Columbia Plateau Basalt Aquifer
3 states · 114,000 sq km · confined
Moderate Risk
About the Columbia Plateau Basalt Aquifer
The Columbia Plateau Basalt Aquifer consists of stacked basalt lava flows covering parts of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. Water flows through rubble zones between flows, making it highly productive but heterogeneous.
Area
114,000 km²
Depth Range
200–2,000 ft
States
3
Rock Type
Basalt
Key Facts
- ▸Covers approximately 114,000 square kilometers
- ▸Supplies irrigation for the Columbia Basin Project
- ▸Multiple water-bearing zones separated by dense basalt flows
- ▸Some wells reach 2,000+ feet deep
- ▸Grande Ronde Basalt is the primary water-bearing unit
States Overlying the Columbia Plateau Basalt Aquifer
Explore Water Assets Over the Columbia Plateau Basalt Aquifer
See every tracked spring, well, and water right that draws from this aquifer on our interactive map.
Open Map Explorer