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Paleo-climate of the Boise area, Idaho from the last glacial maximum to the present based on groundwater δ2H and δ18O compositions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Melissa E. Schlegel ,
Alan L. Mayo ,
Steve Nelson ,
Dave Tingey ,
Rachel Henderson  and
Dennis Eggett
Melissa E. Schlegel
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Alan L. Mayo*
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Steve Nelson
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Dave Tingey
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Rachel Henderson
Affiliation:
Department of Geosciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
Dennis Eggett
Affiliation:
Department of Statistics, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT 84602, USA
*
⁎Corresponding author. Email Address:[email protected]
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Abstract

A 30 ka paleo-climate record of the Boise area, Idaho, USA has been delineated using groundwater stable isotopic compositions. Groundwater ages are modern (cold batholith), 5–15 ka (thermal batholith), 10–20 ka (frontal fault), and 20–30 ka (Snake River plain thermal). The stable isotopic composition of groundwaters have been used as a surrogate for the stable isotopic composition of precipitation. Using δ2H and δ18O compositions, local groundwater lines (LGWL's) were defined for each system. Each LGWL has been evaluated with defined slopes of 6.94 and 8, respectively, and resulting deuterium excess values (d) were found for each groundwater system for each slope. Time dependent changes in moisture source humidity and temperature, and Boise area recharge temperatures, calculated from stable isotopic data and the deuterium excess factors, agree with previous paleo-climate studies. Results indicate that from the last glacial maximum to the present time the humidity over the ocean moisture source increased by 9%, sea surface temperature at the moisture source increased 6–7°C, and local Boise temperature increased by 4–5°C. A greater increase of temperature at the moisture source as compared to the Boise area may impart be due to a shift in the moisture source area.

Keywords

PaleoclimateStable isotopeGroundwater ageIdaho batholith
Type
Articles
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 71 , Issue 2 , March 2009 , pp. 172 - 180
Copyright
University of Washington

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