Page 117 - 1915, Springs of CA.

HOT SPRINGS. 109
The position of the springs near the base of the knoll of volcanic
tuff that rises in the valley land and the fact that a fault has been
traced along this part of the valley furnish suggestive evidence that
faulting has here provided escape for deep-seated water. The lava
may also produce a high temperature gradient that aids in giving the
abnormal temperatures to the water. The amount of heated water
that rises is probably better indicated by the area of meadowland
that is formed than by the visible flow of hot water, for there is
doubtless much seepage that is not observable.

BYRON HOT SPRINGS (CONTRA COSTA 7).
On the western border of San Joaquin Valley, near the southeastern
corner of Contra Costa County, a number of mineralized springs
Byron Hot Springs rise in a saline flat that is partly inclosed by
low hills (PL VII, A) . A large, well-appointed hotel l and four or
five cottages have here formed one of the most noted spring resorts
of the State. The place is easily reached by automobile from the
eastern side of San Francisco Bay. In 1908 eight springs were
improved and used. A small warm sulphur spring supplies a drink-
ing basin in the main grounds; warm sulphur mud and water baths
and a sulphur plunge are about 250 yards southeast of the hotel
grounds. A strongly sulphureted spring, 83° in temperature, forms
a slightly used drinking pool at one side of Sulphur Plunge, and
on the opposite side is a well from which mineral water is pumped
to bathtubs in the hotel. In the summer of 1908 the water in this
well stood about 8 feet below the surface and its temperature was
112° to 115°. About 250 yards beyond the Sulphur Baths and Sul-
phur Plunge is an inclosed swimming pool, known as the Gas Plunge,
in which the temperature is. about 88°. Between the two bathing
establishments are two cemented drinking springs, known as the Hot
Salt and the Liver and Kidney springs. The Hot Salt Spring, with
a temperature of 120° and a flow of about 2 gallons a minute, rises
in a small, domed, concrete house; the Liver and Kidney Spring
rises in a concrete basin 25 yards southward. In 1908 its temperature
was 73°, but its flow was not appreciable. Near the base of a low
hill 250 yards to the southwest is a tile-lined basin or well, marked
"Surprise," which contains strongly saline water about 70° in
temperature.
The following are analyses of waters from five of the springs.2

1 This hotel was destroyed by fire in July, 1912, but the resort was not closed, and a new hotel was
opened in July, 1914.
2 An iron spring, of which an analysis is given by Winslow Anderson, could not be identified in 1908.