Native and Contaminated Ground Waters in th e Long Beach-Santa Ana Area, California

332 Pages·2011·6.86 MB·English

Native and Contaminated
Ground Waters in th e
Long Beach-Santa Ana
Area, California
By A. M. PIPER, A. A. GARRETT, and others
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY WATER-SUPPLY PAPER 1136
Prepared in cooperation with the Orange County
Flood Control District, the Orange County Water
District, the Los Angeles County Flood Control Dis
trict, and the Board of Water Commissioners of the
city of Long Beach.
UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1953
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTEPIOR
Douglas McKay, Secretary
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY
W. E. Wrather, Director
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington 25, D. C. Price $1.50 (paper)
CONTENTS
Page
Abstract ____________________________- ________ 1
Introduction ______________ - _ '5
General nature of the chemical problems _____________ 3
Scope and sources of analytical data__ _____ __ __ -_ 4
Relationship between conductivity and dissolved solids in vaters
of the area__________________________________ 10
Regional bodies of ground water_____________________ 11
Range in chemical character of waters from wells in the area___ 13
Character, distribution, and geochemistry of native waters_______ 17
Zones of water quality__________________________ 17
Native fresh waters of good chemical quality_____________ 20
General character of the waters___________ _____ 20
Unconfined waters ___________________________ 26
Confined waters _______________________:_____ 26
Waters in range 1 (Gaspur and Talbert water-bearing zones) 26
Waters in range 2 (uppermost Pleistocene deposits)______ 28
Waters in range 3 (main part of the unnamed upper Pleisto
cene deposits) __________ _ _ ____ 30
Waters in range 4 (uppermost part of the San Pedro forma
tion) ____________'_______________________ 32
Waters in range 5 (upper part of the San Pedro formation) 33
Waters in range 6 (lower part of the San Pedro formation) 38
Waters in range 7 (upper division of the Pico formation)__ 40
Blended waters from wells_________________________ 41
Progressive changes in character of well effluent, owing to migra
tion of waters beyond their native zones _ _ ___ _ 45
Native waters of inferior chemical quality_______________ 50
Unconfined native waters of inferior quality _________ 51
Confined native waters of inferior quality___________ 53
Extent and general character _________________ 53
Inferior waters in the uppermost Pleistocene deposits
(range 2 of the fresh waters)_________._______ 54
Inferior waters in the unnamed upper Pleistocene de
posits (range 3 of the fresh waters)___________ 56
Inferior waters in the San Pedro formation (rar^es 5
and 6 of the fresh waters)__________________ 57
Contamination of native fresh waters_____________________ 62
General extent of water-quality depreciation __ _ __ _ 62
Character and occurrence of potential exterior contaminants__ 63
Ocean water ___________ __ _ ____________ 63
Connate waters in rocks of Tertiary age_____________ 65
Chemical character _______________________ 66
Potential contamination by connate waters at depth below
land surface ___________________________ 68
IV CONTENTS
Contamination of native fresh waters Continued. Page
Waste brines from the coastal oil fields__________ 70
Dominguez field ______________________ 70
Long Beach field ______________________ 71
Seal Beach field ______________________ 76
Huntington Beach field __________________ 77
Wilmington field ______________________ 78
Waste brines from the inland oil fields __________ 79
Industrial wastes in natural water courses___________ 80
Character and occurrence of interior contaminants__________ 84
Modifications in chemical character of the contaminated vaters__ 85
, Base-exchange reactions ______________________ 85
Principles ______________________________ 85
Base-exchange in contaminated waters___________ 87
Sulfate reduction __________________________ 90
Criteria for discriminating contaminants_____________ 90
Depreciation of water quality in Orange County__________ 92
Contamination in Santa Ana Gap_________________ 92
Geologic features ________________________ 92
Character and occurrence of native fresh waters and of
interior contaminants _____________________ 95
General extent of the contaminated waters_________ 101
Progressive depreciation of water quality at public-supply
well fields ___________________________ 102
Abandoned well field of the city of Newport Beach_ 102
Well field of the Laguna Beach County Water Dis
trict ______________________________ 109
Well fields of the Fairview Farms Water Cc and the
Newport Mesa Irrigation District__________ 112
Progressive depreciation of water quality at miscellaneous
wells ______________________________ 120
Sources of the contaminants _________________ 122
Nature and mobility of the contamination front_____ 124
Control of the extent and degree of contamination___ 126
Contamination beneath Huntington Beach Mesa and the adja
cent part of Bolsa Gap______________________ 129
Summary of geologic features________________ 129
Character and circulation of water under native condi
tions _______-_ - 131
General extent of contaminated waters___________ 133
Contaminated waters beneath the southeasterr part of
the mesa _________ _ _ _-__ _ _ 135
Contaminated waters beneath the central and west-
central parts of the mesa___ ____ _ ___ 141
General features ______________________ 141
Progressive depreciation of water quality at wells of
the Southern California Water Co., Clay plant 143
Intermittent depreciation of water quality at wells
of the Southern California Water Co., GoHen West
plant ___________________________ 146
Source of the contaminant _ 151
Control of the extent and degree of contamination 152
CONTENTS
Contamination of native fresh waters Continued.
Depreciation of water quality in Orange County Continued.
Contamination at and near Landing Hill_____________ 155
Depreciated waters beneath the northeast part of Newport
Mesa _________________________________ 162
Depreciation of water quality in Los Angeles County_______ 167
Contaminated waters in Dominguez Gap_____________ 167
Summary of ground-water occurrence ____________ 167
General character of the native ground waters______ 170
Contamination of the unconfined, semiperched boiy__ 173
Contamination of the Gaspur water-bearing zone__ 177
General features _______-_____________ 177
Contamination at the coast________________ 179
Contamination between Carson Street and Pacific
Coast Highway ______________________ 183
Contamination inland from Carson Street___ _ 191
Future dispersal of contaminated waters wit! in the
Gaspur water-bearing zone ___ ___________ 192
Potential contamination of the Silverado water-bearing
zone within Dominguez Gap _________________ 195
Contaminated waters beyond Dominguez Gap__________ 197
Residual problems and continuing investigation____ ________ 198
Dominguez Gap ________________ __ __-__ 199
Signal Hill uplift _______________________________ 199
Alamitos Gap _________________________________ 200
Landing Hill to Bolsa Chica Mesa ____ __ _______ 201
Bolsa Gap _________________________________ 201
Huntington Beach Mesa ______________-__________ 202
Santa Ana Gap _______________________________ 202
Huntington Park area _______________ _______ __ 203
References ______________________________________ 204
Index ________________________________________ 317
ILLUSTRATIONS
[AM plates in pocket]
PLATE 1. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing areas of in
cipient or advanced chloride contamination of waters.
2. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing location of wells
and other features.
3. Relation between electrical conductance and dissolved solids in
waters of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area.
4. Sections showing the chemical character of waters in relation to
geologic formations.
5. Analyses of typical native fresh waters of good quality.
6. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing sources of
representative native waters from range 1,
VI CONTENTS
PLATE 7. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing sources of
representative native waters from range 2.
8. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing sources of
representative native waters from range 3 and range 4.
9. Map of the Long Beach-Santa Ana area showing sources of
representative native waters from range 5, range 6, and range 7.
10. Analyses of typical native waters of inferior quality.
11. Maps of the Santa Ana Gap showing extent of contaminated
waters.
12. Progressively contaminated water from well 6/10-18K1 (Newport
Beach, well 4).
13. Progressively contaminated water from well 6/10-18J1 (Newport
Mesa Irrigation District, well 4).
14. Progressively contaminated water from well 6/10-18J2 (Fairview
Farms Water Co., well 4).
15. Progressively contaminated water from wells of the Southern
California Water Co. (Clay plant).
16. Chemical character of certain native and contaminated waters
from the Dominguez Gap.
17. Map of the Dominguez Gap and vicinity showing ertent of certain
contaminated waters.
18. Progressively contaminated waters from wells in the Dominguez
Gap, near the coast.
19. Progressively contaminated waters from the Gaspur water-bear
ing zone of the Dominguez Gap.
FIGURE 1. Chemical character of water samples from the Long Beach- Page
Santa Ana area ___________________________ 14
2. Analyses of 82 samples from well 4/12-20C1_________ 42
3. Chemical character of water from well 4/12-20C1______ 44
4. Analyses of 109 samples from well 4/12-21M2________ 46
5. Plan and section of the Development, Citizens, and Alamitos
well fields at Long Beach___________________ 48
6. Chemical character of potential exterior contaminants___ 64
7. Plan of brine sumps of Oil Operators, Inc. __________ 73
8. Chemical character of waters from well 6/10-8D4 (city of
Newport Beach, well 8) _____________________ 100
9. Chloride content of water from three public-supply wells of
the city of Newport Beach ___________________ 103
10. Chemical character of native and contaminated waters from
well 6/10-18K1 (Newport Beach, well 4)__________ 105
11. Progressively contaminated water from well 6/10-18K3
(Newport Beach, well 5) ____________________ 108
12. Chloride content of water from three public-supply wells of
the Laguna Beach County Water District__________ 110
13. Chemical character of water in well 6/10-18C4 (Laguna
Beach County Water District, well 1)_____ ____ 110
14. Chloride content of water from three public-supply wells of
the Fairview Farms Water Co. and the Newport Mesa
Irrigation District __________________ _ 113
CONTENTS VII
FIGURE 15. Character of water in well 6/10-18J2 (Fairview Farms Page
Water Co., well 4) ________________________ 114
16. Chemical character of water discharged from well 6/10-18J2
(Fairview Farms Water Co., well 4) during pumping
tests _________________________________ 115
17. Chemical character of a typical native water and of certain
contaminated waters in the Santa Ana Gap________ 121
18. Chemical character of native and contaminated water? from
the southeastern part of Huntington Beach Mesa_____ 136
19. Chemical character of native and contaminated waters from
three wells of the Southern California Water Co. (Clay
plant) _______________________________ 144
20. Chemical character of native and contaminated waters from
wells 5/11-26M1 and 26M2 (Southern California Water
Co., Golden West plant, wells 2 and 1) ___________ 147
21. Chemical character of water from well 5/11-26M1 (South
ern California Water Co., Golden West plant, well 2)
during pumping tests _____________________ 149
22. Chemical character of water from well 5/12-12P1 during
pumping tests ___________________________ 156
23. Character of water in well 5/12-12P1 before and during
pumping tests ___________________________ 157
24. Chloride content of water from well 5/12-llGl'in th? Ala-
mitos Gap ______________________________ 159
25. Map showing location of test wells and chloride content of
shallow water in the Dominguez Gap ____________ 174
26. Chloride content of waters from the Gaspur water-bearing
zone near the coast ________________________ 180
27. Chloride content of waters from selected wells in the
Dominguez Gap ___________________________ 184
28. Chloride content of waters from selected wells in the I omin-
guez Gap, near the coast ___________________ 185
29. Relation between calcium to magnesium ratio and chloride
content of contaminated waters from the Gaspur water
bearing zone ____________________________ 190
TABLES
TABLE 1. Scope of data on chemical character of water from wells, by Page
the California Division of Water Resources_________ 5
2. Chemical analyses for public-supply wells at Long Berch__ 7
3. Ranges in general chemical character of native waters, con
taminated waters, and potential contaminants_______ 15
4. Character of representative native fresh ground waters of
good quality ______________________________ 21
5. Character of representative native waters of inferior quality 50
VIII CONTENTS
Page
TABLE 6. Chemical character of Santiago Creek______________ 54
7. Chloride and dissolved solids in waters of the San Pedro
formation along the coast ____________________ 60
8. Comparison of chemical character of ocean water with that
of known connate waters _____________________ 66
9. Average ratios between constituents in the native fresh
waters of good chemical quality ________________ 88
10. Contaminated water from well 6/10-18K1 in comparison
with potential contaminants __________________ 106
31. Contaminated water from well 6/10-18K3 in comparison
with potential contaminants __________________ 109
12. Contaminated water from well 6/10-18C2 in comparison
with potential contaminants __________________ 111
13. Wells tapping contaminated water in southeastern part of
Huntington Beach Mesa _____________________ 135
14. Contaminated water from well 6/11-11E1 in comparison
with potential contaminants __________________ 138
15. Contaminated water from well 6/11-11J3 in comparison
with potential contaminants ___________________ 140
16. Wells of known depth tapping contaminated water beneath
the Huntington Beach Mesa __________________ 142
17. Contaminated water from well 6/11-2G4 (Southern Cali
fornia Water Co., Clay plant, well 1) in comparison with
potential contaminants ______________________ 145
18. Contaminated water from well 5/11-26M1 (Southern Cali
fornia Water Co., Golden West plant, well 2) in com
parison with potential contaminants _____________ 148
19. Chemical character of samples from well 5/11-26M1 during
pumping _______________________________ 150
20. Wells yielding water of depreciated (?) quality in the Irvine
Tract __________________________________ 166
21. Chemical character of presumed native water and certain
depreciated (?) waters from well I-6E1 __________ 166
22. Contaminated water from well 4/13-34K1 in comparison with
potential contaminants ______________________ 181
23. Contaminated water from well 4/13-35Q4 in comparison
with potential contaminants ___________________ 182
24. Contaminated water from well 4/13-14Q2 in comparison
with potential contaminants ___________________ 187
25. Contaminated water from well 4/13-14M8 in relation to
potential source of contamination _______________ 188
26. Contaminated water from well 4/13-14D2 in relation to
potential sources of contamination ______________ 189
27. Chloride content of contaminated waters from wells in sec.
10, T. 4 S., R. 13 W. ________________________ 192
28. Contaminated water from well 4/13-10G3 in comparison
with potential contaminants ___________________ 193
29. Chemical analyses representing known or potential con
taminants _______________________________ 206
30. Chemical analyses of representative native and contami
nated waters, 1918-43 _______________________ 212
CONTENTS IX
TABLE 31. Partial chemical analyses of waters from wells in the coastal page
zone, 1941-45 ___________________________ 264
32. Partial chemical analyses of waters from streams in the
coastal zone, 1941-45 ________________________ 311
33. Partial chemical analyses of waters from ponds, sumps,
and other miscellaneous sources in the coastal zone,
1941-45 _________________________________ 313