C150094 Red Mesa Aquifer Groundwater Study 2002

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Red Mesa Aquifer Groundwater Study — Interim Report 2002 • Figure 6. Low Water Table Map, showing groundwater elevations and flow paths during December 2001. • Figure 7. Relative Static Water Level Change, showing the change in water level of each well monitored for the period April 2001 to October 2002. • Figure 8. Bedrock Elevations Map, showing the bedrock underlying the Red Mesa Aquifer. • Figure 9. Ditch Discharge and Selected Well Hydrographs, showing data for selected ditches and nearby wells. Estimated travel times of groundwater flow from monitored wells to surface discharge points were calculated and are shown in Tables 1A and 1B. Later sections of the report describe these figures and tables in greater detail. 1.3 Purpose/Objective The objective of the study was to develop a better understanding of the groundwater hydrology of the Red Mesa Aquifer and its relationships with associated surface water flows and irrigation practices. In WWE's July 2000 Water Management and Conservation Plan, it was noted that flows in Long Hollow were observed to be relatively consistent during dry (1996), average (1998) and wet (1997) years of precipitation (see Figures 2A through 2C). During this three-year period annual discharge from Long Hollow ranged from about 5,500 to 7,000 af, increasing by only 30 percent between the dry and wet years. Long Hollow's fluctuation is small in comparison to the La Plata River and Cherry Creek, which increased by 300 percent and 940 percent, respectively, during the same time period. The consistency of flows, coupled with the relative high discharge of the Long Hollow for the size of the watershed, indicates that Long Hollow primarily is supplied by groundwater inflow. Management of the La Plata River basin water resources and the administration of the La Plata River Compact, in particular, could be improved through the temporary storage and management 991-077/031 Wright Water Engineers, Inc. Page 3 Interim Report