Page 313 - 1915, Springs of CA.

SALINE SPRINGS. 293
A cemented drinking basin surrounds a fifth spring, known as the
Iron Spring, on the side of a ravine about 400 yards north of the main
springs. The overflow is slight and the water has no distinctly min-
eralized taste.
In several respects conditions at Richardson Springs are similar
to those at Tuscan Springs, about 35 miles farther north. As at
Tuscan Springs, cliffs of lava agglomerate form the upper portion of
the canyon side, but the springs issue from tuffaceous sediments
(the Tuscan tuff) that overlie the Cretaceous shales and sandstones
which are exposed at Tuscan Springs and which probably underlie
the tuff at a shallow depth at Richardson Springs. About three-
quarters of a mile southwest, downstream from the springs, inflam-
mable gas rises near the creek, probably from these Cretaceous beds.
In December, 1909, an attempt was being made to confine the gas
and render it available for use.

SALINE SPRINGS AT BYRON HOT SPRINGS (CONTRA COSTA 8).
Byron Hot Springs have been described among the thermal springs,
but they are mentioned here because the waters of two of them the
Liver and Kidney and the Hot Salt springs are notably saline, and
that of Surprise Spring is a strong brine. Comment on the saline
character of these springs was made in describing the group. (See
p. 109.)
ALHAMBRA SPRINGS (CONTRA COSTA 2).
At two localities in the State there are small saline and sulphated
springs whose waters have been bottled for medicinal use. Although
not all of the springs at these localities are notably saline, the principal
springs contain large amounts of sodium and chlorine, and the locali-
ties may properly be considered with the saline springs.
The northern locality is at Alhambra Springs, which are situated
in a ravine about 6 miles by road south of Martinez. Of the three
principal springs on the property, one which is known as No. 1, fills
a housed-in pool 6 feet square and a foot deep, on the eastern bank
of the ravine.; its water tastes strongly saline and sulphated. About
400 yards southward, up the ravine from it, a mildly sulphureted
spring rises in a small spring house. The third spring, which is known
as Spring No. 2, rises in a cement-covered joint of tile pipe on the
western edge of the stream channel, 75 yards above this sulphur
spring. Water from the two numbered springs is piped to tanks
and thence to bottling works beside the railroad at Martinez. A
fourth spring has a flow of a little over half a gallon a minute and is
designated in the table of analyses as "Alhambra." The following
analyses show that the waters of the Alhambra and Spring No. 1
are primary and secondary saline in character, but the water of Spring