PROJ00487

• Contract/PO #: FS0007X
• Contractor Name: Kennesburg, Town of
• County: Weld
• Loan Projects - Doc Type: Feasibility Study

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B. EXISTING RAW WATER SUPPLY

The existing deep wells, owned and operated by the Town of Keenesburg
for its water supply, take \'iater from the Laramie-Fox Hills aquifer.
Exhibit IV-l identifies the depth to the top of the Laramie-~ox Hills
aq~ifer and provides a brief description of the aquifer. This infor-
mation was prepared by the Colorado Division of Water Resources.

There has been considerable investigation regarding water in the Prospect
Valley area in which Keenesburg is located. It is of major concern that
the primary and alternate source of all groundwater within the basin is
from precipitation. Of the precipitation that occurs within the basin,
part of it is carried off by intermittent streams, part of it is
evaporated and the remainder infiltrates the ground. A portion of the
precipitation and water brough in by canals or surface streams which
is not consumed by vegeta t i on or held by the surface so il s, moves down-
ward to the saturated zone of the unconsolidated materials. The ground-
water within this zone of saturation moves laterally through the unconsoli-
dated materials and through the more permeable portions of the bedrock.
Much of this groundwater is then discharged through wells, seeps, springs,
evapo-transpiration and underflow. Major emphasis is therefore placed
on the recharge of the basin versus the discharge requirements. The
water table in the basin for the Prospect Valley has been declining during
the past years.

The Laramie-Fox Hills sands make up the most important aquifer for supply-
ing domestic water.

The Keenesburg area was included in a major study completed in 1967 on the

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Lost Creek Basin~ This study recommended that the Basin be designated as
a groundwater basin so as to be able to 'manage the water resources. This
study discusses many of the concerns and activity relating to the aquifer
up to that date. The study notes that although the recorded water level
measurements have shown a gradual decl ine within the Prospect Valley area
for a number of years, the overall groundwater conditions within the area
are relatively favorable. The report recommends that minimum well spacing
be at one-half mile intervals for wells located up-grade from other wells
and at one-quarter mile intervals for wells located at right angles to
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