Page 350 - 1915, Springs of CA.

330 SPRINGS OF CALIFORNIA.

deiitly derived from the melting snow of the higher slopes to the east.
The porous tuffaceous lava, which is known as the Tuscan tuff and
which covers the slopes for some distance surrounding the springs,
affords good storage for the water and renders the flow of the springs
fairly uniform.
LARGE COLD SPRINGS IN HOT SPRING VALLEY (PLUMAS 3).
Large perennial springs of cold water issue from lava bluffs that
form the north side of Hot Spring Valley, on the southeastern slope
of Lassen Peak. The water issues about one-half mile west of
Drake Hot Springs (Plumas 4, p. 142) at numerous places for a
distance of 200 or 300 yards along the steep slope. The various
streams flow down among small quaking aspens and unite to form a
stream of fairly uniform flow that discharges approximately 1,500
gallons a minute. A small part of the water has been used in irri-
gating adjacent meadowland, but the main part of it flows directly
into Warner Creek, of which it forms a tributary.
In connection with these cold springs several minor ones in the
same region may be mentioned. One that furnishes a domestic sup-
ply at Drake Hot Springs issues 300 yards east of the house, from
beneath a large lava bowlder on a steep slope below a bluff that borders
the north side of Hot Spring Valley. This spring has a nearly uni-
form flow of about 75 gallons a minute and is of interest because of
its low temperature, which was 39° in July, 1910. Another un-
usually cold spring but of less flow issues in meadowland at the
head of Warner Valley, about 4 miles east of Drake Hot Springs.
When visited this spring had a temperature of 44°, but its water was
probably warmed somewhat by irrigation water from the creek. Its
yield was only about 2 gallons a minute. Other cold springs that
yield 5 to 20 or 30 gallons a minute issue in small meadow patches
along tributaries of King and Warner creeks. On the barren slopes
near the summit of Lassen Peak springs that discharge several second-
feet issue along the sides of drainage channels during the season of
melting snow. Their sources can often be recognized in melting
snow banks a few hundred yards away, and their mode of occur-
rence helps to explain the existence of large springs on the lower
slopes, where the source of supply is not so evident.
LARGE COLD SPRINGS IN BIG MEADOWS (PLUMAS 8).
Large springs issue at the northeast edge of Big Meadows, about
5 miles by road northeast of Prattville. The water issues from ba-
saltic lava, a few feet above the meadow level, in an area of willows
and quaking aspens about 100 yards in diameter. After flowing down
over rimes of coarse lava gravel it forms a sluggish stream 100 yards
or more in width in the meadow. A very rough float measurement