WSP08884

• File Number: 8059
• Description: Section D General Studies-State Water Plan
• State: CO
• Date: 7/28/1971
• Author: USGS
• Title: State Water Plan Reference Data-US Geological Survey Announces New Artesian Test Well Drilled Near Westcliffe Colorado
• Water Supply Pro - Doc Type: News Article/Press Release

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United States Department of the Interior #!2

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY ,
Denver Federal Center t':Z?1\
Denver, Colorado 80225 '/, -),. 'jJ,J--
Water Resoutt?e"S' Division
July 28, 1971 Colorado District

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iN REl'LY REYI!.R ro,

INFORMATION TO THE PRESS

SUBJECT:

U. S. Geological Survey announces new artesian test well
drilled near Westcliffe, Colorado

RELEASE DATE: Immediately

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CONTACT:

E. A. Moulder, District Chief
U. S. Geological Survey, WRD
Colorado District
Bldg. 25, Denver Federal Center
Denver, Colorado 80225
Telephone: [phone], Ext. 8621

About 50 gallons per minute of good quality water flows from a new artesian well
drilled in Wet Mountain Valley 3 miles south of Westcliffe, Colo. , according to
E. A. Moulder, Colorado Water Resources District Chief for the U. S. Geological
Survey. The 1, ZOO-foot test well, cased with 2-inch pipe perforated at several
intervals below 78 feet, was drilled for the U. S. Geological Survey by the Fowler
Drilling Company. It is part of a 2-year study of the ground-water resources of the
Arkansas River basin above Pueblo made in cooperation with the Southeastern Colorado
Water Conservancy District and the Colorado Division of Water Resources. Moulder
said that the data obtained from the well will be particularly useful in conjunction with
the agency's geophysical resistivity survey to describe the extent and characteristics
of the underground water reservoir in the Wet Mountain Valley.

C. L. Thomson, General Manager of the Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy
District, views the findings from this well as an integral part of the study and as a
significant part of the information necessary to plan the future development and
administration of water in the Arkansas River basin. Thomson said that this fall a
second well will be drilled to a depth of about 1,000 feet near Buena Vista, Colo.

Philip A. Emery, Subdistrict Chief in charge of the U. S. Geological Survey's Water
Resources Division office at Pueblo, reported that the well was completed July 12, 1971.
Emery stated that preliminary analysis of the water found in the extensive clay, sand.
and gravel deposits contained less than 150 parts per million of dissolved mineral
content.

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