STOP 2: WELLS INVESTIGATING THE UNDERGROUND WATER FLOW THAT FEEDS THE TRAVERTINE SPRINGS IN DEATH VALLEY
The Travertine Springs make up much of the water supply for the Furnace Creek complex of hotel, motel, cabins, golf course, pool (though the pool is in part a hot spring), restaurants, etc.
On the way from CA 190 to the well field we came to see, more evidence of water coming to or near the surface appeared:
Here is what we came to see: a place where three wells are lined up in the direction of flow into the valley, and pumping on another, adjacent well allows measurements of influence on the three lined up, one above (visible to left of the orange generator), one nearby and slightly below, and another quite a bit below):
Here are the two lower wells. In the distance are the trees/bushes of one of those canyons we saw on the way up here, from California Highway 190. That is one of the locations of the Travertine Springs.
The next photo shows the upper well, and to the right is Echo Canyon, a canyon into the Funeral Range. On the other side of that canyon, outside the National Park, are the wells we will visit on Stop 3.
It is hoped that the results of work on the chemistry (isotopes as well as major and trace elements) will allow a connection to be made between the two.
What, water flows uphill from Amargosa Valley over the Funerals into Death Valley? No, as one of our guides pointed out, the Funerals are made of broken and tumbled blocks of rock not unlike an end-to-end stack of dominos that was pushed over.
So though the mountains are quite high, their roots are a jumbled mess at depth through which water can flow, continually downward, as water does flow.
Since we are now just looking around, let's see what one can see from this location:
To the northwest, the Texas Springs area is visible (the greenery):
To the west, the Travertine Springs greenery sits at the edge of the valley and just behind the hill to the left, out of sight, sits the Furnace Creek visitors/tourist complex:
To the southeast lies California Highway 190 in its fickle, sometimes deadly setting: a gravel wash with walls on both sides:
Note the colorful rock beside that road, however. Let's explore those colors to our hearts' content as we move from Site 2 to Site 3 along CA 190 until we find ourselves on the other side of the Funeral Range and out of the National Park.
Go to page that describes the road from Stop 2 to Stop 3 (California 190)
Go to the page that shows more of the road from Stop 2 to Stop 3 (California 190)
Go to Stop 3: Inyo County well #1
Go to Stop 4: the Hectorite Mine uphill from Stop 3
Go back to Nevares Springs, Stop # 1
Go back to road from Stop 1 to Stop 2
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