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C. 163'7 Estimates of septic-tank return (septic-field seepage) represent arelatively small part of the aquifer water budget in the Albuquerque area in comparison to other components of the river I aquifer system. Because of this, field experiments, which would need to be extrapolated over the area, would not substantially add to the understanding of the ground-waterlsurface-water interaction in the Albuquerque area. Reasonable estimates can be made using existing information. PLAN OF STUDY The following plan of study is proposed to collect the additional needed information identified previously in this report, use that information to develop a better understanding of hydrologic relations between the Rio Grande surface-water system and the Santa Fe Group aquifer system, and quantify those relations. Through this quantification, the effects of particular stresses, such as ground-water wit):\drawal by individual wells or groups of wells, on the aquifer and surface-water system can be determined. Because of the complexity of the aquifer and surface-water system in the Albuquerque area, an updated ground-water-flow model of the Albuquerque Basin (Kernodle and others, 1995) could be used .to quantify the aquifer I surface-water system. The proposed study elements and prioritized program for completing these elements are shown in table 4. The prioritization method used for the study elements is the same method used for prioritizing the information needs. Study elements that would provide information considered necessary to improve the quantification of the system are prioritized as essential, and those that would provide information that would add additional understanding of the system, but would not be necessary to improve the quantification of the system, are prioritized as useful. Several study elements are of an experimental nature-- that is, the application of the techniques may not with certainty yield the information for which they are designed. These experimental study elements are noted in table 4 and in the following discussions of the study elements. The necessity of the information (essential or useful) obtained if the technique is successful is also noted. The plan of study flow diagram (fig. 1 in the "Executive summary") illustrates the dependency of essential information on the study elements, as well as the dependency among study elements. The essential study elements would be implemented along the information flow paths as shown in figure 1. Data storage is common to all of the study elements, and it is essential that the data developed be publicly accessible and readily retrievable for data analysis and incorporation into applications such as ground-water-flow models. Therefore, data storage in computerized data bases is essential. Because of the variety of information that would be obtained, a single data base is not practical for all data. However, all data in the data bases would be referenced by geographic location through a recognized map projection (such as longitude and latitude). This would allow pertinent data for a particular application to be retrieved and incorporated into a Geographic Information System (GIS) for analysis. The use of a GIS was essential for managing the large amount of information needed for the ground-water-flow model of the Albuquerque Basin developed by Kernodle and others (1995, p. 6). Some types of data, such as land uses at a particular time period, are amenable for storing directly in a GIS. However, data such as multiple (often thousands) hydraulic-head measurements from obServation wells are more amenable to storage in a separate data base where particular measurements may be retrieved and incorporated into a GIS for analysis. 31