WSP08909 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home Browse Search

. r\) .... <0 c.;-, Shale ~ember of the Green River Formatioa, and alluvial aquifers. Water quality is generally very good. Formatioas in the Rock Springs uplift yield variable quantities of water but the water is moderately saline, generally exceeding 7,000 ppm of TDS, which limits the use- fulne,s of wells tapped in this region (Welder and McGree\?, 1966). Recharge rates into the Washakie Basin are low since most precipi- tation falling in the basin leaves the area by surface drainage at by evaporation, but total reserves are adequate because past exploi- tation has been small. Because of the profuse yields of most of the major aquifers discussed above, mine "der..ratering" could prove to be a problem for oil shale operations (Welder, 1968). As eco- nomic development inc~e2ses the use of ground water in the Upper Green River Basin, leakage from higher salinity aquifers (especi- ally from the Green F~ver Fo~tion) towards the lower salinity aqui- fers may.result in gradual grou~d water degradation (Lowham et al., 1976). GREAT DIVIDE BASIN (WAU 140402) . Ground water recharge rates in the Great Divide Basin (Fig. D.3) are low, but since the region is one of interior drainage and since aquifers have been sparsely tapped by wells, water reserves are believed to be relatively extensive. The specific amount of these reserves is u~k~own, however (~elder and McGreevy, 1966). Most of the gro~d water discharge in the Great Divide Basin is through evaporation. TWo major aquifers occupy the Great Divide Basin. The Wasatch Formation covers the western and central part, while the Battle Spring Formation covers the eastern and northeastern part of the basin. Water is generally under artesian pressure. The Wasatch Formation produces relatively high yields of water; most wells from the Wasatch Formation produce from 5 to 110 gpm at less than 1,000 feet depth; however, one well at Wamsutter, Wyoming, is reported to produce 250 gp~. Yields as high as 500 gpm may be possible from wells deeper than 1,000 reet in the thicker sequences of the sandstone formation. Dissolved solids in the Wasatch Formation range from 500 to 2,800 ppm (Welder and ~!cGreev"'l. 1966). Yields from the Battle Spring Formation are potentially greater than from the Wasatch Formation. It is possible that a favorably placed well could produce up to 1,000 gpm. One 504 foot well produces 300 gp~. Dissolved solids range from about 1,000 ppm in the southeast portion of the Great Divide Basin to as low as 200 ppm in the northeast. Two other aquifers, the Fort Union and Lance formations on the western boundary of the Great Divide Basin, are e~~ected to produce . D-8