these features. Ground-water chemical and isotopic data distinguish the discharge from seeps and springs into two groups, one of low and one of high conductivity. Water with low conductivity likely originates as recharge near the seeps and springs, and it only interacts with the Navajo Sandstone. High conductivity water, on the other hand, originates as recharge on the tops of plateaus to the cast, where it interacts with marine rocks of the Carmel Formation. Carbon dating of these ground waters indicates that the low conductivity water is essentially modern recharge, while the high conductivity water was recharged 1,000 to 4,000 years ago.