Ground Water Atlas of the United States -
Segment 1 California Nevada
Well Depths and Yields
Well depths in the Central Valley aquifer system are determined by the depth of
permeable aquifer material and by the quality of the ground water. In general,
wells are usually less than 500 feet deep in the Sacramento Valley but are as
deep as 3,500 feet in the San Joaquin Valley. The greater depth of wells is a
result of the low permeability of the sands in the unconfined aquifer in the
western and southern San Joaquin Valley and of highly mineralized water and
water high in selenium in the upper parts of the aquifer system in the western
San Joaquin Valley.
Well yields of more than 1,000 gallons per minute are commonly obtainable
throughout the aquifer system. The average yield of wells in the Sacramento
Valley is approximately 800 gallons per minute, but yields as large as 4,000
gallons per minute have been recorded. The average yield of wells in the San
Joaquin Valley is about 1,100 gallons per minute, and the maximum expected yield
is about 3,200 gallons per minute.
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Forward to "WATER BUDGET OF THE AQUIFER SYSTEM"
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