Integrating Hydrogeology and Aquatic Ecology in the Southern

Great Basin - Owens Valley

Khaled Pordel 1,2 and Dr. Donald W. Sada 2

1Graduate Program of Hydrologic science, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada contact: khaledprd@Nevada.unr.edu
2Division of Hydrologic Science Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada

WHY: Hydrogeology
The Great Basin is composed of a series of endorehic  Stable isotope:
basins that have been isolated form one another and the Snowmelt constitutes the majority of the recharge source for
ocean since the late Pleistocene. Springs occur the Elderberry Canyon Spring, Sharp Meadow Spring, Wells
throughout the region, and some have persisted for Meadow A and Wells Meadow B Springs. (Isotope Hydrology)
millennia and support crenobiontic aquatic life whose
ancestral arrived during the late Miocene/early Pliocene.  Stiff diagram:
Boron Spring water chemistry is significantly different relative
WHAT: to other springs. Elderberry Canyon Spring, Sharp Meadow
We investigate, for the first time, the relationship spring, Wells meadow A and Wells meadow B Springs have
Age
between aquatic life in springs, tectonic development, (years) similar water chemistry pattern. (Geochemistry)
climate, groundwater geochemistry, and groundwater  Cluster analysis:
residence time in arid region spring ecosystems. The grouping analysis based on the major ion ratios (Ca/Na
and Mg/K) cluster the springs according to their water- rock
HOW: interaction. (Geochemistry)
These relationships will be examined by determining
biological characteristics of spring systems in context of Aquatic Ecology
isotope hydrology, geochemistry, and evidence of paleo-  Similar patterns:
drainage system. Cluster and MDS analysis indicated there is a relationship
between the structure of BMI communities and Geochemistry
Stable Isotope Cluster Analysis: characteristics of the springs. This was most evident among
The plot shows the 0: Dissimilarity Elderberry, Wells Meadow A, N. and S. Harry Birch group
spring water stable 100: Similarity together which grouped based on stable isotope and Mg/K,
There is a relationship between the structure of isotope values around
the global meteoric The figure clusters Ca/Na analysis. (Community Ecology)
benthic macroinvertebrates (BMI) communities and water line. all springs based
characteristics of spring environments: on the Benthic
The highlighted springs Macro Invertebrate  Outliers:
(BMI) community Several springs did not match these predictions. This may be

Elderberry Canyon Spring

Red mountain Spring

have a lighter isotopic

South Harry Birch Spring

Wells Meadow A Spring
North Harry Birch Spring
Sharps Meadow Spring
Physicochemical characteristics of spring environments structure.

Grover Anton Spring

value relative to other

Wells Meadow B
due to their unique environments that is shown by their

Warm Spring A

Birchim Spring B
North Fuller Spring
affect spatial and temporal characteristics of BMI Springs isotope value
springs.
Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) The line represents distinctive water geochemistry and groundwater age.
communities. the 25% similarity
Stiff diagram slice.

Intolerant BMIs characterize cool springs with low The diagram illustrates
temperature and short residence time. the springs’ water Multi Dimensional
chemistry (Major ions).
North Fuller Spring
scaling Analysis Benthic macroinvertebrate communities in the Owens Valley
(MDS) Ca/Na
(Ratio)
Ratio
springs were most similar where hydrogeology (stable
The figure shows MDS isotopes, and geochemistry) was most similar.
analysis based on the

Groundwater Water
S. Harry Birch
Wells Meadow A
BMI community Relationships observed between BMI data collected in the
structure and
Age chemistry
Sharps Meadow Elderberry Canyon symbolized by their late 1990s and water chemistry data collected in 2016
N. Harry Birch
Elderberry Canyon
water chemistry suggests that reference spring water chemistry and BMI
Red mnt. Spring Wells Meadow B clustering groups (based
on Major Ions, Mg/K and structure may be relatively stable over long periods of time.
Warm Spring A Grover Anton Spring
Ca/Na)
BMI Physical The broader impacts of this project are providing a
Nutrient community
structure
environment
Variables: Mg/K and Ca/Na There is no scale and restoration and management protocol for assessing the
unit for the axis climate change impact on endangered groundwater
dependent ecosystems in arid-region.
History Landscape Multi Dimensional
feature
Meta-population scaling Analysis The results could apply to aquatic ecosystems in arid and
dynamic (MDS)
semiarid regions worldwide.
Model 1: Environmental factors affecting BMI community structure The figure shows MDS
analysis based on the
S. Harry Birch
BMI community
Wells Meadow A
Intolerant organisms Tolerant organisms structure and
Ecological framework
Warm Spring A Sharps Meadow symbolized by their
Elderberry Canyon
Red mnt. Spring
N. Harry Birch
groundwater residence
time (based on 14C). Dr. Marty Frisbee and Zach Meyer at Purdue University-
North Harry Birch Spring

Wells Meadow B Spring

Elderberry Canyon Spring

Wells Meadow A Spring

Grover Anton Spring

South Harry Birch Spring

Low temperature Hydrological framework Grover Anton Spring

High temperature Intolerant Taxa
Low conductivity
Lafayette, Indiana.
High conductivity (numberofofTaxa
Number taxa)
Short residence time Long residence time
Birchim Spring B Wells Meadow B
The pattern is based on Dr. Laura Rademacher at University of Pacific, California
their BMI community Dr. John Umek at Desert Research Institute, Reno
structure similarity.
Model 2: Eco-hydrological framework NSF ‘Integrating Earth System’ Program