Page 268 - 1915, Springs of CA.

248 SPRINGS OF CALIFORNIA.
Magnesia Spring, which is situated in a canyon on the western side
of Colorado Desert, about 15 miles west of Indio, yields a small
amount of water that effervesces with carbon dioxide and is also locally
believed to contain a notable amount of magnesium. As the spring
is about 2 miles from the main road along the west side of the desert
and is reached only by a dim trail, it has not been often visited.
McCAIN SPRINGS (IMPERIAL 4).
McCain Springs are about 4J miles southward from another group
known as Soda Springs (Imperial 3), which are described among the
saline springs (p. 303). The springs lie in a broad wash in an area
whose surface is cut by many gulches, and issue on a low mound that
has probably been built up by material blown upon it and retained
by the moist soil. They discharge a small amount of slightly carbon-
ated water.
The following analysis shows the character of water from a small
carbonated spring near McCain Springs and probably also indicates
the general chemical features of the water from the McCain group.
The high content of total solids, which are chiefly primary saline and
secondary alkaline in character, is probably typical of several other
springs in the southwestern part of Colorado Desert.

Analysis of water from carbonated spring in Colorado Desert, Imperial County, Cal.
[Analyst, W. O. Robinson (1909). Authority, United States Bureau of Soils. Constituents are in parts
per million.]
Properties of reaction:
Primary salinity................. .. . ...... ............................... 52
0
Tertiary salinity. ............................................................... 0
Primary alkalinity. ............... .... ....................................... 12
(' 36
)
By Reacting
Constituents. weight. values.
Sodium (Na). ....................................................................... 1,628 70.78
Potassium (K). . .................................................................... 4 .10
Calcium (Ca) ........................................................................ 436 21.75
224 18.43
Sulphate (SO4). ..................................................................... 68 1.42
Nitrate (N03). ...................................................................... 0 .00
Chloride (Cl)........................................................................ 2,028 56.50
Carbonate (CO3) .................................................................... 1,549 51.65
Metaborate(BOa).......... .......................................................... Trace. Trace.
Phosphate (P04). ................................................................... 0 .00
5,937

SUMMARY OF CARBONATED SPRINGS.
for the existence of most of the hot springs of the State
by the geology or topography of the surrounding coun-
[ittle apparent cause for the rise of carbonated water
it does issue.