Shelby R. Barker, GIT Staff Geologist, Kleinfelder Graduate Student, CSU Fullerton

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1 April 2010 This Meeting: Wednesday, April 7 th Time: Social: 6:00pm Dinner: 6:30pm Lecture: 7:00pm Location: LSA Associates 1500 Iowa Ave Suite 200 Riverside, CA (Map on Pg.4) Coming to Dinner? Please RSVP: By Friday 04/2 (951) dlass@ waterboards.ca.gov Newsletter of the Inland Geological Society Volume 26 No. 4 In this Issue: April Speaker Shelby Barker Upcoming Events/IGS Meeting Schedule... 3 Current IGS Officers... 4 LSA MEETING LOCATION MAP... 4 April Speaker: Shelby R. Barker, GIT Staff Geologist, Kleinfelder Graduate Student, CSU Fullerton An Investigation of Potential Surficial Recharge in the Lucerne Valley Groundwater Basin, Mojave Desert, CA Abstract To better understand the characteristics of recharge within the Lucerne Valley groundwater basin, a series of infiltrations tests, soil analyses and computer simulations were conducted throughout the watershed. Previous studies have suggested that because desert valleys receive less than eight inches of annual precipitation and have deep, unsaturated zone, natural recharge cannot occur. Within the Lucerne Valley, gaps in the most recent water budget, increasing groundwater levels and geochemical analysis of groundwater samples indicate that additional recharge must be occurring within the valley. Studies elsewhere in the Mojave Desert have suggested that recharge can occur as infiltration from stream flow in ephemeral channels. Field investigations (infiltration tests, stream measurements and soil sample collection) and laboratory tests (sieve analyses, chloride tests, falling-head permeameter and moisture content) were conducted in three locations throughout the Lucerne Valley: Lucerne Creek, alluvial fill/fan and the Lucerne (Dry) Lake. Continued on Page 2

2 PAGE 2 Results suggest that a source of recharge, similar to those found in recent studies elsewhere in the Mojave Desert, exists in the Lucerne Creek within the northwestern section of the basin as well. Estimated volumes of recharge was determined using numerical modeling for precipitation events based on 1-year, 2-year and 5-year frequencies provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Atlas 14. This research is intended to better understand the natural surficial recharge in the Lucerne Valley groundwater basin. Furthermore, this research may also provide a cost-effective method to determine potential recharge in other basins and better understand surficial recharge in desert environments. Biography: Shelby Barker is graduate student at California State University, Fullerton. She will be graduating with a Master s degree in Geological Sciences in May While studying at CSU Fullerton, she worked part-time at the university as a Research Assistant and at Geo-Logic Associates as a Staff Geologist. In 2008, she graduated with departmental honors from California State University, San Bernardino with her Bachelor s degree in Geological Sciences (Environmental Geology option). Shelby recently joined Kleinfelder in the Redlands office as a Staff Geologist. Flow in Lucerne Creek during a heavy rainstorm in January 2010 Shelby collecting soil samples for analysis.

3 PAGE 3 Upcoming Meetings/Events Rock & Gem Shows Various locations Various rock and mineral shows will be throughout So. California. To find one near you, visit SME SoCal Section Meeting Dr. Brandon Browne, Professor at CSU Fullerton, will be giving a talk on the Magnetic Plumbing Systems of Basaltic Volcanoes. The meeting will be on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at the Pomona Valley Mining Company in Pomona, CA. For more info., visit GSA Cordilleran Section and Pacific Section AAPG Joint Annual Meeting The cordilleran section of the GSA and the Pacific Section of the AAPG will be holding their Joint Annual Meeting on May 27-29, 2010 at the Anaheim Marriott in Anaheim, CA. For more info., visit South Coast Geological Society South Coast Geological Society will be having their monthly meeting on Monday, April 5, 2010 at the Doubletree Club Hotel in Santa Ana, CA. For more info., visit AEG Annual Inland Empire Chapter Field Trip and April Meeting For their April meeting, AEG will be having a field trip titled Geologic Highlights of the Perris Plain and Temecula/Murrieta Area. The field trip will be held on Saturday, April 17, 2010 (7:30 am to ~1:00 pm). For more details, contact Mark Spykerman at mspykerman@earthsys.com or visit IGS Meeting Schedule May 6, 2010 (Thursday) Eldon Gath, Earth Consultants International The Santa Ana Mountains: Indenter-Driven Seismotectonics of the OC June 2, 2010 (Wednesday) Dr. Prem Saint, CSU Fullerton, retired Paleohydrology of the 5000-year old Indus Valley Archeological Sites in the North-West Indian Subcontinent July 1, 2010 (Thursday) August 4, 2010 (Wednesday) September 2, 2010 (Thursday) October 6, 2010 (Wednesday) Dr. Elizabeth Cochran, UC Riveside November 4, 2010 (Thursday) WANTED: Speakers for 2010 meetings! With 2010 now here at our door step, we are looking to fill our schedule for this years meetings! If you (or someone you know) would like to speak at an IGS meeting or have any suggestions, please contact Greg Middleton or Steve Mains.

4 PAGE 4 IGS MEETING LOCATION: LSA Associates, Inc Iowa Ave, Suite 200 Riverside, CA IGS OFFICERS President Treasurer Newsletter Editor Greg Johnson, LADPW Margaret Gooding, LSA Associates Shelby Barker, Kleinfelder gjohnson@ladpw.org Margaret.gooding@lsa-assoc.com sbarker@kleinfelder.com x Vice President Secretary Membership Greg Middleton, Leighton Dixie Lass, Santa Ana RWQCB Steven E. Mains, Watermaster gmiddleton@leightongroup.com dlass@waterboards.ca.gov Support Services watermains@aol.com Web Mistress Web Master Marina West, Big Horn Desert View Ernie Roumelis, AKW Geotechnical Water Agency eroumelis@verizon.net wells.out.west@gmail.com

5 Inland Geological Society Newsletter c/o Shelby Barker Farmington Street Hesperia, CA PAGE 5