USGS Science⌕ Search

USGS · ofr6196

Water levels in observation wells in Santa Barbara County, California, in 1960

Abstract

Investigation of the ground-water resources of Santa Barbara County was continued during 1960 by the U. S. Geological Survey in cooperation with the Santa Barbara County Water Agency. Monthly water-level measurements were made in 193 wells, in 9 of which automatic water-level recorders were operated. Earlier measurements, covering the period 1941 through 1955, have been published in Geological Survey Water-Supply Papers; those for 1956, 1957, 1958, and 1959 have been released locally in duplicated form. Water-Supply Paper 1068 contains tabulated descriptions of 2,246 wells in existence in 1942 in the several ground-water basins of the county. The same publication also contains many water-level measurements made prior to 1942 by the city of Santa Barbara, Santa Maria Valley Voter Conservation District, San Joaquin Power Division of the Pacific Gas and Electric Co., Union Sugar Co., Union Oil Co., and other organizations and individuals. Comprehensive reports on the geology and ground-water resources of the Santa Ynez River basin (Upson and Thomasson, 1951, and Wilson, 1959), the south-coast basins (Upson, 1951), the Santa Maria Valley area (Worts, 1951), and the Cuyama Valley (Upson and Worts, 1951) have been published as Water-Supply Papers 1107, 1467, 1108, 1000, and 1110-B, respectively. A similar report on the San Antonio Creek Valley is in preparation. A report on stream runoff and ground-water storage capacity of the Santa Ynez River valley (Troxell and Wilson, 1952) was released to the open file on October 1952. In addition to the water-level measurements made by the Geological Survey in 1960, measurements made by the Santa Maria Valley Water Conservation District are included in this report. Not, included in this report are miscellaneous measurements made by the Geological Survey in wells along the middle reach of the Santa Ynez River between Cachuma Dam and Rucker Crossing.

Explore related subjects

90° N90° S · 180° W ← longitude → 180° E
Source-reported bounding extent: 33.603227658961316° to 35.107477322182945° latitude; -120.61474653419313° to -119.21258359397822° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

P.M. Merritt. 1961. Water levels in observation wells in Santa Barbara County, California, in 1960. https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr6196

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related USGS reports

Floods of June 20–July 6, 2024, in the Big Sioux River, Rock River, Little Sioux River, Ocheyedan River, and Floyd River Basins, northwestern Iowa

Major flooding occurred on June 20–July 6, 2024, in northwestern Iowa affecting the Big Sioux, Rock, Little Sioux, Ocheyedan, and Floyd River Basins. Heavy rain fell in northwestern Iowa, southwestern Minnesota, and southeastern South Dakota on June 20–22, 2024. Parts of northwestern Iowa recorded 2–6 inches of rainfall and localized amounts exceeding 12 inches. A maximum peak-of-record streamflow of 175,000 cubic feet per second at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage Big Sioux River at Akron, Iowa (06485500), was recorded on June 22, 2024, and had an annual exceedance probability range of 0.2–0.49 percent. High-water marks were measured at four locations along the Big Sioux River between U.S. Interstate 29 at Sioux City, Iowa, upstream to Iowa Highway 10 north of Hawarden, Iowa, a distance of 75.7 river miles. A maximum peak-of-record streamflow of 157,000 cubic feet per second at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage Rock River near Rock Valley, Iowa (06483500), was recorded on June 22, 2024, and had an annual exceedance probability of less than 0.2 percent. High-water marks were measured at eight locations along the Rock River between County Road B30 east of Hudson, South Dakota, upstream to Iowa Highway 9 at Rock Rapids, Iowa, a distance of 39.3 river miles. A maximum peak-of-record streamflow of 63,000 cubic feet per second at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage Little Sioux River at Correctionville, Iowa (06606600), was recorded on June 24, 2024, and had an annual exceedance probability range of 0.2–0.49 percent. High-water marks were measured at 11 locations along the Little Sioux River between Iowa Highway 31 west of Correctionville, Iowa, upstream to U.S. Highway 18 north of Spencer, Iowa, a distance of 134.8 river miles. A maximum streamflow of 24,500 cubic feet per second at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage Ocheyedan River near Spencer, Iowa (06605000), was recorded on June 22, 2024, and had an annual exceedance probability range of 0.2–0.49 percent. High-water marks were measured at three locations along the Ocheyedan River between County Road M38 west of Spencer, Iowa, upstream to U.S. Highway 18 west of Everly, Iowa, a distance of 12.8 river miles. A maximum streamflow of 41,000 cubic feet per second at the U.S. Geological Survey streamgage Floyd River at Alton, Iowa (06600100), was recorded on June 22, 2024, and had an annual exceedance probability range of 1–1.99 percent. High-water marks were measured at six locations along the Floyd River between Iowa Highway 3 at Le Mars, Iowa, upstream to Iowa Highway 10 at Alton, Iowa, a distance of 27.5 river miles. The high-water marks were used to develop flood profiles for the Big Sioux, Rock, Little Sioux, Ocheyedan, and Floyd Rivers.

Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota↗

Special Contributing Area Loading Program user’s manual

Information on the Special Contributing Area Loading Program execution and functions are presented in this user’s manual. An appendix presents a potential improvement for the user to consider. The hydrologic routing simulation method to model flow through multiple reservoirs, or sewer system components, is described. The use of Special Contributing Areas is described to run a successful simulation, which includes user input of hydrologic time series of flow components and the necessary formats. Upon completion of a successful Special Contributing Area Loading Program simulation, the program outputs hydrologic time series and a descriptive text file containing the model results for each defined sub-unit, or Special Contributing Area. The output time series contain flows through, and overflows from, the three reservoirs in the series, and the text file contains input and output path locations.

Open-File Report↗

Estimating aftershock risk for entry into earthquake-damaged buildings

We present a simple method to estimate the risk of experiencing strong shaking from aftershocks during entry into earthquake-damaged buildings. We compute wait times until the probability of strong ground shaking from aftershocks reaches a predefined risk threshold; for example, a 0.4 percent probability of experiencing Modified Mercalli Intensity 7 or greater shaking during the planned building entry. We also develop a relation between aftershock probability and the probability of strong shaking, so that users can reference the U.S. Geological Survey aftershock forecast during an ongoing aftershock sequence to determine if the risk threshold has been met. We apply our method to active continental regions (for example, the Western United States), stable continental regions (for example, the Central and Eastern United States), and subduction zones (for example, Cascadia or Alaska).

Open-File Report↗