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<br />~aY 198~t nAY 26 198~2 1\ll~
<br />
<br />Issue #3 .~GtORADO \N.~. J CR COLORADO
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<br />MEEKER DOME UNIT
<br />RIVER WATER QUALITY IMPROVEMENT
<br />PLANNING TEAM NEWSLETTER
<br />
<br />PROGRAM
<br />
<br />
<br />This n€wsl~tter summarizes the results of the verifica-
<br />tion program on the Meeker Dome Unit. The Final Verifi-
<br />cation Program Report was completed by CH2M Hill in
<br />December 1981. Informat ion on the monitoring network
<br />and the activity on the Scott, Marland, and James Wells
<br />was presented in Issue 1~2 of the plnnning team news-
<br />letter.
<br />
<br />BACKGROUND
<br />
<br />The sal ine seepage prob 102m at Heeker Dome was believed
<br />to be the result of unplugged or inadequately plugged
<br />oil test wells. Reclamationlg consultant, CH2M Hill
<br />Central Inc., carried out a verification program to test
<br />this hypothesis. Six observation wells and eight seep
<br />measurement stations were installed in 1980 to monitor
<br />ground-wate" level and flows. A testing program was
<br />initiated for three old oil exploration wells. By June
<br />161 1981, two wells were cleaned out and plugged; a
<br />third ,,:ell '..~z 3C3u:n~C to be plu66'ei thro:.;gh an b-.ter-
<br />eept well.
<br />
<br />HYPOTHESIS \~RIFICATION
<br />
<br />Data obtained in the co\;rse ,.,f the Med:~r Dorr:'''! investi-
<br />gation have supported the hypothesi.s that saline water
<br />from deep confined aquifers is reaching the surface by
<br />recharging shallow, poorly-confined aquifers via old
<br />well :'ores.
<br />
<br />In~ormation Obtained During the Verification Program
<br />
<br />There is a shallow aquifer in the upper Morrison Forma-
<br />~iol'l. charg~d wi::h sal i.ne water under fairly high head
<br />which underlies most, if not all I of the Dome. The
<br />aquifer i~ within 60 feet of the surface near the Meeker
<br />Well. The SOO-foot-deep Meeker Well, drilled in the
<br />early 1900's, penetrated aquifers in the Entrada Forma-
<br />tion. Meeker Well flowed into the White River at
<br />approximately 1,200 gpm for nearly 50 years. The Mar-
<br />land Welll drilled in 1925, enccunte::ed flowing water in
<br />the Entrada and deeper formations co a depth of 2,000
<br />feet. Each progressively deeper aquifer contained water
<br />that was higher in mineralization, temperature, and
<br />pressure. The Weber Fonnation from. l,8GO to 2,000 feet
<br />yielded t~,~ hi6h~st ~r~ssure a.nd flow and contained the
<br />sa.lti€st water.
<br />
<br />Flows at the Meeker Well responded to the inter"iquifer
<br />connection bet"Heel' the Web!:!!" and l':nl"rada Formations as a
<br />result of the :-l:arland Well. ootn well:3 floWE:d si.111!.11-
<br />taneously for several years before the Marland Well
<br />ceased flowing because of 3. parti.al well bore collapse,
<br />intent ional plugging with debris, and! or the gradual
<br />bleed-off of pressure by the flowing wells. The Meeker
<br />Well continued to flow until 1968, when it was plugged.
<br />Repressurlzation occurred in the Entrada and lower form-
<br />ations which resulted in sufficient pressure recovery at
<br />the Marland Well to p'.1sh water to the surface. Insuffi-
<br />cient casing and corrosion of the casing resulted in
<br />conditions at the Marland Well ~ere shallow aquifers
<br />were intercept tng large qUc1nt ides of the sal Lle water
<br />moving up the borehole from the deep aquifers. As shal-
<br />low formations were invaded by water from a deeper major
<br />aquifer. water quality in all zones became nearly iden-
<br />tical.
<br />
<br />Interaquifer connections along deep faults, if in exis-
<br />tence at all, did not pro'/ide avenues for movement o~
<br />aaline 'Water to the surface until deep cO:1fining beds
<br />
<br />were penetrated by the Marland Well. :m~e charged with
<br />saline wat~r from deeper aquifers, JOlnts aod fault
<br />planes allowed rapid lateral and possibly vertical move-
<br />ment of that water in and b~[ween shallow aquifers (see
<br />Figure 1).
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<br />ENTRADA
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<br />MORRISON
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<br />t
<br />C,,;ng 553'_.! \ I
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<br />Depth eod8
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<br />Depth 2002'
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<br />FIGURE 1
<br />WEL.L. FLOW MECHANISM
<br />MEEKER DOME AREA
<br />(1981)
<br />
<br />The Scott Well annulus (the area betwe~n t:l<> dril~ ho~e
<br />and the pipe casing), poorly cemented. abave 1,50/) f-!f2t,
<br />was essentially free pipe with the potential for lar'ge
<br />volu~es of saline water CD rise around the pipe and flow
<br />into the ~orrlson For.r.ation.
<br />
<br />The Marlar.d W~ll ~as cased only to 553 feet. The casing
<br />.,..as disint~grating and the annulus behind the casing was
<br />open. After cement was pumped into the Narl.and Inter-
<br />cept Well, 'W3ter levels and flows issuing f~~ the shal-
<br />low Morrison aquifer rapidly declined, indicating that a
<br />direct cor.nection existed oetween deep an~ shallow aqui-
<br />fers at the Marland Well.
<br />
<br />Flowing wRter and an opeil. bore hole above 335 feet ~"
<br />the James Well and wat~r level responses in near~y
<br />observation wells confirmed that the James Well C0nnect-
<br />ed an artesian saline aquif~r in the upper !'1"orrisoa Fl,)r-
<br />mation with the Dakota S:md!';tone. Th~ James I.lell was
<br />the primary source for local salt problems on the east
<br />s ide of the. Dome.
<br />
<br />Ne<irly
<br />source
<br />
<br />id€ntical water
<br />theory for all
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<br />qu,l'oy02p'7080
<br />water encountered.
<br />
<br />common-
<br />Although
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<br />the
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