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. ":: . . . August 24, 2006 Colorado Geological Survey Proposed Scope of Work CWCB - Construction Fund - 2007-2008 Non-Reimbursable Project Application Arkansas River Basin - Ground Water Bibliography Background The Ground Water Atlas of Colorado provides comprehensive, understandable information concerning the state's ground water resources. To accomplish this mission, the perspective of the Atlas was statewide in nature. We attempted to identify and document the most recent and comprehensive studies and data sources available for a particular aquifer or basin. Resource and time constraints, however, necessitated that our literature searches and data gathering efforts be limited. While a regional ground water perspective provides a solid foundation in understanding the state's resources, a focus on more detailed data and mapping is required to meet the day-to- day management needs ofthe water community. Inquiries from the public have highlighted the lack of detailed, comprehensive sources for local ground-water resources information. In FY 2006, the CWCB funded a study through the Severance Tax Grant Fund to research, compile, and integrate existing sources of ground water data for the lower Arkansas River mainstem alluvial aquifer. This study area was identified by CWCB staff as a priority area considering future decision support system implementation, the Statewide Water Supply Initiative findings, the Colorado Water for the 21 st Century Act Arkansas River Basin Roundtable, and the needs oflocal water managers/districts. The scope of that project was to assemble a digital and geo-referenced bibliography of publicly available studies and data related to the alluvial aquifer system of the lower Arkansas River main stem below Pueblo Reservoir in Colorado. The bibliography focused on existing literature that address the configuration, hydrologic properties, water levels, and water quality of the alluvial aquifer. The final CD-ROM product delivered in August 2006, consisted of a geo- referenced bibliographic database within a geographic information system (GIS) platform. It is an "interactive" digital product that can be used by and disseminated to ground-water professionals, water managers, and the public for researching information related to the alluvial ground-water resources of the lower Arkansas River basin. On presentation of this final product, CWCB immediately recognized the value of both the information and the media for presentation/implementation. They also identified a limitation in that the study only focused on the alluvial aquifer system of the lower Arkansas River mainstem below Pueblo Reservoir. CWCB staff requested a subsequent study to include the alluvial aquifers ofthe upper Arkansas River basin as well as along major tributaries and inclusion of the bedrock aquifers. The following proposed scope of work under this application addresses that request. 1