Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer
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The Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie (SVRP) Aquifer is an aquifer in the northwest United States, underlying 370 square miles in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.[1]
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (July 2019) |
Spokane Valley–Rathdrum Prairie Aquifer | |
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Location | Inland Northwest, United States |
Coordinates | 47.7°N 117°W / 47.7; -117 |
Primary inflows |
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Primary outflows | Spokane River |
Basin countries | United States |
Surface area | 370 square miles (960 km2) |
Water volume | 10 trillion gallons (12,000 km3) |
The aquifer is centralized under Spokane Valley and the Rathdrum Prairie, hence the name, and is part of the Columbia River drainage basin. It is composed of unconsolidated gravels, cobbles, and boulders deposited during the glacial flooding of Lake Missoula.[2][3] The aquifer is highly permeable and in direct contact with the surface, so there is a high interexchange rate between surface water and the aquifer. The Spokane River and Little Spokane River lie directly above the aquifer and receive aquifer outflow. The area surrounding it receives an average of 15–30 inches (38–76 cm) of rain annually. The aquifer is the primary water source for the greater Spokane area.